What are plantar warts. How are they caused. What are the symptoms of plantar warts. When should you see a doctor for plantar warts. How can plantar warts be prevented. What are the available treatment options for plantar warts.

Understanding Plantar Warts: A Comprehensive Guide

Plantar warts are small, rough growths that appear on the feet, typically on the balls and heels – areas that bear the most pressure. These growths are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be a source of discomfort for many individuals. While often not a serious health concern, understanding the nature of plantar warts is crucial for effective management and treatment.

What Exactly Are Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are benign skin growths caused by certain strains of HPV. They develop when the virus enters through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin on the bottom of the feet. Unlike warts on other parts of the body, plantar warts grow inward due to the pressure of walking and standing, often forming a callus over the wart.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Plantar Warts

Identifying plantar warts is the first step towards effective treatment. Here are the key symptoms to look out for:

• A small, rough growth on the bottom of the foot
• Hard, thickened skin (callus) over the wart
• Black pinpoints (small clotted blood vessels)
• Cluster of growths on the sole (mosaic warts)
• Interruption of normal skin lines on the foot
• Pain or tenderness when walking or standing

Is the appearance of plantar warts different on various skin tones? On brown and Black skin, the growth may appear lighter than the surrounding unaffected skin, making it potentially more challenging to identify.

The Root Cause: Understanding HPV and Plantar Warts

Plantar warts are caused by an infection with specific strains of HPV in the outer layer of skin on the soles of the feet. While HPV is very common, with over 100 types existing, only a few cause warts on the feet. The virus enters through tiny cuts, breaks, or weak spots on the bottom of the foot.

How Does HPV Transmission Occur?

The HPV strains causing plantar warts are not highly contagious, but they can spread in certain conditions. The virus thrives in warm, moist environments, making areas like swimming pools and locker rooms potential transmission sites. It’s important to note that not everyone who comes into contact with the virus will develop warts, as individual immune responses vary.

Risk Factors: Who’s More Likely to Develop Plantar Warts?

While anyone can develop plantar warts, certain factors may increase the risk:

• Age: Children and teenagers are more susceptible
• Immune system status: Those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk
• Previous infections: People who have had plantar warts before are more likely to develop them again
• Barefoot exposure: Walking barefoot in public areas where the virus is common increases risk

Does having a weakened immune system significantly increase the risk of developing plantar warts? Yes, individuals with compromised immune systems, whether due to medical conditions or medications, are more susceptible to HPV infections and subsequent wart development.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Plantar Warts

While many plantar warts resolve on their own, certain situations warrant a visit to a healthcare provider:

1. The growth is bleeding, painful, or changing in shape or color
2. Warts persist, multiply, or recur despite treatment
3. Pain interferes with daily activities
4. You have diabetes or poor sensation in your feet
5. You have a weakened immune system
6. You’re unsure if the growth is a wart

Should you be concerned if a plantar wart doesn’t go away on its own? While most plantar warts are harmless, persistent warts that don’t respond to treatment or cause ongoing discomfort should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to rule out other conditions and explore more aggressive treatment options.

Preventive Measures: Keeping Plantar Warts at Bay

Prevention is key when it comes to plantar warts. Here are some effective strategies to reduce your risk:

• Avoid direct contact with warts, including your own
• Keep feet clean and dry
• Wear protective footwear in public areas like pools and locker rooms
• Refrain from picking at or scratching warts
• Use separate nail care tools for warts and healthy skin

Can wearing shoes in public showers completely prevent plantar wart infections? While wearing shoes in public showers significantly reduces the risk of contracting HPV, it doesn’t guarantee complete protection. The virus can potentially enter through tiny breaks in the skin, so maintaining overall foot hygiene is also crucial.

Diagnosis: How Healthcare Providers Identify Plantar Warts

Diagnosing plantar warts typically involves a visual examination by a healthcare provider. The process may include:

1. Inspecting the growth visually
2. Removing the top layer with a scalpel to check for tiny clotted blood vessels
3. Taking a small sample (biopsy) for laboratory testing if necessary

Are there any advanced diagnostic techniques for identifying plantar warts? While visual examination is usually sufficient, in some cases, dermatoscopy (examination with a magnifying device) or biopsy may be used for a more definitive diagnosis, especially if the wart’s appearance is atypical.

