Plantar Warts & Verrucae
Treatment for stubborn warts on the sole of the foot.
Plantar warts are viral, contagious, and frequently mistaken for a callus. They can be genuinely persistent — many are stubborn regardless of treatment choice — so what matters most is accurate diagnosis and an honest conversation about which options are worth your time.
What we look at
Getting the diagnosis right
Warts are commonly treated as callus for months. Distinguishing them changes the plan entirely.
Treatment options
Debridement with topical acid therapy, cryotherapy, and needling for resistant lesions — with the trade-offs of each explained.
Realistic timeframes
Multiple appointments over weeks to months is normal. Anyone promising one visit is overselling it.
Preventing spread
Practical advice for household and shared change room settings.
What to expect
Your appointment, stage by stage.
Assessment
History, physical examination, gait and movement analysis, and objective strength testing where it's relevant. We're building a picture of what the limb can currently tolerate.
Diagnosis
A clear explanation of what's happening and why — in plain language, with the reasoning shown. Imaging or onward referral where it will change the plan.
Treatment
A staged plan combining manual therapy, exercise prescription, footwear or orthotic support and activity modification, weighted to what your presentation actually needs.
Follow-up
Re-testing against the baseline so progress is measured, not assumed, and the plan adjusts as capacity improves.
Common questions
Plantar Warts, answered.
Will over-the-counter treatments work?
Sometimes, for small superficial lesions. Plantar warts under weight-bearing skin are usually too deep for them to reach.
Are they contagious?
Yes, via direct contact and damp shared surfaces. Worth covering them and not sharing towels.
Can they be removed in one visit?
Almost never, and we'd be cautious of anyone claiming otherwise. Expect a course of treatment.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you're in pain, an assessment is the only way to know what's actually happening — book online or call 9284 0736.
