How much is it and how long does it take?

$50, item code 212, and the session runs about 20 minutes. That fee excludes the consultation, so if it's your first visit there's a consultation fee as well.

Yes. A protective liner goes between your skin and the wax, so your feet don't contact the bath itself.

Who shouldn't have it?

It isn't used where there are open wounds, an active skin condition such as an eczema or psoriasis flare, or significant loss of sensation in the feet — including advanced diabetic neuropathy. If you can't reliably feel heat, you can't tell the clinician when something is too warm, and that's the reason for the restriction.

How long does the warmth last?

Longer than a hot water bottle, because the heat goes into the tissue rather than sitting on the surface. It varies between people and it isn't permanent — this is symptom relief and comfort, used alongside whatever is being done about the underlying circulation.

Paraffin Wax Bath Brunswick | Cold Feet & Chilblains

If your feet are cold indoors, in summer, in socks — and you’ve worked through the wool socks and the hot water bottles without much success — a paraffin wax bath is a straightforward treatment worth knowing about.

What it is

Your feet are immersed in warm, melted paraffin wax. The wax sets into a cocoon around the foot and releases heat into the tissue gradually across a 20-minute session. It holds warmth much better than water does, at a controlled and comfortable temperature.

A protective liner is placed between your skin and the wax, so nothing is shared between patients.

Who it helps

Feet that are persistently cold, even indoors
Discolouration or pain from poor circulation
Chilblains — the painful red or purple sores that appear on toes in cold weather
Joint stiffness and aching related to arthritis
Raynaud’s symptoms triggered by cold
Feet that stiffen up after long periods of sitting

What it does

Deep, sustained warmth in feet that don’t hold heat
Encourages circulation by dilating the small blood vessels
Eases aching in muscles and joints
Leaves the skin noticeably softer, because the wax is moisturising

Who it isn’t for

Paraffin wax runs at a low, controlled temperature and is gentle, but it isn’t used where there are:

Open wounds of any kind
Active skin conditions — an eczema or psoriasis flare, for example
Significant sensory loss in the feet, including advanced diabetic neuropathy

That last one is the important one. Heat treatment depends on you being able to feel and report heat.

Fees

$50 per treatment, podiatry item code 212. This excludes the consultation fee — see fees and rebates for the full list. Claimable on most extras policies through HICAPS.

Paraffin Wax Bath