The Strategy
Plantar warts are stubborn because the thick, weight-bearing skin of the sole resists penetration of topical therapies. The reliable approach is layered: debride the overlying callus, apply a high-strength keratolytic, and escalate to in-office cryotherapy or chemical agents like cantharidin for resistant lesions.
What Patients Should Know
- Most warts clear within 4–8 office visits.
- Multiple warts respond more slowly than a single lesion.
- Recurrence is possible - particularly in immunocompromised patients.
- Surgical excision is reserved for warts that fail every other modality.
In the Office
Dr. O’Carroll evaluates each wart, debrides, and selects the appropriate in-office treatment. Most visits take 10–15 minutes.