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A painful spot that makes you walk on the side of your foot?
Get back to barefoot summers, the pool and the beach
Plantar wart treatment (verrucas)
A plantar wart (verruca) is a viral growth on the sole, and many go away on their own, especially in children. If it hurts or spreads, we pare back the hard skin and discuss options that suit you, such as a skin-softening acid, after checking it's a wart, not a corn.
How we can help at Burwood Podiatry
Many warts clear on their own. If yours hurts or is spreading, we have gentle, practical options with no freezing, so you and your kids can get back to the pool and the beach.
- A clear answer: wart, corn or callus, as each needs different care
- Paring back the hard skin to ease pressure and pain at your visit
- A skin-softening acid applied in clinic, with home-care steps; we don't use freezing or laser
- Checks for children and families, as warts often spread at home: children's feet
What you can do at home
- Waiting is reasonable if it isn't painful or spreading
- Don't pick or scratch it, and don't share shoes, socks or files
- Cover it with a waterproof plaster at pools and avoid going barefoot in public showers
- With diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling, don't use pharmacy wart or corn acids
- No referral is needed to have a spot checked: do I need a referral?
When to get it checked
- It's painful when you walk or is spreading
- You're not sure whether it's a wart or a corn
- Pharmacy treatment hasn't helped after a few months
- A spot that bleeds, changes colour or shape, or grows quickly: get it checked soon
A spot that bleeds, changes colour or shape, or grows quickly needs checking soon. With diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling, don't use pharmacy wart or corn acids; see us instead. Emergency, or a foot that suddenly turns cold, pale or blue? Call 000.
Plantar wart questions
Why does a plantar wart make me walk on the side of my foot?
A wart on the sole sits under your body weight and often has hard skin over it, so each step presses on it and you shift your weight to avoid it. Paring back the hard skin at your visit usually eases that pressure, and we check whether it's a wart or a corn, as each needs different care.
Do plantar warts go away on their own?
Often, especially in children. If it isn't painful or spreading, waiting is reasonable and we'll tell you so. No treatment clears every wart.
Is it a plantar wart or a corn?
A wart breaks up the skin lines, may show tiny dark dots and hurts when squeezed side to side; a corn hurts pressed straight on.
Are plantar warts contagious?
They're caused by a virus (HPV) and spread by skin contact, often within families, and on shared damp floors. Don't share towels or pick at them.
How many visits does wart treatment take?
It depends on your medical history and assessment. At your consult we pare the wart back and discuss practical options that suit your goals.
Why don't you use freezing?
Trials show freezing and salicylic acid work about equally for plantar warts, so we use paring and a skin-softening acid, which avoids the blistering and pain freezing can cause.
Where to next
Sources
Reviewed by Burwood Podiatry · November 2026