Plantar warts, also known as verruca pedis, are small bumps that appear on the soles of the feet. They can grow up to an inch or more, forming clusters and spreading to other parts of the body. They are often pale in colour with grey or brown spots. They can also develop an uneven surface and a cauliflower-like texture over time.
Depending on its location, warts can cause great pain especially when weight or pressure is involved. This usually happens with warts growing at the ball of the foot or at the heel.
Cause
Warts develop when a contagious virus, Human Papillomavirus, (HPV), invades the skin via cuts or abrasions, growing into small bumps that appear anywhere on the skin. It is often picked up in common shower areas such as at swimming pools or gyms.
How can a Podiatrist help?
Podiatry treatment is one of the safest and least painful methods of removing warts.
- There are different treatments for warts but here at Physio & Sole Clinic, our Podiatrists will:
- Thoroughly remove and debride the hard skin layers and wart tissue,
- Apply cryotherapy to freeze the wart
- Apply high concentration salicylic acid to destroy wart tissue and prevent recurrence.
- These treatment modalities are targeted to destroy the viral skin cells (warts) without damaging the surrounding healthy skin
- The application of cryotherapy will be painful, but it is usually bearable. It will feel sore for the first 2 days after treatment, but it will be significantly less painful after. You will still be able to walk and it should not affect your daily activities.
- As warts are notoriously stubborn to treat and have high recurrence rates, an average of 4-8 sessions of repeated treatment may be required for complete resolution.
