Plantar warts can be a frustrating and persistent issue, especially when they refuse to respond to common treatments like freezing or topical medications. If you’ve tried everything with no success, there may be a solution that’s worth considering: Faulkner’s Needling.
What Are Warts and Why Are They So Stubborn?
Warts are growths on the skin caused by an infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are over 100 different strains of HPV, and some are more prone to causing warts than others.
HPV infects the skin’s top layer, and in response, the skin begins to grow abnormally, forming a wart. While the body’s immune system usually fights off HPV infections, in some cases, the virus can persist in the skin, leading to warts that don’t resolve on their own. Warts can become stubborn because:
- HPV Persistence: The virus can remain hidden in the skin’s cells, where it isn’t always recognized by the immune system, preventing the body from effectively clearing the infection.
- Immune System Response: Some individuals’ immune systems may not be able to respond strongly enough to the virus, allowing warts to persist.
- Resistant Strains: Certain strains of HPV may be more resistant to the body’s immune response, leading to warts that resist typical treatments like freezing (cryotherapy) or topical medications.
What is Faulkner’s Needling and How Does It Work?
Faulkner’s Needling is a minimally invasive procedure designed to treat stubborn warts that don’t respond to traditional treatments. It involves using a sterile needle to puncture the wart multiple times, pushing the virus into deeper layers of the skin. This process stimulates the immune system, prompting it to recognize and target the virus more effectively. While it may sound intense, your foot will be numb and you won’t feel a thing after the anesthesia. The procedure is quick and causes minimal impact to surrounding tissue, offering a promising solution for persistent warts.
Benefits of Needling:
- Minimal Damage: Because the procedure is minimally invasive, there is little to no damage to surrounding tissue.
- Quick Recovery: Healing time is short, and you can typically return to your daily activities within 3 days. The full resolution of the wart may take anywhere from 1 to 4 months to fully resolve, but the process of your immune system fighting the virus is already in motion.
- Good Treatment Option for Multiple Warts: The immune-boosting effects of needling can help clear up multiple warts at once.
Our podiatry clinic is here to help! If you’re curious about needling or want to learn more about whether it’s the right option for you, feel free to contact our office. We’d be happy to discuss any questions you have about the procedure.
