What is Microneedling?

Microneedling is a medical technique that was developed over 40 years ago in the United States. This minimally invasive procedure involves repeatedly puncturing the skin with tiny surgical needles to trigger an immune response deep in the subcutaneous tissue (below the epidermis and dermis layers).

How is Microneedling Used in Podiatry?

Microneedling is used by podiatrists in the treatment of plantar warts (verrucas). These warts are flat, painful warts that develop on the sole of the foot. They are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) that enters the skin through tiny cracks or breaks.

Plantar warts are very hard to treat and don’t always respond to conventional wart removal techniques. Microneedling in the treatment of plantar warts can be more effective than other “skin deep” wart removal therapies, because the precise needling procedure goes deep into the subcutaneous layer of skin to fight the HPV virus. 

In microneedling, your podiatrist will cleanse and anesthetize the verruca and surrounding area. They will then use a tiny surgical needle to puncture the verruca repeatedly: penetrating the verruca’s source underneath the top layers of skin. This breaks the verruca down and creates an inflammatory response, which signals the body’s immune system to go to the site and fight off the viral infection.  

Pressure is then applied to the wound, which is then dressed with a sterile dressing. A pad is applied to weight bearing areas to deflect pressure and minimize bruising. 

Your podiatrist may need to perform 1-2 microneedling treatments to completely kill the plantar wart, and it may take several weeks-to-months for complete resolution.

If you have plantar warts, explore the possibility of undergoing the microneedling procedure with your podiatrist to rid yourself of this painful, unsightly condition.