Treating Warts at Skindepth Dermatology

At Skindepth Dermatology, we possess extensive experience in treating warts. Our dermatology nurses are proficient in assessing and treating warts on the feet, hands, and other parts of the body (please note this does not include genital warts). We have a dedicated ‘Wart clinic’ that runs every Monday afternoon.

What do warts look like?

Warts vary widely in appearance depending on their type, and accurate identification is key to choosing the most effective treatment for permanent removal.

Common warts (verruca vulgaris) are small, raised growths on the skin with rough, textured surfaces that often resemble cauliflower tops. These skin growths appear most frequently on the hands, knees, and elbows but can develop anywhere on the body. If you have common warts, the surface typically shows a bumpy, hardened texture that's darker than surrounding skin cells.

Plantar warts grow on the soles of your feet and appear different from other wart types because your body weight pushes them deeper into the skin layers. Rather than raised bumps, plantar warts often look like flat, hard lesions with tiny black dots (small blood vessels) visible on the surface. They may cause discomfort or pain when walking, and many patients seek wart removal treatment specifically for plantar warts due to foot pain.

Flat warts (verruca plana) are smooth, small, and usually skin-coloured or slightly yellow. These common warts typically appear on the hands and face and can spread rapidly, creating clusters of new warts close together. They're particularly common in children, and while hygiene measures can help reduce transmission risk, flat warts are difficult to completely prevent in households with infected members due to their easy spread through direct contact and skin-to-skin transmission.

What causes warts?

Warts are infections in the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that infects the outer layer of skin cells. With over 150 types of HPV responsible for different wart types, the human papillomavirus is the root cause behind all common wart growth. When HPV enters your skin, it causes skin cells to multiply abnormally, triggering the wart to form and grow.

How you catch warts

The wart virus spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has warts. You can also get warts indirectly by walking barefoot in contaminated environments such as public swimming pools, locker rooms, communal showers, and gymnasiums, areas where the wart virus thrives in warm, moist conditions. The virus can remain dormant on your skin for months or even years before a wart appears, which is why you might develop warts long after exposure.

Risk factors for skin warts

Several factors increase your risk of developing warts and new warts forming on your body:

• Frequent skin injuries or cuts that break the skin barrier
• Hands or feet that remain wet for extended periods or frequently getting the hands wet
• Excessive sweating on hands or feet (hyperhidrosis)
• Regular exposure to communal wet areas and warm water environments (pools, saunas, locker rooms)
• Direct contact with warts or someone carrying the wart virus
• Scratching or shaving your own warts, as this can spread the infection to other areas of your body
• Weakened immune system or inability of your immune system to fight the virus effectively
• People with immune system disorders face higher wart risk
  

Methods of professional wart removal

‘Beetle Juice’

After an initial assessment, the wart is curetted down to remove the excess growth on the skin. This is followed by a topical solution containing a toxic chemical blended with salicylic acid. This stimulates your immune system to recognise infected skin cells and destroy the wart virus. There may be a slight sting when applying the solution but overall, the treatment is very tolerable. Over the next few days, a blister will form on the treated area and can be tender especially on the soles of the feet. Depending on the type and size of wart treated most clients will need between 3 – 6 treatments each spaced 2 weeks apart. The salicylic acid can also be used between appointments to support treatment progress.

Vascular Laser

When blood vessels supplying a wart are clearly visible, vascular laser treatment effectively closes them off, cutting off the wart's blood supply and causing the wart tissue to die.While this treatment is highly effective, it can also be uncomfortable, hence we do not recommend it for children under the age of 14. We apply topical numbing agents beforehand to destroy the wart with minimal discomfort.

CO2 Laser

Our carbon dioxide laser is reserved for resistant warts that haven't responded to other treatment options. This ablative laser physically removes excessive skin and vaporises infected wart tissue down to its root. Like the vascular laser treatment, this can also be uncomfortable, however topical numbing agents can be applied before this treatment to make it more tolerable. The aim of this treatment is to reduce the size and thickness of the wart by physically removing the excessive skin and ablating the lesion to the root.

How many wart removal treatments do you need?

The number of treatments required is hard to predict and dependant on various factors including: an individual’s immune system and the type of wart. Patients may require anywhere between 2-10 appointments. Your dermatology nurse will provide a personalised estimate during your initial assessment, as warts may resolve faster depending on your immune system's response. It's critical to complete the full treatment course even if the wart appears to be improving, stopping treatment prematurely allows warts to regrow and new warts to form. The key to success is consistency. When you stop treatment too early, you risk wart recurrence.

Can warts be prevented?

