Plantar Wart Treatment
What Are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts are otherwise known as Verruca Pedis, they appear as clumps of rough skin. Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), this virus causes changes in skin cells. Warts may occur anywhere on the body, however, it is most common on feet and hands. As it is a virus it may spread resulting in several in the same area or warts across different areas of skin. Treating warts can be challenging as it often involves the immune system.
Who is more likely to develop plantar warts?
Individuals may develop warts if exposed to the HPV virus. Most people develop warts once or more throughout their life. It is common before the age of 20 and may be more likely to spread if you are immunocompromised.
Are warts harmful?
Warts are not generally harmful, they may be painful if they are on a sensitive part of the foot. Some people are bothered by the appearance of warts.
Are warts contagious?
Warts are contagious, but the risk of transmission to others is low. You are at risk if your skin is broken, damaged, wet, or in contact with a rough surface. A commonplace to transmit warts is at communal swimming pools and washing areas.
Warts can also spread to other parts of your body if they are picked or scratched. If you have a weak immune system warts may spread more rapidly and may be more resistant to treatment.
Tips to reduce the risk of transmission:
Wear flip flops in public areas such as at swimming pools
Cover warts with a waterproof plaster when swimming
Do not share towels
Do not share shoes or socks
What are some of the wart treatments available?
Plantar warts (Verruca Pedis) are very difficult to treat and it takes multiple treatments to achieve a result. Some plantar warts are resistant to treatment and require more extensive treatment. The treatment aims to trick the immune system to respond to the HPV infection to get rid of the wart tissue.
Some treatment options include:
Salicylic Acid Treatment - this treatment includes the podiatrist debriding the overlying hard skin and applying acid weekly over many weeks
Occlusion - covering the wart with a non-breathable dressing
Silver nitrate - a gentle antimicrobial
Upton’s paste - this treatment includes the podiatrist debriding the overlying hard skin and applying acid weekly over some weeks
Liquid Nitrogen - this involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen
Needling - this is a procedure that requires a local anesthetic and involves needling the wart tissue
At Bondi Podiatry in Bondi Junction, our podiatrists often combine wart treatments to achieve the best results in our Sydney podiatry clinic. A common treatment may include debriding the overlying tissue with a scalpel, silver nitrate, liquid nitrogen freezing, acid application, and occlusion.
Book an appointment with our experienced Bondi Junction podiatrist to see which options are suitable for you to treat warts. Our experienced female podiatrist can help you if you are looking for warts removal in Sydney.
We treat feet from all over Sydney, particularly the Eastern Suburbs. As podiatrists in Bondi Junction, we are happy to treat anyone that comes to our Sydney clinic. Our local area for plantar wart treatment includes Bondi Junction, Bondi, Bondi Beach, North Bondi, Rose Bay, Double Bay, Tamarama, Coogee, Randwick, Bellevue Hill, Dover Heights, Vaucluse, and Edgecliff.