Verruca Needling: An Overview

Caused by an infection of the skin by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 'Verrucae Pedis' are plantar warts that can occur anywhere on the foot or toes, either as large singular warts or in smaller clusters.

The Verruca Needling procedure is a modern alternative to using acids or cryotherapy treatment and is carried out painlessly using local anaesthetic. When the area has been numbed the Verrucae are repeatedly 'needled' using a safe, sterile needle. This process physically pushes the viral cells of the Verruca much deeper into the skin and tissue of the foot so that it can be detected and dealt with by the body's immune system.

The overall resolution of Verrucas is always dependant on each individual's immune system but a recent study by the MDPI has demonstrated a 69% success rate with the procedure and as a result often only a single session of Verruca Needling is required.

Verruca Needling: The Appointment

Initial Assessment

Prior to booking an actual Verruca Needling appointment we'll require you to attend a 30 minute assessment appointment whereby we'll determine if Verruca Needling is appropriate for your condition. At this stage we'll take a full medical history and assess your suitability for local anaesthetic. You'll also be asked to sign a consent form for the procedure which we'll then look to book at your convenience - typically within a weeks time.

Please note: Verruca Needling is restricted to ages 12+ and the patient will be assessed for their suitability for treatment regardless of their age.

Verruca Needling Appointment

The needling appointment itself will typically last around 1 hour however we'd ask you to allow for up to an hour and half in total. The affected area will numbed using local anaesthetic prior to starting the needling process. We ask that you wear loose trousers for the appointment and shoes that will accommodate a dressing on the foot. We'd also advise not to drive yourself to the verruca needling appointment as your motor insurance my be compromised as a result of having local anaesthetic in the foot.

Post Procedure

After surgery a short follow up appointment will be booked for in 1 weeks time so that we can check on your initial progress and apply any additional dressings as required, we'll then book a further appointment 11 weeks later to review the procedure in full.

You can return to you normal routine after the procedure, however we'd advise to reduce any sporting activities for up to 3 weeks following the procedure and generally take extra care with the foot until the needling location has healed in full.

Verruca Needling: Book an Appointment

If you'd like to book a Verruca Needling appointment with Walk Right Podiatry just get in touch. Our location on Drake Street in Rochdale means we're easily accessible from the whole of the Greater Manchester area.  We can usually offer appointments within 24-48 hours and we'll always try to accommodate emergency appointments where possible.