While you cannot completely prevent HPV exposure in the community, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing warts and prevent spreading existing warts to other areas of your body or to others.

Ways to prevent warts:

• Avoid direct contact with warts: Don't share towels, razors, emery boards, or pumice stone with others who have warts
• Protect feet in communal areas: Wear thongs or shower shoes in swimming pools, locker rooms, and shared bathrooms to avoid picking up the wart virus in warm water
• Keep hands and feet dry: Wash hands and feet regularly and dry thoroughly, as the wart virus thrives in warm, moist environments
• Don't pick or scratch warts: This spreads the wart infection to other skin areas of your body
• Change socks daily: If you have a plantar wart, changing socks frequently reduces moisture and prevents spread of the virus
• Clean communal surfaces: If you have a plantar wart at home, regularly clean and disinfect shower and bath surfaces to prevent family members from catching warts
• Cover the wart when in communal areas: Use waterproof tape or bandages to cover warts at the pool or gym

Use an emery board or pumice stone carefully: If using these tools, never share them, and sterilise after use

Genital wart treatment

If you have genital warts or suspect you may have them, we require a GP referral to see our dermatologist for proper assessment and treatment. Genital warts are typically treated with cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen freezing), which works similarly to our vascular laser approach but uses extreme cold instead of heat. A medical cream may also be prescribed for use at home between appointments.

Please send your GP referral to referrals@skindepth.com.au to schedule your consultation.

How to book?

To book in for an assessment with one of our clinical nurses, you do not need to obtain a GP referral. Simply contact our medical team directly to book your assessment and begin wart removal treatment:

Phone: 0395274209
Email: reception@skindepth.com.au

Frequently asked questions

What causes warts?

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a contagious virus that infects skin cells. You can catch warts through direct contact with someone who has warts or indirectly by walking barefoot in communal wet areas like swimming pools and locker rooms. The wart virus thrives in warm, moist environments, so frequently getting the hands wet or having sweaty feet increases your risk.

How do you get rid of warts at home?

Home treatments you can do at home include salicylic acid products, duct tape, pumice stone, and over-the-counter freezing spray. However, these methods are slow and often ineffective for stubborn warts. Professional wart removal treatment destroys the wart at its root much faster and more reliably than home remedies.

Are professional wart removal treatments painful?

Beetle Juice causes only a slight sting when applied and is highly tolerable. Vascular laser and CO₂ laser treatments can be uncomfortable, but we apply topical numbing agents beforehand to minimise discomfort. Most patients find professional wart removal worth any minor discomfort due to fast, reliable results.

Does wart removal hurt?

Most wart removal treatments are well-tolerated with minimal discomfort. The "Beetle Juice" treatment may cause a slight sting during application, while vascular and CO2 laser treatments can be uncomfortable but topical numbing agents are applied beforehand to minimise pain. Any tenderness typically subsides within a few days after treatment.

Can warts come back after treatment?

Yes, warts can recur if treatment is stopped prematurely or if the immune system doesn't fully eliminate the virus. Completing the full treatment course is critical for permanent removal, as stopping treatment too early allows warts to regrow and new warts to form. Your dermatology nurse will provide guidance on when treatment is complete.

What's the best treatment for plantar warts?

At Skindepth Dermatology, plantar warts are typically treated with "Beetle Juice" (a topical solution with salicylic acid) or vascular laser if blood vessels are visible. The "Beetle Juice" method is particularly effective for plantar warts, though the treated area may be tender on the soles of the feet as a blister forms. Your nurse will recommend the most suitable option during assessment.

Are warts contagious?

Yes, warts are highly contagious and spread through direct skin-to-skin contact or indirect contact in contaminated environments like swimming pools, locker rooms, and communal showers. The HPV virus can remain dormant on your skin for months or years before a wart appears. Avoid sharing towels, razors, or walking barefoot in communal wet areas to reduce transmission risk.

Do I need a GP referral for wart removal?

No, you don't need a GP referral for standard wart removal treatment on hands, feet, or other body parts. Simply contact Skindepth Dermatology directly by phone (03 9527 4209) or email (reception@skindepth.com.au) to book an assessment with one of our clinical nurses. A GP referral is only required for genital wart treatment, which must be assessed by a dermatologist.

How do I know if I have a wart?

Common warts appear as small, raised growths with rough, cauliflower-like surfaces, typically on hands, knees, or elbows. Plantar warts on feet look like flat, hard lesions with tiny black dots (blood vessels) and may cause pain when walking. Flat warts are smooth, small, skin-coloured bumps that often appear in clusters on hands and face. If you're unsure, our dermatology nurses can provide accurate identification during assessment.