Plantar Wart Treatment & Removal

What are Plantar Warts?

Warts are caused by one of the most common skin infections, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Plantar warts are warts on the plantar surface, the sole of your foot.  Most plantar warts will disappear within 2 years without any medical intervention.

If you have plantar warts, walking or standing can be very uncomfortable so they can be a real problem for anyone who is active or who needs to be on their feet all day. They can make a real nuisance of themselves and hang around for years growing and spreading. Plantar warts can interrupt your fitness, sport, work and play. Don’t put up with problem plantar warts! If your warts are painful, growing in size or persist for than a year or two – you should seek assistance.

If you’re ready to book an appointment now, call us on 08-9319-3030 or scroll to the bottom of the page to book an appointment online.

Plantar Wart Treatment and Removal

Depending on the size and position of your wart, there are several different  treatment options. The aim of treatment is to remove your wart completely without damaging any healthy tissue or causing scars.

Treatment Options for Warts	Pros	Cons
Laser	Fast. Usually only one 40 minute treatment needed and one review visit Fee is equivalent to other multiple visit treatment options Most effective treatment available with clearance rates of 90-100%
Swift microwave therapy	No damage to skin so no need to interrupt your sport activities Useful for large warts and multiple mosaic warts as not all areas need to be treated Minimal discomfort described as "hot pinch" No needles	Results achieved over 6 months Treatment each 4 weeks for 3 months followed by a 12 week review Not suitable for young children
Wait and see	It’s free!	You may be uncomfortable walking and standing while you wait for your wart to disappear. Remember… most plantar warts will disappear without any intervention
Topical Various acids commonly salicylic acid	Usually less painful than freezing	Slow Requires 6-12 treatments over several months. Can be painful for several days after each treatment May be an inconvenience with showering/bathing Research indicates 40-50% cure rate
Freezing		Slow. Requires 2-6 treatments over 6-12 weeks Can be quite painful during treatment and for several days after each treatment
Surgical removal	Quick unless the wart re-grows	Local anaesthetic required (needle) Significant risk of scarring Re-growth and spread of wart is common
Needling	Quick Small wound heals quickly	Local anaesthetic required (needle) May take several treatments over several months Risk of re-growth and spread of wart

What To Do About Your Wart

• Wait and see. Most warts disappear themselves without intervention within a couple of years.
• Don’t scratch, scrape or pick at your warts. This may cause the wart to spread as the virus is moved around in skin debris and blood.
• Cover with a Bandaid when swimming.
• Avoid sharing towels, shoes and socks.

What To Expect from Laser Wart Treatment

Laser treatment for warts is fast and effective compared with other treatment options. Laser treatment works by disrupting blood vessels within the wart. Without blood supply, the wart can simply disappear.

For pin sized warts, one 40-minute treatment is usually required with one follow up check. If you have large or multiple warts, you may need a staged treatment based on the size and location of your warts. It is usual for a scab to develop over the wart after a few days. We will give you information about how to care for the area.

Here’s a few examples of warts before and after laser treatment:

 

You Should NOT Have Laser Wart Treatment If…

• • You are pregnant or planning to be during treatment period (large or complex warts may need several treatments over several weeks
  • You are having treatment for skin cancer
  • You are taking Roaccutane or gold therapy
  • You have tattoos close to or within the wart
  • You have metal implants close to the wart

•  

Microwave Therapy

Microwave therapy is a new plantar wart treatment that’s especially useful for problem, multiple and mosaic warts.

Microwave therapy works by delivering several pulses of energy that disrupt the wart cells and prompt your own immune system to be activated against the wart. Because the treatment works in this way, not all your warts needs to be treated and that makes microwave therapy useful for  multiple or mosaic warts.

Microwave therapy may be more suitable for some people, especially very active people who need to be on their feet with no down time. Microwave therapy for plantar warts is also recommended for people with large,  multiple and mosaic warts, as recent research has shown microwave therapy is highly effective against these kinds of warts.

Book an Appointment

Please call 08-9319-3030 or email: [email protected]. Alternatively, you can book an appointment online using the form below.

We may call you to verify your personal details and to give you more information about the appointment.

If you cannot make your scheduled appointment time, please call the practice immediately to reschedule.