Plantar Wart Treatment at Foot Foundation
Plantar warts, also known as verrucae, are painful viral skin lesions that develop on the soles of the feet. Caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), they thrive in moist environments such as pools, gyms, and communal showers. Often mistaken for corns or calluses, plantar warts can spread, become chronic, and affect comfort when walking.
At Foot Foundation, our podiatrists provide professional plantar wart treatment tailored to each patient. From conservative care and topical therapies to advanced options such as cryotherapy, needling, and photodynamic therapy, we focus on safe, effective solutions that relieve pain, reduce recurrence, and restore confidence in your foot health.
What are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts (verrucae) are skin lesions on the soles of the feet caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus enters through tiny cuts or abrasions in the skin, leading to the development of hard, painful lesions that often appear in weight-bearing areas.
Unlike corns or calluses, warts are caused by a viral infection, making them contagious and sometimes difficult to eradicate without professional care. At Foot Foundation, we offer evidence-based wart treatments, ranging from conservative methods to advanced therapies such as needling and photodynamic therapy.
Causes & Risk Factors
HPV virus exposure – communal showers, gyms, pools, or direct skin-to-skin contact
Skin breaks or cuts – allowing the virus to enter
Moist environments – sweaty feet and occlusive footwear increase risk
Children and adolescents – more common due to frequent exposure and developing immunity
Weakened immune system – higher susceptibility to infection
Barefoot activity – walking barefoot in public changing rooms, gyms, or pools
Treatment at Foot Foundation
Debridement & conservative care – reducing thickness and pain, often combined with topical treatments
Cryotherapy (freezing) – liquid nitrogen applied to destroy wart tissue
Needling – puncturing the wart to introduce HPV to deeper immune cells, triggering immune clearance
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) – targeted light therapy destroying wart-infected tissue
Topical medications – salicylic acid or silver nitrate under podiatry supervision
Education – hygiene advice to reduce spread and reinfection
Symptoms
Small, rough, raised lesions on the sole of the foot
Black pinpoint dots (clotted blood vessels) within the lesion
Pain or tenderness when walking, especially on hard surfaces
Thickened skin around the wart, sometimes mistaken for a corn or callus
Mosaic warts – clusters of multiple lesions spreading across the sole
Bleeding when pared back
Diagnosis
At Foot Foundation, diagnosis includes:
Clinical examination – identifying wart features vs. corns/calluses
Debridement – paring back skin to reveal pinpoint bleeding, confirming wart tissue
Assessment of contributing factors – immune status, footwear, skin integrity
Plantar Warts – FAQs
They are caused by the HPV virus, which infects the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions.
Yes. They spread via direct contact or contaminated surfaces, especially in communal showers or gyms.
Warts show black dots and disrupt skin lines, while corns are pressure-related and do not bleed when pared.
Sometimes. In children and adolescents, the immune system may clear them naturally. In adults, they are often persistent and require treatment.
Options include needling, photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy, and topical treatments. Effectiveness depends on size, duration, and patient immune response.
Some treatments (like cryotherapy or needling) may cause mild discomfort, but Foot Foundation provides safe, well-tolerated care.
Warts may require multiple sessions over several weeks or months, depending on the method and immune response.
Yes. They may spread across the foot (mosaic warts) or to other people if not treated.
No. Plantar warts are caused by low-risk HPV strains and are benign, though they can be painful and persistent.
If you have painful, spreading, or recurrent warts, podiatry assessment is recommended for targeted treatment.
Why Choose Foot Foundation?
Foot Foundation provides specialist plantar wart care, offering conservative and advanced options including cryotherapy, needling, photodynamic therapy, and topical management. Our podiatrists focus on pain relief, immune activation, and long-term clearance.
With clinics in Rosedale, Takapuna, Remuera, Botany, Hamilton, and Tauranga, expert wart treatment is available across New Zealand.
