If you ask your mates if they've ever had a wart or verruca, only a handful can say yes. Despite the humiliation they cause, the majority of us will experience one at some stage in our lives. They can be unsightly and sometimes painful, but they are luckily harmless. Even so, when you get one, you'll probably want to see the back of it. What are warts and verrucae? Warts are small, rough lumps or growths in the skin – they range from the size of a pinprick to 1cm in diameter. Verrucae are warts on the soles of the feet, and are often characterised by tiny dots in the centre. They tend to be quite flat in appearance as they get trodden in and can form in clusters. What are the symptoms of warts and verrucae? Although unsightly, warts and verrucae are generally harmless and don’t come with many symptoms. They may feel uncomfortable or painful when walking. What causes warts and verrucae? They are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), and warts and verrucae generally go away by themselves – but it may take months or even years. Warts and verrucae are contagious and can spread from person to person by direct skin contact. If your skin is already damaged, wet or soft and comes into contact with damp surfaces like swimming pool changing rooms, you are at more risk of being infected. You can also spread the virus to other areas of the body. It can be difficult to know how exactly how the infection occurred due to a long incubation time. Top tips for avoiding and managing warts and verrucae?
It’s hard to completely avoid coming into contact with HPV but you can take the following precautions to help protect against warts and verrucae:
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Ben PembleI am a fully qualified and insured foot health professional.. (MCFHP) (MAFHP) ArchivesCategories |