Plantar wart treatment
Warts are a common skin infection caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). On the feet they're also called verrucae, and warts on the soles are known as plantar warts.
Plantar warts are especially common in children and teenagers, but they can appear at any age. Many disappear on their own over time. But some become painful, spread, or hang around for years, especially in people whose immune system isn't working at full strength.
The good news is that there are many treatment options, from simply waiting it out to in-clinic treatment. This page explains how to recognise a wart and what your options are.
How warts spread
Direct contact with a wart, or with surfaces where the virus lives, such as shower floors and pool decks.
Picking or scratching a wart, which can spread it to other parts of your feet, your hands or elsewhere.
Slow to show: it can take up to 12 months for a wart to appear after you've picked up the virus.
Some warts grow in clusters, called mosaic warts. There's usually one larger "mother" wart surrounded by many smaller ones.
Wart or corn?
Warts on the soles are often mistaken for corns, and the treatments are completely different. Signs that it may be a wart:
Tiny black dots in the surface, which are small clotted blood vessels
Skin lines go around it rather than running through it
It hurts more when squeezed from side to side than when pressed straight on
It's not on a pressure point, or there are several close together
Corns usually sit on pressure points, have skin lines running through them, and hurt most when pressed directly. If you're not sure, a podiatrist can tell the difference quickly, usually by gently paring back the top layer of skin.
Treatment options
Warts are known for being stubborn, and no single treatment works for everyone. If a wart isn't painful, leaving it alone is often the best choice. If it is painful or spreading, these are the main options, roughly from simplest to most involved.
Wait and watch
What it involves: No treatment
Things to know: Many warts go away on their own, especially in children, though it can take months to a couple of years. Ideal if the wart isn't painful.
Topical vitamin A
What it involves: Rubbing vitamin A oil from a capsule into the wart each night, with podiatry reviews Painless and inexpensive.
Things to know: Some people find it helpful over 3 to 4 months. For use on the skin only.
Acid treatments
What it involves: Salicylic acid wart paint from the pharmacy, or a stronger acid paste your podiatrist prescribes and applies under supervision
Things to know: Used daily or nightly over several weeks, with regular podiatry visits to pare back dead skin.
Freezing (cryotherapy)
What it involves: Freezing the wart, usually through your GP, repeated weekly for several weeks
Things to know: Can be painful and often causes a blister.
SWIFT Microwave therapy
What it involves: Short treatment sessions, around 3 months apart, where microwave energy is applied to the wart
Things to know: Available at some Perth clinics rather than locally.
Falknors needling
What it involves: Under local anaesthetic, the wart is punctured many times to prompt the body's immune response against the virus
Things to know: Usually a single treatment. Most people can walk comfortably within a couple of days.
Surgery (curettage)
What it involves: Under local anaesthetic, the wart is cut out
Things to know: Usually kept for warts that haven't responded to other treatments.
Oral zinc
Zinc supplements taken for at least 3 months, alongside other treatments
Some studies suggest zinc may help, particularly for warts that haven't responded to other treatment. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Regular podiatry visits help
Whichever treatment you use, having a podiatrist pare back the thickened skin over the wart every few weeks makes it more comfortable and helps treatments reach the wart.
Avoid DIY cutting or burning
Please don't try to cut, burn or dig out a wart yourself. It can cause pain, infection and scarring, and may spread the wart. This is especially important if you have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling in your feet.
What to expect at your appointment
Rebecca will check whether it's a wart or something else, such as a corn, and talk you through the options that suit you, your lifestyle and the wart itself. Many treatments take time and a few visits, so we'll agree on a plan you can stick with.
Book an appointment
If a wart on your foot is painful, spreading or just bothering you, book in with Rebecca at Esperance Podiatry. No referral is needed.
Call (08) 9072 1514 or visit us at Suite B, 116 Dempster Street, Esperance.