What are Plantar Warts?

Verrucae Pedis are painful lesions that present on the bottom of the foot. They are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a common virus that also causes warts on the hands and face.

Signs and Symptoms

  • Painful lesion on the bottom of your foot – common sites include on the ball of the foot and the heel
  • A lesion that interrupts the skin lines on the foot
  • Painful when squeezed laterally (side to side)
  • Cauliflower-like appearance
  • Pain when walking
  • Black dots within the lesion

Treatment

Our podiatrists can help by debriding the lesion, and using an acid or freeze spray to destroy the infected cells, as well as by providing education to prevent reoccurrence. For warts resistant to other treatments, we can perform curettage. A local anaesthetic is used, and then an incision is made around the wart. The wart is then removed and the area cauterised.