Treatment of Verrucae
Verruca needling works by causing a cell-mediated immune response at the affected area. the pioneering microwave therapy system for verrucae.
Needling works in a different way to other verruca treatments, (such as caustics, freezing and heating) as these can require several treatments to reduce the verruca. It is not suitable for patients under the age of 18 years.
Benefits of Needling
- Can be completed in 1-2 sessions
- The triggered cellular immune response targets all the verrucae of the same HPV type, not only the ones directly treated.
- Less self-maintenance is needed in the long-term, e.g. regular filing or the application of medications required by other treatments
Prior to Procedure
- Stop taking any anti-inflammatory medication at least 12 hours before treatment.
- ·You may eat before the procedure; especially if you are prone to feeling faint during medical procedures.
- Arrange transportation as you will not be covered by your motor insurance to drive for 12 hours post local anaesthetic.
- You should also not plan to walk far after the procedure as you need keep your feet elevated for the first two hours – this helps to reduce bleeding.
- You should not require any time off work, although if your job involves spending a lot of time on your feet, you may wish to take a couple of days.
The Procedure
- Verruca needling is performed under local anaesthetic. You will be injected around your ankle or in your foot to numb the area around the verruca.
- Once completely numb the podiatrist will use a fine pointed, sterile, dry needle (meaning without any medication) to repeatedly puncture the surface of the verruca. This pushes the verruca cells from the epidermis deeper into the dermis of the skin, where the immune cells are present in higher numbers, triggering an immune response targeting the verruca directly. The appropriate antibodies are produced and over time the verruca naturally deteriorates.
- Only the largest of each type of verruca needs to be needled – making it an ideal treatment for those with numerous or mosaic verrucae.