Standard chiropody treatment - £36 (or £46 for new clients)
Verruca needling treatment - £220 (1st session), £190 (additional sessions). Must be 16 years or older.
You will be offered an appropriate treatment for your foot condition, but if you require a specific type of treatment (chemical or Liquid Cryogen - freezing), please ask your podiatrist during the initial consultation.
Our podiatrists can not offer treatments for warts elsewhere on the body (just your feet).
Please be aware that regular treatments may be required to achieve the best results, and you may require different types of treatment to remove your verrucae.
Verrucae are warts that can be found anywhere on the foot but commonly occur on the soles of the feet. They can even be found around the edges of toenails.
They are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and are passed from person to person by direct contact. The virus is thought to thrive in moist, damp environments such as swimming pools, changing room floors and communal shower areas. If an infected foot deposits skin cells onto the floor then it is possible to walk across the same floor and pick up the virus especially if your skin is cut or scratched.
They are harmless but in some circumstances they develop on a weight bearing area of the foot where they are likely to be painful. In these areas callus (hard skin) can also form over the top of the verruca, increasing the discomfort. Some strains of verrucae spread very quickly and can become unsightly.
They are most commonly seen in children, teenagers and young adults. Basically those who use communal changing rooms. In time, immunity may develop against the verruca virus but some people do remain more susceptible than others.
The classic appearance is cauliflower like, sometimes containing small black dots which are caused by small blood vessels leaking blood into the verruca. They can vary in size and numbers. An early stage verruca can look like a small, discoloured blemish on the skin, and be easily mistaken for a corn. Sometimes a verruca can quickly spread into a cluster made up of many tiny verrucae.
A simple diagnostic test is to pinch the skin (like you would squeeze a spot) where you think you may have a verruca. If it hurts, you may have a verruca. Corns tend not to hurt if you pinch them, but hurt if you press them. Pressing a verruca is generally painless. If you are still unsure before starting treatment, see a podiatrist or speak to your local pharmacist.
Evidence has shown that, in many cases, verrucae will disappear of their own accord within 2 years and therefore if it is painless no treatment is required. Sometimes treatment can increase the risk of cross infection, so that the verrucae spreads. The body’s defence mechanism, the immune system, will recognise the virus and fight the infection. Due to the nature of the virus, this may take many months to happen. Letting nature heal the verruca is the best and safest course of action. For painful, unsightly verrucae, or ones which are spreading, you may choose to self treat or seek professional help from a podiatrist.
Should you self treat, evidence has shown that ointments and gels containing salicylic acid are the most effective. Sometimes just by rubbing away the dry skin over the verruca and applying a plaster can stimulate the body’s immune system to fight the infection. Never self treat if you have diabetes, poor circulation, are pregnant or have any other conditions affecting the health of your feet. If you have diabetes, check with a podiatrist or your pharmacist before self treating.
The podiatrist will carry out an assessment of your general health as well as your foot health before deciding on a treatment plan. Important: there are risks associated with verrucae treatment and you must ensure you understand these before consenting to treatment. Adverse reactions are a possibility and the clinic can offer no compensation should you experience discomfort or infection following treatment, assuming that proper treatment protocols were followed.
Minimise your chances of catching verrucae by keeping your feet in a healthy condition. Use creams and lotions if your skin is dry and use surgical spirit if your feet are excessively sweaty. Treat other conditions such as Athlete’s foot, which can damage the skin surface. Wear flip-flops in communal changing areas and don’t share towels. Verruca socks can help avoid passing on the virus and also can be worn as a preventative measure.
Falknor's needling procedure is an innovative and effective treatment for verrucae (warts), which are benign types of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) group. It is a form of soft tissue therapy which is intended to break down the verruca and create a controlled inflammatory response which, in turn, stimulates the body's immune system to recognise the virus and destroy it. The treatment has been around for over 45 years (being first described in a medical journal in America in 1969) and is used routinely with great success by practitioners internationally.
Needling is different from most other treatment modalities (such as caustics, which can entail dozens of applications to be effective) as it only requires one, or occasionally two, applications making this an ideal treatment for busy people. 24 hours after treatment you can shower as normal without the need to keep bulky dressings dry. In fact, no dressings are required at all after 2 days, so you can continue with daily activities as normal.
How does this method of treatment work? By puncturing the verruca with an empty sterile needle many times, the viral particles are directly exposed to the fatty tissue beneath the skin where the body is rich in immune regulators. Here, the immune system can recognise and destroy the virus. As this immune response is often systemic, treatment of only one verruca is required even where there are many lesions, as spontaneous remission occurs in all, or most, verrucae at the same time.
The procedure is carried out painlessly under a local anaesthetic and only mild soreness the following day has been reported by a few patients, although the majority of patients feel no discomfort at all following treatment.
Please note that due to the effects of the local anaesthetic you will not be able to drive for several hours after the procedure and you will need someone to bring you and take you home again.
To ensure you are suitable to receive the Verruca Needling Treatment, a consultation will be required in advance of booking your treatment - this costs £25.
Watch the video below to see how the Verruca Needling Treatment is carried out - this video was filmed at another clinic but the procedure is the same.
Recent studies have shown Verruca Needling has a success rate of approximately 70%. As with all verruca treatments results cannot be guaranteed. There are very few contraindications as needling does not destroy skin tissue but as with all procedures the outcomes are influenced by your general health and medical history.
This 'cold laser' treatment stimulates repair of the tissues, and can help speed up healing after normal chiropody treatment for verrucae or can be used on its own (a course of 6 to 8 treatments, ideally 2 times per week provides the best outcome).
This involves ointments or liquids containing acids, which are usually stronger than over the counter preparations, being applied to the verruca. These acids act by destroying the surface of the skin that the virus has infected. The podiatrist will apply the treatment to the skin at weekly or fortnightly intervals, after removing the overlying skin which the treatment has destroyed. Immediately after treatment the affected foot needs to be kept dry. You may be advised to soak the foot in a salt-water solution, but ensure that the foot is dried thoroughly afterwards and a suitable dressing applied.
This involves freezing the verruca with liquid nitrogen or nitrous oxide gas. This needs to be done at between 2 - 4 week intervals over a few months before the verruca is fully healed. However, it can lead to soreness and blistering in some people. You can still swim after this treatment, but it’s not advised for sensitive or anxious children.
Important: not all verrucae will respond to treatment. Some people may experience pain after treatment or develop further infection around the area. You must follow any after-care advice that is given by your podiatrist. You need to rest your foot as much as possible after treatment, as weight-bearing can aggravate the condition.
