Podiatrists are frequently asked about treating verrucae. But as their experience is often with limited success, they are reluctant to do this. Is this your experience?
Podiatrists, with their training, access to specialist equipment and practice of removing callus, are well placed to treat plantar warts (verrucae). However, the options currently available to treat patients has in some instances not changed for a hundred years.
Here, we will explore how treatment has evolved and why now is the ideal opportunity for podiatry to review its treatment of verrucae.
What are the usual treatments?
A common treatment is the direct application of salicylic acid. It is often impractical for a patient to return 4-5 times for treatment and with slow results, patients often just give up. Another option is electro-surgery, with the problem of pain and scaring. You have also experimented perhaps, with duct tape and needling, we assume, with limited success.
Over time cryotherapy has become the treatment of choice. Indeed, academics agree that it is the world standard in skin lesion treatment in dermatology. However, cryotherapy has had to evolve over time to become quick, practical and effective.
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