Verruca sporn!

[LeonardoAcropolis]

Alas, I have no photos Or pus, but I hope this is appreciated anyway.

My four year old DS had an enormous verruca, approximately 7 mm in diameter. It was painful for the little lad, but quite magnificent and we diligently applied Bazuka nightly. For a while it looked as though it wasn't going anywhere and it grew a hard callous topping because he wouldn't let us file it.

After speaking to the pharmacist, the very day we bought a £10 freezing kit for the blighter, this beauty went black and very dry ( but no redness, swelling or pain - if there was I wouldn't be posting this tale).

We watched. We waited. This evening, after his bath, DS started picking. And burrowing. He pulled the whole thing out in two goes. This verruca lump was about 3mm thick, a beauty. DS sat and picked it out with an expression of utmost seriousness on his little face. His little foot is now fine, although now has a little pale pink crater.

Oh, how I wish I had taken a picture. Oh, how I almost wish for one of my own.

A sporner in the making!

That was very moving.

I got a verruca on DS2's foot to that stage once then the bastard thing fell off one night in bed and was never seen again, still feel cheated years later!

If there is a next time, you can skip the cost of the bazuka and just use nail varnish (dark colour). Layer it on nightly and after a couple of weeks the verruca will just fall out. Twas a thing of beauty when DS's did that. We both stared at it for ages. I'm almost looking forward to the next one, even though I know I shouldn't be wishing a verruca on him!

Cider vinegar worked for us. About 10 days of applying a wee bit of cotton pad soaked in cider vinegar under a plaster, it went black and then just peeled off DD's toe one morning. Pain-free, hassle-free, cheap and very rewarding.

We've tried loads of other remedies but this has been the best all round.

Nail varnish, you say?
I'm currently trying duct tape, but I've had the verruca for ten years so I'm not holding out much hope...

DS has a cluster of verruca's that so far are defying all home treatments.

I've recently tried the duct tape trick, but that proved useless because he basically has wet feet and the tape just comes off! Never known anyone who has such damp sweaty feet

So I'm trying the nail varnish! I applied it last night, and so far it's still on. I am hopeful and remaining optimistic!

By the way, he's 16 but still allowing me to tend to his verruca's and occasionally his spots

With the nail varnish just layer it on every night. I didn't remove the old layer, just added more. Occasionally tried to file it a bit. Essentially you are trying to block out air and light from the virus. Good luck. It was brilliant when it fell out!

UnlikelyRunner - tried the nail varnish technique and last night part of my verruca cluster fell out after several years and many attempts to get rid including surgical removal! (it grew back). It left a 0.5cm diameter hole with several villi type fronds of tissue sticking up and a last chunk hanging on.

Do I keep applying nail varnish to the area until it's all gone and healed or just until the last chunk falls out? Want to make sure I properly eliminate the bugger this time.

Ahem. Where are the photos ffs?!

I didn't think to take photos at the time - mainly because I was using my phone as a torch to see it better. But here's two photos from just now of my big toe - one with the nail varnish on where the lighter patch at the top is where the chunk came away, and the second one (with thumb in shot) where I've sliced off as much as I can with a corn knife. Since Monday night the hole seems to have healed over and no black spots but still a few in the bit below.

Should I keep putting varnish on where the chunk cam out?

You are out of my zone of experience now as DS' all came off in one go. But if it were my foot I would keep going for another couple of weeks with the varnish.

Thanks!