What is a verruca?

Verrucae  can be silent as lambs or roar like lions!  You may not know you have them. You may have been looking at something strange on your foot for weeks, which didn't appear to change at all, or there may be 'craters' all over both feet which appeared alarmingly 'overnight'! It is generally accepted that verrucae are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).  They are  contracted through skin that is very wet  and/or through tiny cuts or fissures in the skin. Often, they are transmitted from walking on an infected, wet surface or towel. The virus can be present for weeks before anything is apparent on the surface of the skin.  Even then, it may appear almost dormant, or it can spread rapidly and many lesions are apparent.  A verruca is a wart which develops inwardly due to the pressure on the sole of the foot.  It can occur anywhere on the foot and on areas which take less pressure on walking, such as the tip of the toes. In these places, it will appear more wart like and have a cauliflower appearance. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between a verruca and a corn. There are often small black dots in the centre of a verruca, which are small 'petechiae' or bleeding points. They bleed easily when scratched. If you look very closely at a verruca, the striations or lines on the skin tend to go around the virus.  If you have acorn, these lines will stop at the corn and continue again, beyond it A good diagnostic test for a verruca is to squeeze it from either side. If there is a 'pricking' sensation, then it is almost definitely a verruca. Don't be alarmed if there are suddenly many verrucae all over your feet, they don't necessarily take any longer to go away than if you only have one lesion. You may also find that you develop warts on your hands at the same time. Seek advice if you are worried about your verrucae and opt for treatment if they are painful. In any case, cover your verrucae when you are at the poolside or in the shower. Wipe the tray around after you have used it and stick to your own towel. This prevents spreading it to other house members who will point the finger and ostracise you in an instant!                                                        YouTube video here

Corns (And What You Should Do About Them)

If you suffer with corns, you will know about it!  They nip and rub and, every step you take will remind you that there's a problem. You will slip your shoes off under the desk at work and avoid getting up so that you don't have to put them on again. You will try every pair of shoes you possess to see if they're any better; in fact, the very last resort is usually to pick up the 'phone to a podiatrist and Make An Appointment

Corns are areas of thickened skin which have developed in response to friction and pressure. They are cones of hard skin with the tip of the cone at the point of the pressure, usually over a bony prominence. They don't have 'roots' and are quickly and painlessly removed by a podiatrist. They form to protect the tissues underneath them, as these structures are undergoing excessive pressure. If this excessive pressure is removed then the corn will not return. For example, a tight pair of  shoes may put a lot of pressure on a little toe causing a corn to develop. Once the corn is removed and wider shoes are adopted, the corn will not return. If the cause is not removed, it won't matter how many times the corn is taken out, it will be back to haunt you.

Some corns are not so easily eradicated. If the pressure is due to a fixed foot deformity or some  other biomechanical issue, it may take a little longer to sort out, but the corn can still be removed and relief obtained.

If they are left untreated, or worse, home remedies are applied, corns can ulcerate due to the unrelenting damage to the tissue.  This opens a whole new set of problems. 

Some corns develop between the toes and are referred to as 'soft corns'. They are not any less painful because of this terminology, they are softened because of their position, where they remain moist due to perspiration. They are still caused by rubbing and pressure.

You may have heard of 'seed corns' which are tiny areas of hardened skin usually on very dry areas which some podiatrists believe occur in inactive sweat ducts. Seed corns are not, as the name suggests, the 'start' of larger hard corns.   They are easily removed by professionals.  

There are other types of corn which will not be discussed here, but if this article strikes a chord with you because your shoes are currently hiding under your desk while your feet are throbbing, then PLEASE give us a call so that we can remove your corn, find out the cause and start the road to eradication!