Tips on getting rid of a very stubborn verruca?

[CiderBomb]

I've had a verruca that's the size of a five pence piece, on the ball of my foot for about ten years now. I'm not exaggerating, I have tried everything to get rid of it. Bazooka and wartner didn't touch it, I went to a private chirpopodist about five years ago who tried to burn it off with some giant match stick type of things - that didn't work either, and I was left seriously out of pocket. I've tried duct tape, I've tried nail polish, I've tried tea tree oil and vitamins. None of them worked.

It's getting to the stage now where it hurts, if it didn't hurt I'd leave it be, but it does hurt and I've also now noticed that it looks like it starting to spread. I have two smaller ones on the same foot, and another one looks to be springing up on the other foot....

I would love to get rid of them all, I'm ashamed of my feet. I'd never go to a beauty salon and get a pedicure because the soles of my feet are so disgusting. I can't understand why nothing is working?

What else can I try?

[Thehorsedentist]

Duct tape or Gaffa tape, whatever you call it. I had a stubborn crop of verrucas for years and it is the only thing that got rid of it. Freezing and bazuka did nothing on mine either.

Just cut a small piece off that is slightly bigger than the verruca and stick it straight onto the skin. Replace it after every shower or whenever it loses its stick. Mine disappeared in two weeks. Im not crazy, honestly.

[YDdraigGoch]

I heard that the inside of banana skin works too. Haven't tried it though.

Your verucca sounds nasty - must be quite painful I would think - poor you.

[JohnnyUtah]

I have a ten year old one a quarter of the size of yours. I did the duck tape religiously for 6 weeks. It's still there, though it did look different while the tape was on (I could see when I changed it). I took thuja tablets at the same time. I've given up now.

[CiderBomb]

Apparently the new thing is anti bacterial hand sanitiser. Has anyone else tried that?

I should say that my verruca also looked different when I was using the duct tape, but it seemed to make the skin around it sore so I had to stop.

[LidlAngel]

Giant match sticks?? Sweet Lord....Don't know how relevant this is any more to current treatments but when I was about 12 (around 1985) old gimmer I too had a very stubborn verruca. I went to an NHS chiropodist who got a sticky pad type thing, tipped some powder stuff on it, stuck it on my foot, taped it up and told me to keep my foot out of water for two weeks. Took it off to find the heel of my foot all white and grim looking, with a crater where the verruca was. Worked a treat. Perhaps you need to demand something crazy ass strong.

[IrisWildthyme]

Use these brilliant little patches available at many chemists. I used them when I had a stubborn one that resisted all other attempts - though I did have to use bandage tape to hold them in place as they would often fall off otherwise. They are impregnated with a chemical that kills off the veruca permanently, but you do need to replace the patch every day till it's properly gone.

[Pogosticks]

My son had a stubborn one and we did nail varnish combined with soaking it in the bath and then cutting soft bits off with sterilised nail scissors and tweezers. And him taking extra vitamins with zinc in.

[sydenhamhiller]

Reading this with interest as I have had one for 5 years or so: have had doctor use liquid nitrogen/ expensive electrical current thingy at beautician, bazooka stuff, tea tree oil...

Might try the nail varnish... What does the zinc supplement do?

[JanieLovesLuckySocks]

super glue...honestly (obv wait until it dries before stepping on anything!

[eatyourveg]

I had a stubborn one for years - in the end I had it lazered off - got a scar but I don't care

[Thants]

Watched a tv programme recently. I cannot remember what it is called! Where doctors did clinical testing on medical treatments that patients told them about. They tested duct taping a verruca and had really positive results. Just make sure it is always covered! It can take months. I have a stubborn verruca and am going to get some duct tape. Fingers crossed!

[Pogosticks]

The zinc was to boost his immune system as a verruca is a virus and needs the body to fight it from the inside. Or something. I can't really remember too well! But the nail varnish worked on a couple of stubborn warts too that had resisted the freezing thing. I reckon super glue would work even better than nail varnish tbh.

[JewelFairies]

I've given up on mine (ten years or more) and know it will probably outlive me. At least then I'll have the last laugh!

[SlinkyB]

I'm in exactly the same boat as you op : same size, same place (left foot? Clutch foot, ouch).

I've had mine for about 16 years now. Tried all of the above mentioned treatments, plus formaldehyde which a Dr prescribed many moons ago.

