Seek professional help in an effort to treat plantar warts and prevent their spread.
Known medically as verrucae, warts are a viral infection in the outer layer of the skin caused by exposure to the human papillomavirus (HPV). When they occur on the soles of the feet, they’re known as plantar warts. These tend to grow into the surface of the skin rather than out of it.
While they are generally harmless, warts that occur on the feet aren’t overly nice to look at, are very contagious, and may cause pain and discomfort when standing or walking. This is often why people choose to seek treatment from a podiatrist at Capital Podiatry.
As mentioned above, warts are an immune response to an HPV infection in the outer layer of the skin. The virus enters the body through tiny cuts, breaks, or other weak spots on the skin. While there are more than 100 variations of the virus, only a few of them cause warts to occur on the feet.
The most common way to get a wart is from direct skin-to-skin contact, such as shaking hands. It’s also possible to get a wart from inanimate objects, such as sharing socks or a towel with someone who is infected. The virus is also commonly found in wet and moist communal areas where people are likely to walk barefoot, like swimming pools and public showers.
While the most obvious sign you have a wart is a small, fleshy growth or skin lesion on the foot (usually at the base of the toes, under the forefoot, or the heel), you may experience additional symptoms. These may include:
Warts may go away on their own; however, this takes time and isn’t always successful. Most people prefer to be proactive in seeking treatment in an effort to prevent the warts from spreading, alleviate symptoms of pain and discomfort, and restore their skin to its former smooth appearance.
As warts are quite good at evading the body’s immune system, warts may be difficult to get rid of and don’t always respond to treatment. Some of the plantar wart treatments in Canberra we may explore include:
In cases of stubborn or recurrent warts, and where conservative treatment options have not worked, surgery (known as curettage) may be recommended.
We’ve invested in cutting-edge technology for treating warts, which is why we offer SWIFT wart removal Canberra-wide. With an 83% efficacy rate, it has the highest success rate of any wart treatment on the market. Sessions take only 30 minutes, with no dressings or anaesthetics required.
This will depend on the treatment option being pursued. In the case of SWIFT microwave therapy, it usually only takes three treatments for results to be apparent. Your podiatrist will be able to provide further advice on how long they expect treatment to take.
While plantar warts may affect anyone, they tend to be more common in children and teenagers. Other risk factors include having a lowered immune system, having had warts before, and frequently walking barefoot in wet, moist environments (like swimming pools and change rooms).
There are many things you can do to prevent the development or spread of warts, including:
Mark, our founder and principal podiatrist, brings more than 20 years of experience to the table. All of our podiatrists have ample experience in a range of treatments and techniques.
We’re a staple of the local Canberra community. We service the residents of Tuggeranong and surrounding suburbs (including Monash, Oxley, Bonython, Kambah, and Gordon).
Our patients are at the heart of everything we do. We aim to improve your quality of life, help you achieve your goals, and equip you with knowledge for the future.
Don’t wait until plantar warts are causing you pain and discomfort. If you’ve noticed any rough lesions developing on your feet, seeing a podiatrist sooner rather than later may help you nip them in the bud quickly and prevent their spread to other areas of the body.
The experienced team at Capital Podiatry can assist with plantar wart removal Canberra. Speak with one of our podiatrists today and let us recommend a solution that may work for you, such as SWIFT microwave therapy.