Family Casebook

Oct 5 2008 Dr Gareth Smith

Warts & Veruccas

THERE are more than 60 types of virus that cause warts and veruccas.

They rarely occur before the age of three but around 20 per cent of young people will develop them.

Warts are most commonly found on the hands and look like small cauliflowers.

Veruccas occur on the soles of the feet and are hard pea-like growths. Both are very contagious. The infection usually lasts up to two years when it spontaneously disappears.

No treatment for warts or veruccas is guaranteed to work. Over-the-counter medications soften the wart using a mildly acidic solution and it then falls off.

A doctor may freeze the infection with liquid nitrogen. It could take several treatments before the wart or verucca disappears.