Bellevue Podiatry · Rosanna
Plantar wart treatment in Rosanna
Falknor's needling is a single-session procedure for plantar warts, carried out in our Rosanna clinic under local anaesthetic. It's an option worth discussing when patches, paints and freeze sprays haven't worked.
Assessment consult $85 (normally $110). Procedure quoted separately — see pricing.
A plantar wart on the sole. Those dark points are tiny blocked blood vessels — not seeds, and not roots.
Most people find theirs by accident — a sore spot underfoot that turns out to have been there for months.
Still there after months of chemist treatments?
Plantar warts sit on the sole, where your body weight presses them inward rather than letting them grow outward. They end up buried under a thick layer of callus.
That's the reason over-the-counter acid patches and freeze sprays so often disappoint. They work on the surface. The wart tissue is underneath it.
Warts are caused by a virus, and clearing one generally means your immune system recognising and dealing with it. Some do go on their own. Others sit there for years, spread to the other foot, or become painful enough to change how you walk.
If yours has been there more than a few months, is spreading, is painful to stand on, or you're not certain it's a wart at all — that's worth having looked at properly.
What Falknor's needling actually is
Rather than trying to burn or freeze the wart away layer by layer, needling takes a different approach: it deliberately introduces the wart tissue to your immune system.
A fine needle punctures the wart tissue repeatedly, pushing it into the deeper layer of skin below and creating micro-bleeds.
The foot is numbed first
A local anaesthetic block is given so the area is completely numb before anything else happens. You're awake and comfortable throughout.
The wart is punctured repeatedly
A fine sterile needle is passed through the wart many times, carrying wart tissue down into the deeper skin layer beneath it.
Your immune system takes over
The deeper layer is rich in immune cells. The intent is that your body recognises the virus and responds to it — potentially including other warts on the same foot.
One appointment, about an hour
Usually a single session, rather than the weekly visits that acid and freezing regimes typically require.
How it works, start to finish
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Assessment consult — $85
First we confirm what we're actually looking at. Warts and corns look similar and are treated completely differently. We check the size, depth and number of lesions, how long you've had them, what you've already tried, and your general health.
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A straight answer on suitability
If needling is a sensible option for you, we'll say so and explain what's involved. If it isn't, we'll tell you that too, and set out what we'd suggest instead. You are under no obligation to book anything at this appointment.
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The procedure — $330, about an hour
Booked as a separate, longer appointment. Sometimes that's the same day if we have the room, otherwise the next available. You'll get written aftercare instructions before you leave.
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Aftercare and review
The area is dressed and needs to stay dry for the first day or so. Most people are back to normal activity quickly, though the foot can feel tender for a few days. We'll book a review to see how it's responding.
Some plantar warts clear on their own. Part of the assessment is working out whether yours is one of them.
If it's not right for you, we'll say so
Needling isn't suitable for everyone. Some people's circulation, medical history or medications make it a poor choice. Sometimes the lesion turns out not to be a wart. Sometimes the sensible course is simply to leave it alone and monitor it.
The assessment exists to work that out. If we don't think you should go ahead, you'll get a clear explanation of why and proper advice on what to do instead — not a sales pitch for something else.
That's the whole reason the assessment and the procedure are booked separately.
What it costs
Assessment consult
$85 normally $110
Diagnosis, suitability assessment and a treatment plan. New patients.
Falknor's needling procedure
$330
Approximately one hour, including local anaesthetic and dressings. Booked only if you're assessed as suitable.
Low or no gap on your assessment
The assessment is $85 for everyone. If you hold extras cover that includes podiatry, we can process the claim on the spot — and where your fund's initial consultation rebate is $85 or more, there's nothing left to pay on the day. Where the rebate is lower, you pay the difference only.
Offer terms and conditions
- $85 applies to a new patient initial podiatry assessment at Bellevue Podiatry, Rosanna. Standard fee $110.
- The offer covers the assessment and professional advice only. It does not include the Falknor's needling procedure ($330) or any other treatment.
- Whether you pay nothing on the day depends entirely on your own fund, policy and remaining annual limits. A rebate of $85 or more is required for a nil gap. We cannot confirm your rebate in advance — your fund can.
- HICAPS on-the-spot claiming is subject to your fund and card being available at the time of the appointment.
- One assessment per person. Not available with any other offer or discount code.
- Bookings must be made and attended by 31 December 2026.
- Suitability for any treatment is determined at the assessment. Booking an assessment does not guarantee that needling will be offered or recommended.
Free guide
Wart or corn? A 60-second self-check
It's the single most common mix-up we see, and it matters — the two are treated in completely different ways, and treating one as though it were the other tends to make things worse.
- The squeeze test versus the press test, and what each one tells you
- What those little black dots actually are
- The skin-lines clue most people miss entirely
- What's safe to try at home — and when to stop trying
We'll email you the guide. No cost, and you can unsubscribe any time.
Common questions
Does it hurt?
The local anaesthetic injection stings for a few seconds, in the same way a dental injection does. After that the foot is numb and you shouldn't feel the procedure itself. Once the anaesthetic wears off the area can be tender for a few days — most people manage with simple pain relief and sensible shoes.
How long before I know if it's worked?
This isn't an instant fix. The procedure is intended to prompt an immune response, and immune responses take time — typically weeks to months rather than days. That's why we book a review rather than sending you off and hoping.
Will I need more than one treatment?
Sometimes. It's usually done as a single session, but a second may be discussed if the wart hasn't responded by your review. Your podiatrist will talk through what that would involve and cost before anything is booked.
Can my child have this done?
Children get plantar warts often, particularly around swimming pools and school gyms, and many clear up without any intervention at all. Whether a procedure under local anaesthetic is appropriate depends very much on the child, their age and how much the wart is bothering them. We'd assess that carefully rather than assume. See our children's podiatry page for how we work with younger patients.
How do I know it's a wart and not a corn?
Warts tend to hurt when squeezed side to side; corns tend to hurt when pressed straight down. Warts usually interrupt the fine lines of the skin, while corns don't. Warts often show tiny dark dots. None of these are foolproof, which is why the assessment starts there. Our corns and calluses page covers the differences, and the free self-check guide walks you through it.
Do you offer freezing, laser or Swift microwave therapy?
No. We don't offer cryotherapy, laser or Swift at this clinic. If your assessment suggests one of those would suit you better, we'll tell you and point you in the right direction.
Can I claim it on private health?
Podiatry consultations are generally claimable on extras cover that includes podiatry, and we can process claims through HICAPS at the appointment. What you get back depends on your fund, your level of cover and how much of your annual limit you've already used. Your fund is the only one who can tell you that accurately. There is no Medicare rebate for this.
What if I've already had it frozen or burnt off and it came back?
That's a common reason people come in. Bring the detail of what you've had done, roughly when, and how many rounds — it genuinely changes the conversation about what to try next.
Book an assessment
Bring the wart, bring the history, and get a straight answer on what will actually help.
Bellevue Podiatry · 8 Bellevue Avenue, Rosanna VIC 3084 · Contact & opening hours