Verruca Needling
What Is Verruca Needling?
Although verrucas are visible on the surface, they often remain hidden from your immune system, allowing the virus to persist and spread. Verruca needling is a specialised technique designed to provoke your body’s natural immune response by creating controlled trauma within the verruca. This minimally invasive procedure is performed under local anaesthesia, where a fine needle punctures the wart repeatedly, encouraging the immune system to recognise and eliminate the verruca. Similar to how a vaccine works, verruca needling aims to make the verruca more visible to your immune system, leading to a targeted and effective response.
Before undergoing verruca needling, it’s important to have a thorough assessment by one of our experienced podiatrists. This ensures the treatment’s suitability and safety for your specific condition.
How Does Verruca Needling Work?
Verruca needling, also known as Faulkner’s needling, involves a precise process designed to disrupt the verruca and activate your immune response:
Preparation:
The affected area is carefully cleaned and numbed with local anaesthetic to minimise any discomfort during the procedure.
Needling:
A fine needle is used to puncture the verruca repeatedly to a depth of 5-7mm. This creates controlled trauma that disrupts the wart and introduces the virus to your immune system.
Inflammatory Response:
The punctures trigger an inflammatory reaction, alerting your immune system to the virus and prompting it to attack the verruca.
Healing and Clearance:
Over the following weeks, your immune system works to eliminate the virus, leading to the gradual resolution of the verruca. Proper wound care and regular follow-up appointments with our podiatrists are vital to monitor progress and address any concerns.
How Can Verruca Needling Help Me?
Verruca needling offers multiple benefits for patients seeking an effective verruca removal solution:
- High Success Rates: Proven very effective, especially for verrucas resistant to other treatments
- Minimally Invasive: The procedure involves little discomfort during and after treatment
- Immune System Activation: Stimulates your body's natural defences to target and eliminate the wart
- Reduced Recurrence: May lower the chances of the verruca returning compared to other methods
- Symptom Relief: Often alleviates pain or discomfort caused by the verruca
It’s essential to consult with our qualified HCPC-registered podiatrists to determine if verruca needling is appropriate for your case and to understand how it can help you achieve verruca-free skin again.
Ready to Say Goodbye to Persistent Verrucas?
At Doncaster Foot Clinic, we are committed to providing the most effective, minimally invasive treatments like verruca needling for the best possible results. If you’re fed up with stubborn verrucas that refuse to go, contact us today to book a verruca assessment and take the first step towards healthy, verruca-free skin with our proven, world-leading verruca treatments.
FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Verruca Needling?
Verruca needling is a minor surgical procedure where we carefully prick the verruca under local anaesthetic to stimulate a strong immune response and break down the infected tissue.
How many treatments will I need?
Most patients only need one treatment session. In some stubborn cases, a second session may be recommended after 6 months.
Does verruca needling hurt?
The procedure itself is painless because it’s performed under local anaesthetic. You may feel mild soreness or bruising for 1–2 days afterwards.
What is the success rate of verruca needling?
Studies show success rates of around 69–80%, with many clinics reporting good long-term clearance, especially for longstanding verrucas.
What is recovery like after needling?
You can usually walk normally within 24–48 hours. A small scab forms and heals over the following weeks. We’ll provide clear aftercare guidance.