Treatment Options: From Home Remedies to Medical Interventions

The approach to treating plantar warts can vary based on the severity and individual circumstances. Here are some common treatment options:

Self-Care and Over-the-Counter Treatments

• Salicylic acid preparations
• Duct tape occlusion therapy
• Over-the-counter freezing products

Professional Medical Treatments

• Cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen)
• Prescription-strength wart medications
• Electrocautery (burning)
• Laser treatment
• Surgical removal

Is cryotherapy the most effective treatment for plantar warts? Cryotherapy is a popular and often effective treatment, but its success rate varies. It works by freezing the wart tissue, causing a blister to form and the dead tissue to slough off. However, multiple treatments may be necessary, and success rates can vary depending on the individual and the wart’s characteristics.

Emerging Treatments and Alternative Approaches

Research into plantar wart treatment is ongoing, with some promising new approaches:

• Immunotherapy: Stimulating the body’s immune response to fight the virus
• Photodynamic therapy: Using light-sensitive medications and specific wavelengths of light
• Natural remedies: Some people report success with apple cider vinegar or tea tree oil, though scientific evidence is limited

Can dietary changes or supplements help in treating plantar warts? While a healthy diet supports overall immune function, there’s limited scientific evidence directly linking specific dietary changes or supplements to plantar wart treatment. However, maintaining a balanced diet and good overall health can support your body’s ability to fight viral infections.

Living with Plantar Warts: Managing Discomfort and Preventing Spread

While undergoing treatment or waiting for plantar warts to resolve, there are several steps you can take to manage discomfort and prevent spread:

• Use cushioned insoles or pads to relieve pressure
• Keep the affected area clean and dry
• Avoid going barefoot in public areas
• Change socks daily and wash them in hot water
• Don’t pick at or touch the warts unnecessarily

Can plantar warts cause long-term foot problems if left untreated? In most cases, plantar warts don’t cause long-term issues. However, if they cause persistent pain or changes in gait, it could potentially lead to muscle or joint discomfort over time. Additionally, large or numerous warts might cause discomfort or difficulty walking if left untreated for extended periods.

The Psychological Impact of Plantar Warts

While often considered a minor physical issue, plantar warts can have psychological effects on some individuals:

• Embarrassment about appearance
• Anxiety about spreading the infection
• Frustration with persistent or recurring warts
• Impact on self-esteem, especially in social situations involving bare feet

How can individuals cope with the psychological impact of plantar warts? Open communication with healthcare providers about concerns, joining support groups, and focusing on treatment and prevention can help manage the psychological aspects. Remember that plantar warts are a common and treatable condition, and seeking support when needed is important for overall well-being.

Plantar Warts in Special Populations

Certain groups may require special considerations when it comes to plantar wart management:

Children and Teenagers

Plantar warts are more common in this age group. Treatment approaches may need to be gentler, and spontaneous resolution is more likely.

Individuals with Diabetes

People with diabetes should avoid self-treatment and consult a healthcare provider due to the risk of complications from reduced foot sensation and slower healing.

Immunocompromised Individuals

Those with weakened immune systems may experience more persistent or widespread warts, requiring more aggressive or prolonged treatment.

Are there any specific precautions for athletes dealing with plantar warts? Athletes should be particularly vigilant about foot hygiene and wear appropriate footwear in shared spaces. They should also consult with their healthcare provider about treatment options that won’t interfere with their athletic activities and discuss strategies to prevent spread within team environments.

Research and Future Directions in Plantar Wart Treatment

The field of plantar wart treatment continues to evolve, with ongoing research into new therapies and prevention strategies:

• Development of more effective topical treatments
• Exploration of novel immunotherapies
• Research into HPV vaccines that could prevent plantar warts
• Studies on combination therapies for improved efficacy

What promising new treatments are on the horizon for plantar warts? Research is ongoing into several areas, including targeted immunotherapies that stimulate the body’s immune response against HPV, as well as new formulations of topical treatments that may be more effective at penetrating the thick skin on the soles of the feet. Additionally, some studies are exploring the potential of certain HPV vaccines in preventing plantar warts, though this research is still in early stages.