Nothing worked, so I had it (and the few smaller ones around it) surgically removed five years ago. Left craters in my foot, and couldn't drive a manual car for a week.

Guess what? A few months later, they were back! I now just go to a Podiatrist every few months to have them filed and all the hard skin removed. Might try the duct tape again though (am pg so best not muck about with chemicals or anything too severe atm).

Good luck finding a miracle cure - am watching with interest!

[poisonedbypen]

I had one like this for years & then I suddenly realised it had gone. I've read that eventually your immune system kicks in & gets rid of it.

[havatry]

Have you tried Salactol wart paint - you can get it on Amazon.

We tried freezing, banana skins, duct tape, nail varnish, biro over many months none of them worked.

You paint salactol on and then rub off dry skin with a pummice stone in the bath. Got rid of DD's stubborn one in less than 2 weeks.

[CiderBomb]

Bloody hell, 16 years! My god, I thought have mine for 10 was bad.

I think I know when I got mine from. My parents had a caravan and I'd use the pool and sauna there a lot, that's the only explanation I have. No one else in my family has them and I don't really go swimming anymore. Has to be that really.

Mine is on the right foot, if if cut it at all it pours with blood and looked like there's been a massacre.

Might try salactol. Anything is worth a go.

[havatry]

I'd given up hope of ever getting rid of dd's but Salactol really did work. You need a coarse pumice stone to go with it - we bought this one:

www.amazon.co.uk/Fortuna-Pumice-Stone-1-pc/dp/B007HKP2OK/ref=pd_sim_d_12?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

and this is the link to the Salactol:

www.amazon.co.uk/Salactol-Wart-Paint-10ml/dp/B0017TNZSM/ref=sr_1_1?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1383562015&sr=1-1&keywords=salactol&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

They sent me an email asking what/who it was for before they'd send it out, so check your inbox.

I think it says on the instructions to apply every day for two weeks, after soaking the foot and scrubbing off dead skin around verruca. But we probably only did it four times in two weeks and it magically disappeared. I hope it works for you.

[thehiddenpaw]

Wow. Thought I was alone. Had one for 19 years! A slightly bigger than yours. Had it frozen for over a year. It took patience and belief. I still can't believe I thought. Big growth normal. I thought it would never go. Chiropodist convinced me to keep going, sometimes was twice a week freeze, it hur. A few attacks since but never let it settle. Children had problems too. Dr said about immune system kicking in and I said not waiting 20 yr so get it off my son. He did

[CiderBomb]

19 years?! Good god, that would drive me mad.

Mine has been hurting today, some days it hurts more than others. I don't know why that is?

I don't know why my immune system hasn't kicked in yet. I never have trouble fighting off viruses and infections, in fact I'm hardly ever ill. I can't even remember the last time I had a cold.

[PeazlyPops]

I tried absolutely everything - duct tape, bazooka (tried all the strengths!), those plaster things, wartner freeze spray, silver nitrate stick, tea tree oil, manually digging it out, banana skin.. Probably more!

I had it for ten years, and eventually I went to a clinic that does laser removal. It was bloody painful (and expensive!) but worked after four treatments.

[morethanpotatoprints]

You really don't want to hear this and I too suffer with exactly the same, but have read a case about a little boy whose mum was told to use urine.
Apparently it worked.

Ok, child pees into a cup, mum soaks, then squeezes a cotton wool ball sticks it with tape to affected area, daily, for about 6 weeks.
Anybody?

[Nessalina]

DH had a massive one on his heel for about 6 years, probably between 5p & 20p size, and he went to the doctors but they only gave him a prescription for Bazuka, apparently they don't do freezing anymore! It was ridiculous, the instructions say to put on a drop to cover it, his took 9-10 drops to come close! We gave up and I made him wear socks in bed
Last month, I glanced at his feet, and it had gone! He said he never even noticed! You can see a faint outline of where it was, but nothing else. And he did nothing. Meanwhile I now have two smaller ones spawned on my foot Will we ever be rid?! Might try duct tape

[ThePigOfHappiness]

My aunt swears by rubbing a snail over the area. Don't know what the hell her logic is but if you're desperate... :D
Salactol did nothing for me btw

[CiderBomb]

Hmmm, well today I've cut the top off the main big one with a razor. Maybe not a very good idea, and Christ it really hurt. Didn't bleed as much though this time.