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Children's health

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Original poster

how do you get rid of verrucas?

40 replies

Mercedes · 21/04/2009 11:33

my dd has a large verucca on her toe. She had one previusly in the same place and we went to gp's and thought we had got rid of it after the nurse froze it off. But its come back
My dd is pleading with us not to go back to gps.

On a friend's recommendation we've been rubbing it with a file each night and then dabbing some sort of acid (from the chemists) on it. It's reduced it in size but we've been doing this for nearly 2 months.

Someonelse told us to put duct tape on and thta would work. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?

OP posts:
Clockface · 21/04/2009 11:36

It can takes ages for them to come off. Keep on filing / aciding and it will take the hint eventually!

Original poster
Mercedes · 21/04/2009 11:39

how long/hard do you file for? We do it v gently for about 30-60 seconds. Do we need to be a bit more vigourous?

OP posts:
Clockface · 21/04/2009 11:41

I was quite fierce with dd's verucca! It needs to be disturbed so that it will come off. So yes, it's probably better to be rogorous with it! Eventually dd's came off in the bath. It did take a good few months though.

andlipsticktoo · 21/04/2009 11:43

We use the strong Bazooka (sp?) and you have to soak foot for ages they dry, scrape the area and apply. It does take weeks and you have to repeat every day!

Yuk, veruccas and headlice drive me insane!

andlipsticktoo · 21/04/2009 11:44

I mean then dry, not they dry!

Original poster
Mercedes · 21/04/2009 11:46

my dd is a sensitive thing so it will end in tears but if I put it to her gps or the filing she knows there's a worse option

OP posts:
Clockface · 21/04/2009 11:50

No, it's wont necessarily hurt her as verrucas can be quite insensitive due to the buildup of skin on them. It's on these bits that you can be quite strong.

Milliways · 21/04/2009 18:52

Deffo Duct tape! Our GP recommends it & it worked for me on VERY stubborn critters.

basementbear · 21/04/2009 18:55

Tried duct tape but it just kept falling off DS's sweaty foot! Then I discovered bananas!! After trying for months to get rid of vsore verrucca on DS's heel, GP rather shame-facedly suggested banana peel. Cut out a square of the skin, put it white side down on verruca, secure in place with a plaster and replace every day. It seriously works, was gone within about 10 days and lovely soft foot afterwards

Milliways · 21/04/2009 18:57

You cover the verucca with a small patch of tape and leave it for a week. If it falls off before just re-cover it.

After a week peel or soak it off.

You can file a bit, leave free for one day then start again.

Can take up to 6 or 8 weeks but cheap & painless. Eventually the verucca comes away on the tape leaving a nice hole

see here

or here

maximama · 21/04/2009 19:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LilOrphanAnnie · 21/04/2009 19:56

Use this. One of the most useful tip Cod posted on Mn, iirc. Worked a treat on dd. Had to do three applications, a fortnight apart.

BCNS · 21/04/2009 20:04

will also say duct tape

robert30 · 24/12/2010 12:54

A verucca is a virus infection causing an abnormalilty in the growth of skin. There are no antiviral agents that are effective against a verruca so therefore the only treatments that are available are all destructive in one way or another. These treatments include occlusion with tape, chemicals, cautery and freezing. Some of these treatments should be under medical supervision or from a Podiatrist. Some treatments are available over the counter at your local pharmacy where instructions for use should be adhered to. Often this condition will resolve spontaneously and unless they are painful, mothers should not worry too much about them. If your child has a verruca it is best to ensure that they carry out good foot hygiene
Robert Reid
DPodM.,MChS

ShelleyA · 03/06/2011 10:45

I have a great way of getting rid of them....
i didn't believe I would EVER get rid of the verruca I have had for 20years+. It had about 40 stems to it, so it wasn't a small one on the ball of my foot! It hurt when I walked and I had to use the corn plaster things to be able to walk properly. Really bad!
Then a friend of mine said he had heard of a way.... I thought, ok it won't work, cuz nothing else has - and I have tried everything (digging it out, freezing it, vinegar etc). I gave this a go and within a matter of 2 weeks it had gone!
It sounds mad, but the answer is nail varnish! The darker the better - i used black.
Apparently, verruca's need ultraviolet light to grow (which I already knew), so cutting out the light means it can not grow.
Ludicrous as it sounds, I decided to give it a go.
I covered it with a fresh coat of black nail varnish everyday without removing the old layer. After 2 weeks, I scrubbed it off in the bath and low and behold, it was gone! Yes, I know it sounds mad, but it truly was gone! I still have some hard skin where the verruca was (it has only been gone for 3 days), but I have been filing it off the hard skin, but there is nothing under the dead skin...
I am verruca free - YEAY!! :D

Sucos · 17/11/2012 00:20

Thank you ShelleyA for your amazing tip! My 10 year old son has had a very large, painful verruca for the past 6 months and nothing was working. We live in a hot, humid climate so any treatment that involves sticking plasters, duct tape, etc. just doesn't work on sweaty little feet. After reading your post three weeks ago I bought some black nail varnish and we gently filed down the verruca a bit and then coated it with the varnish. We've reapplied the varnish every few days, filing it about once a week, and I'm delighted to report that the last remaining bit came off yesterday (all that's left is a little crater of dry skin). This has been a wonderfully quick, cheap, and painless treatment and is ideal for active kids. Thank you! :o)

JSWS1 · 29/01/2013 23:12

Hi Sucos how long did it take you to get rid of it? My little boy has had one for 2 months and we are currently using the bazooka gel, but it's not doing anything apart from getting bigger! Going to try black nail varnish with banana skin and duck tape!

anonymosity · 30/01/2013 03:17

You should be able to get a sealant - to keep water and air out (which in combination make them spread). You'll need to check with your GP if you can use them.

I had to use the stick on acid pads and change them every night after a bath for literally several years before the whole things went. If any adults in the house have them, make sure they always keep their feet covered and don't use the same bath mat.

MildDrPepperAddiction · 30/01/2013 10:51

Duck tape works! It's brilliant.

ScarlettOoHara · 31/01/2013 15:48

Two of my sons have had them. Lots of them at the same time. Spoke to chiropodist the first time they appeared and he suggested doing nothing! He said they are very painful to try to remove and that they would go away sooner if left alone. The oldest son had them for a few months and then one time I went to cut his toe nails and low and behold they had all vanished. So we're not doing anything about the younger ones feet. Also told not to worry about covering them at swimming pool as the virus is all around and it's down to your own immune system if you catch it which would seem to follow as noone else in the house had caught them. (oldest son's veruccas were long gone by the time younger boy got them).

anonymosity · 01/02/2013 23:29

Ah yes I remember that now ScarletOohara - if they're tiny (under 5 yrs) they sort of drop out and need to be left alone. My extended baby brain caused me to forget it.
Not fun as an adult though, I WISH they dropped off.

AmberLeaf · 01/02/2013 23:33

I had them a few years back, a little cluster of them.

They went away on their own.

If they came back though, I would try the duct tape things as it seems to work.

anonymosity · 01/02/2013 23:40

That may have been warts. Veruccas only spread in adults, they don't disappear.

AmberLeaf · 01/02/2013 23:42

No they were definitely verrucas.

Doctor saw them and told me to get some of that bazooka stuff, which I tried but found it painful to use.

AmberLeaf · 01/02/2013 23:45

I thought verrucas were just warts that are on the sole of your foot anyway?

They all come from HPV dont they?

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