Myths and Misconceptions about Plantar Warts

There are several common myths surrounding plantar warts that can lead to confusion and misinformation:

• Myth: Plantar warts have roots that grow deep into the foot
• Fact: Warts only grow in the epidermis, the upper layer of skin
• Myth: Plantar warts are highly contagious
• Fact: While they can spread, transmission requires specific conditions and direct contact
• Myth: Cutting a wart will make it spread
• Fact: While not recommended, cutting a wart doesn’t necessarily cause spreading, but can introduce the virus to new areas

Do plantar warts always require medical treatment to resolve? No, many plantar warts, especially in children, will resolve on their own without medical intervention. However, treatment can speed up resolution and provide relief from symptoms. The decision to treat should be based on the individual case, considering factors like pain, location, and duration of the wart.

The Role of Podiatrists in Plantar Wart Management

Podiatrists play a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of plantar warts:

• Specialized knowledge of foot conditions
• Access to advanced treatment options
• Ability to address associated foot problems
• Expertise in preventing recurrence and spread

When should you consult a podiatrist for plantar warts? Consider seeing a podiatrist if over-the-counter treatments haven’t been effective, if the warts are causing significant pain or discomfort, or if you have underlying foot conditions or health issues that complicate treatment. Podiatrists can offer specialized care and a range of treatment options tailored to your specific situation.

Plantar Warts and Public Health: Community Prevention Strategies

While plantar warts are an individual health concern, there are public health implications, particularly in shared spaces:

• Regular cleaning and disinfection of public showers and locker rooms
• Education on foot hygiene and wart prevention in schools and sports facilities
• Encouraging the use of protective footwear in public areas
• Proper maintenance of swimming pools and surrounding areas

What role do public facilities play in preventing the spread of plantar warts? Public facilities like gyms, pools, and locker rooms have a responsibility to maintain clean, hygienic environments. This includes regular cleaning and disinfection of floors and shared surfaces, providing anti-slip mats in shower areas, and educating users about proper foot hygiene. Some facilities may also choose to provide disposable footwear covers or encourage the use of personal flip-flops in shared wet areas.

Plantar warts | Sparrow

Overview

Plantar warts are small, rough growths on the feet. They usually show up on the balls and heels of the feet, the areas that bear the most pressure. This pressure may also cause a wart to grow inward beneath a hard, thick layer of skin (callus).

Plantar warts are caused by HPV. This virus enters through tiny cuts or breaks on the bottom of the feet.

Most plantar warts aren’t a serious health concern and often go away without treatment, especially in children under 12. To get rid of them sooner, you can try self-care treatments or see your health care provider.

Symptoms

Plantar wart signs and symptoms include:

• A small, rough growth on the bottom of your foot, usually at the base of the toes or on the ball or heel
• On brown and Black skin, the growth may be lighter than unaffected skin
• Hard, thickened skin (callus) over a spot on the skin, where a wart has grown inward
• Black pinpoints, which are small clotted blood vessels commonly called wart seeds
• A cluster of growths on the sole of the foot (mosaic warts)
• A growth that interrupts the normal lines and ridges in the skin of your foot
• Pain or tenderness when walking or standing

When to see a doctor

See your health care provider for the growth on your foot if:

• The growth is bleeding, painful or changes in shape or color
• You’ve tried treating the wart, but it persists, multiplies or comes back after clearing for a time (recurs)
• Your pain interferes with your activities
• You also have diabetes or poor feeling in your feet
• You also have a weak immune system because of immune-suppressing drugs, HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders
• You aren’t sure if the growth is a wart

Causes

Plantar warts are caused by an infection with HPV in the outer layer of skin on the soles of the feet. The warts develop when the virus enters through tiny cuts, breaks or weak spots on the bottom of the foot. If left untreated, warts can last from a few months to 2 years in children, and several years in in adults.

HPV is very common, and more than 100 kinds of the virus exist. But only a few of them cause warts on the feet. Other types of HPV are more likely to cause warts on other areas of your skin or on mucous membranes.

