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Plantar Warts

What is it?

Warts are a viral infection (human papilloma viruses) of the skin causing increased bulk of the tissue within the skin. Generally warts affect children of school age. The virus enters the skin through a cut or scratch and then causes the tissues to multiply and thickened. Usually, warts spread through direct contact, exposure to friction, trauma or abrasion, but the virus may also be spread in moist environments, such as showers and sports change rooms


  • Rough, cauliflower-like surface that appear on the sole of   the feet. They sometimes have small black dots of thrombosed capillaries on the surface. They can vary in size from 5-50mm in diameter.
  • Pinching of the lesion will cause pain.


Treatment is usually recommended if the warts become painful or spread. However, if patients are concerned about cosmetic appearance, treatment can also be considered. The currently and generally accepted treatment mode is to irritate the skin to trigger the body’s immune system to respond, recognise and eradicate the virus.

At Peel Podiatry we have many topical agents used to treating warts and you only need to keep your foot dry for a few hours after the treatment. The choice of topical agent depends on the age and location of the wart. Warts can often be mistaken for a corn or callus. If you apply a wart treating agent to a corn, it may lead to other foot complications such as infection, burn, or ulceration etc… For this reason, we recommend you have a consultation with a podiatrist for a correct diagnosis and treatment.

Want to know more?

9586 3046
