The Doc Replies

I swim a lot but am very prone to verrucas. What are they?

Verrucas are simply warts which occur on the soles of the feet. They are generally picked up at swimming pools and are a bit of a nuisance. There are topical treatments that can be used to treat them. These are available over the counter at the pharmacy. Sometimes liquid nitrogen is used but there is no evidence that this is superior to the topical paints which are used.

What is skin glue? Can I use household glue as a substitute?

Absolutely not. For minor injuries that break the skin we often use a clinical glue nowadays rather than stitches or other sticky products such as steristrips. It is not the same as household glue which would be harmful to the skin.

Last year I had shingles. Can I give other people chicken pox?

You can only get shingles if you have had chickenpox earlier in life. Shingles is not usually a contagious disease. Normal, healthy people do not catch shingles from somebody with shingles. There is no danger in your passing on shingles if you have a history of having had it in the past or of having had the vaccine.

What’s the best way to check my pulse?

That depends on whether you want to do it manually or electronically. With the advent of SMART technology there are many apps which can read your pulse, and there are also gadgets such as Fitbits. If you are doing it manually then you should gently press your second and third fingers into the space below the base of the thumb until you feel the pulsation.