Transmission of the virus

Each person’s immune system responds differently to HPV. Not everyone who comes in contact with it develops warts. Even people in the same family react to the virus differently.

The HPV strains that cause plantar warts aren’t highly contagious. So the virus isn’t easily spread by direct contact from one person to another. But it thrives in warm, moist places, so you might get the virus by walking barefoot around swimming pools or locker rooms. If the virus spreads from the first site of infection, more warts may grow.

Risk factors

Anyone can develop plantar warts, but this type of wart is more likely to affect:

• Children and teenagers
• People with weak immune systems
• People who have had plantar warts before
• People who walk barefoot in areas where a wart-causing virus is common, such as locker rooms and swimming pools

Complications

When plantar warts cause pain, you may alter your normal posture or gait — perhaps without realizing it. Eventually, this change in how you stand, walk or run can cause muscle or joint discomfort.

Prevention

To help prevent plantar warts:

• Avoid direct contact with warts. This includes your own warts. Wash your hands carefully after touching a wart.
• Keep your feet clean and dry.
• Wear sandals or other foot protection when walking around swimming pools, in locker rooms or in gym showers.
• Don’t pick at or scratch warts.
• When using an emery board, pumice stone or nail clipper on your warts, choose one that you don’t use on your healthy skin and nails.

Diagnosis

A health care provider usually diagnoses a plantar wart by looking at it or cutting off the top layer with a scalpel and checking for dots. The dots are tiny clotted blood vessels. Or your health care provider might cut off a small section of the growth and send it to a lab for testing.

Treatment

Most plantar warts are harmless and go away without treatment, though it may take a year or two in children, and even longer in adults. If you want to get rid of warts sooner, and self-care approaches haven’t helped, talk with your health care provider. Using one or more of the following treatments may help:

• Freezing medicine (cryotherapy). Cryotherapy is done in a clinic and involves applying liquid nitrogen to the wart, either with a spray or a cotton swab. This method can be painful, so your health care provider may numb the area first.

  The freezing causes a blister to form around your wart, and the dead tissue sloughs off within a week or so. Cryotherapy may also stimulate your immune system to fight viral warts. You may need to return to the clinic for repeat treatments every 2 to 3 weeks until the wart disappears.

  Possible side effects of cryotherapy are pain, blisters and permanent changes in skin color (hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation), particularly in people with brown or Black skin.

• Stronger peeling medicine (salicylic acid). Prescription-strength wart medications with salicylic acid work by removing a wart a layer at a time. They may also boost your immune system’s ability to fight the wart.

  Your health care provider will likely suggest you apply the medicine regularly at home, followed by occasional office visits. It might take weeks to remove the wart using this method.

Surgical or other procedures

If salicylic acid and freezing medicine don’t work, your health care provider may suggest one or more of the following treatments:

• Minor surgery. Your health care provider cuts away the wart or destroys it by using an electric needle (electrodesiccation and curettage). This method can be painful, so your health care provider will numb your skin first. Because surgery has a risk of scarring, it’s not often used to treat plantar warts unless other treatments have failed. A scar on the sole of the foot can be painful for years.
• Blistering medicine. Your health care provider applies cantharidin, which causes a blister under the wart. You may need to return to the clinic in about a week to have the dead wart clipped off.
• Immune therapy. This method uses medications or solutions to stimulate your immune system to fight viral warts. Your health care provider may inject your warts with a foreign substance (antigen) or apply a solution or cream to the warts.
• Laser treatment. Pulsed-dye laser treatment burns closed (cauterizes) tiny blood vessels. The infected tissue eventually dies, and the wart falls off. This method needs to be repeated every 2 to 4 weeks. Your health care provider will likely numb your skin first.
• Vaccine. HPV vaccine has been used with success to treat warts even though this vaccine is not specifically targeted toward the wart viruses that cause plantar warts.

