WHAT IS A VERRUCA?
The virus that forms a verruca is called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and it can survive for a substantial period of time outside of the human body. To become active and problematic, it needs a host cell to infect. The virus finds this in the upper layers of the skin, known as the epidermis. It often enters into the epidermis through simple cuts or abrasions.
When the virus has infected the host cell, it alters the genome. The problems really arise when the virus reproduces. First, it produces two cells with the altered genome; those two produce four, eight, sixteen etc, until there are a sufficient number of altered cells for a verruca to become visible to the naked eye.
The only way that a verruca can be successfully treated, is if every infected cell is destroyed. The only way that can be done is through an antibody response. For the same reason that we cannot simply curethe common cold and flu, we cannot cure verrucae; but the immune system can, given the chance and the right help. That is where dry needling is so useful.
HOW DOES DRY NEEDLING WORK?
The way dry needling works is to push the verruca cells deeper into the body of the foot. This ultimately inoculates the underlying tissue and triggers an immune response. The appropriate antibodies are produced and over the subsequent weeks the verruca undergoes a natural deterioration before ultimately disappearing.
THE PROCEDURE
Our practitioners perform Dry Needling under local anaesthetic with an injection around the ankle, which ensures that the foot is completely numb before proceeding. Having established that the area to be treated has been completely anaesthetised, a hypodermic needle is used to repeatedly puncture the verruca. This pushes verruca tissue from the epidermis through into the dermis and underlying adipose tissue layer.
Once this process has been completed a simple dry dressing is applied. This must be kept dry and clean for 24 hours. The anaesthetic will start to wear off in approximately three hours.
If you have any further questions about Dry Needling, or any other procedures we perform at the Sussex Foot Centre, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our admin team on: 01444 453874. Alternatively, you can email thomas@sussexfootcentre.co.uk.
