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Getting a verruca or two is
almost a routine part of growing up. Many people
are not troubled by them at all while others find
them cosmetically distressing. For some, however,
verrucas can be a real pain. What
are verrucas?
Verrucas are warts that appear on the sole of
the foot and are caused by an infection with one
of the strains of the human papilloma virus.
They appear as hard growths on the surface of
the skin and can spread quickly to other areas of
the sole of the foot. The weight of the body can
flatten the verruca and force it into the skin.
When this happens the verruca can be painful and
stops people from walking properly.
Who gets them?
Most people will get a verruca at some point
in their lives. Children and teenagers are more
likely to get them than adults are. They're
usually caught from public changing rooms and
swimming pools. Despite what people may say,
getting verrucas has nothing to do with poor
hygiene.
It's easy to distinguish a verruca from a corn
or hard skin because the verruca usually has tiny
black dots visible in it.
Treatment
Eventually verrucas will disappear on their
own without treatment
Eventually verrucas will disappear on their
own without treatment. However, this can take
years so most people choose to have them treated.
Don't try to dig or cut them out.
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How verrucas spread
Like other warts, verrucas are caused by
strains of papillomavirus. There is lots of
papillomavirus around, and many people carry it on the
surface of their skin. It does not cause any harm unless
it penetrates into the skin, where it can take hold and
cause a wart. This is most likely to happen if the
surface of your skin is already damaged, with tiny
cracks.
Most people believe that verrucas are
caught in the changing rooms of swimming pools and the
pool surrounds, but only one scientific study has shown
that people who use swimming pools regularly are more
likely to get verrucas. Other studies have shown no link.
There is probably plenty of papillomavirus
around swimming pools, particularly in the shower area.
However, you are very unlikely to get a verruca if your
skin is undamaged. If you want to minimize the risk, wear
flip-flops in the shower area.
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