If a plantar wart goes away after treatment and another wart grows, it could be because the area was exposed again to HPV.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Many people have removed warts with these self-care tips:

• Peeling medicine (salicylic acid). Nonprescription wart removal products are sold as a patch, gel or liquid. You’ll likely be instructed to wash the site, soak it in warm water, and gently remove the top layer of softened skin with a pumice stone or emery board. Then after the skin has dried, you apply the solution or patch. Patches are often changed every 24 to 48 hours. Liquid products are used daily. It might take weeks to remove the wart using this method.
• Freezing medicine (cryotherapy). Nonprescription medicines that freeze the wart include Compound W Freeze Off and Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away. The Food and Drug Administration cautions that some wart removers are flammable and shouldn’t be used around fire, flame, heat sources (such as curling irons) and lit cigarettes.
• Duct tape. Using duct tape to remove warts is a harmless but unproven approach. To try it, cover the wart with silver duct tape, changing it every few days. Between applications, soak the wart and gently remove dead tissue with a pumice stone or emery board. Then leave the wart open to the air to dry for a few hours before covering it with tape again.

In general, no matter which treatment you try, do these two things:

• Cover the wart to help prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body or to other people.
• Wash your hands after touching the wart.

If a plantar wart goes away after treatment and another wart grows, it could be because the area was exposed again to HPV.

Preparing for an appointment

You’ll likely start by seeing your primary care provider, who may then refer you to a specialist in disorders of the skin (dermatologist) or feet (podiatrist). The following tips can help you prepare for your appointment.

Prevention

What you can do

Bring a list of all medications you take regularly — including nonprescription medications and dietary supplements — and the daily dosage of each.

You may also want to list questions for your health care provider, such as:

• If I have a plantar wart, can I start with at-home care?
• If I use a home treatment, under what conditions should I call you?
• If the first treatment doesn’t work, what will we try next?
• If the growth isn’t a plantar wart, what tests do you need to do?
• How long will it take to get results?
• How can I prevent warts?

Preparing for an appointment

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider may ask you questions such as:

• When did you first notice the wart?
• Has it changed in size, color or shape?
• Is your condition painful?
• Have you had warts before?
• Do you have diabetes or poor sensation in your feet?
• Do you have any condition or take any medication that has weakened your ability to fight disease (immune response)?
• Have you tried any home remedies? If so, how long have you used them and have they helped?
• Do you use a swimming pool or locker room — places that can harbor wart-causing viruses?

What you can do in the meantime

If you’re sure you have a plantar wart, you may try nonprescription remedies or alternative medicine approaches. But talk with your health care provider before trying self-care treatments if you have:

• Diabetes
• Poor sensation in your feet
• Weakened immunity

If pressure on the wart causes pain, try wearing well-cushioned shoes, such as athletic shoes that evenly support the sole and relieve some of the pressure. Avoid wearing uncomfortable shoes.

Content From Mayo Clinic Updated: 03/28/2023
© 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use

Warts and Plantar Warts | HealthLink BC

Condition Basics

What are warts?

Warts are skin growths caused by a virus. Warts can grow anywhere on the body. There are different kinds. For example, common warts grow most often on the hands, but they can grow anywhere. Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet. Most warts go away on their own within months or years.

How do they spread?

Warts are spread by direct contact with a human papillomavirus (HPV). You can infect yourself again by touching the wart and then touching another part of your body. You can infect another person by sharing towels, razors, or other items. After contact with HPV, it can take months before you notice a wart.

What are the symptoms?

A wart may be a bump with a rough surface, or it may be flat and smooth. Plantar warts can look like a callus. Warts are usually painless. But a wart that grows in a spot where you put pressure, such as on a finger or the bottom of the foot, can be painful.

How are they diagnosed?

A doctor usually can tell if a skin growth is a wart by looking at it. Your doctor may take a sample of the wart if it isn’t clear that the growth is a wart or if the growth is darker than the skin around it, is irregular, bleeds, or is large and fast-growing.

How are warts treated?

Most warts don’t need treatment. They generally go away on their own. But if you have warts that are painful or are spreading, you can treat them with salicylic acid or duct tape. Or your doctor can treat them with medicine or by freezing or removing them.

Health Tools

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems.

Cause

A wart is caused by some types of the virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infects the top layer of skin. It usually enters the body in an area of broken skin. The virus causes the top layer of skin to grow very fast, forming a wart.

Prevention

The main way to prevent warts is to avoid contact with the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes warts. If you are exposed to this virus, you may or may not get warts, depending on how susceptible you are to the virus. Here are some tips to help avoid HPV.

• Avoid touching warts on yourself or others.
• Don’t share razors, towels, socks, or shoes with another person.

  Someone with no visible warts can still be carrying the virus.

• Avoid walking barefoot on warm, moist surfaces where the wart virus may be alive.

  Wear shower shoes when using public showers, locker rooms, or pool areas.

• Keep your feet dry.

  If your feet sweat heavily, wear socks that absorb moisture or wick it away from the skin.

• Avoid irritating the soles of your feet.

  Warts grow more easily if your skin has been injured or broken in some way.

You can help prevent warts from spreading. Keep your warts covered with a bandage or athletic tape. Don’t bite your nails or cuticles, as this may spread warts from one finger to another.

Symptoms

Plantar warts

Plantar warts occur on the soles of the feet. They look like hard, thick patches of skin with dark specks. Multiple plantar warts can form in a large, flat cluster known as a “mosaic wart.”

Common warts

Common warts appear most often on the hands. But they may appear anywhere on the body. They are rough, grey-brown, dome-shaped growths. They may have a cauliflower-like appearance.

Flat warts

Flat warts are usually found on the face, arms, or legs. They are small (usually smaller than the eraser on the end of a pencil), and there are usually several in one area. They have flat tops and can be pink, light brown, or light yellow. Flat warts are often spread by shaving.

When to Call a Doctor

See your doctor if:

• You aren’t sure if a skin growth is a wart.
• Non-prescription home treatment isn’t successful after 2 to 3 months.
• Warts are growing or spreading rapidly despite treatment.
• Signs of infection develop. These may include:
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
  • Red streaks leading from the area.
  • Pus draining from the area.
  • A fever.
• A plantar wart becomes too painful to walk on.
• You have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease and you need treatment for a wart on a leg or foot.
• You have warts on your genitals or around the anus.

Watchful waiting

Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. It’s often okay to try this approach with warts, because they generally go away on their own within months or years. But you may want to consider treating a wart to prevent it from spreading to other parts of your body or to other people. You can try a non-prescription wart treatment for 2 to 3 months before deciding to see a doctor.

Treatment Overview

Most warts don’t need treatment. They generally go away on their own within months or years. But if you have warts that are painful or are spreading, or if you’re bothered by the way they look, your treatment choices include:

• Using a home treatment such as salicylic acid or duct tape. You can get these without a prescription.
• Putting a stronger medicine on the wart, or getting a shot of medicine in it.
• Freezing the wart (cryotherapy). There is an over-the-counter medicine you can use at home. Or you can have your doctor freeze it for you.
• Removing the wart with surgery (electrosurgery, curettage, laser surgery).

Surgery is more likely to leave scars. That’s why it’s mostly used to treat warts that are hard to remove or that keep coming back.

Wart treatment doesn’t always work. Even after a wart shrinks or goes away, warts may come back or spread to other parts of the body. This is because most treatments destroy the wart but don’t kill the virus that causes the wart.

Learn more

Self-Care

• Use salicylic acid or duct tape as your doctor directs. You put the medicine or the tape on a wart for several days and then file down the dead skin on the wart. You use the salicylic acid treatment for 2 to 3 months or the tape for 1 to 2 months.
• If your doctor prescribes medicine to put on warts, use it exactly as directed. Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.

To avoid spreading warts

• Keep warts covered with a bandage or athletic tape.
• Don’t bite your nails or cuticles. This may spread warts from one finger to another.

Reducing pain caused by plantar warts

Plantar warts can be on any part of the foot. But they cause the most discomfort when they are on a pressure point such as the heel. You can help reduce plantar wart pain by doing these things.

• Wear comfortable shoes and socks.

  Avoid high heels and shoes that increase pressure on your foot.

• Pad the wart with doughnut-shaped felt or a moleskin patch.

  Place the pad around the plantar wart so that it relieves pressure on the wart. Also, consider placing pads or cushions in your shoes to make walking more comfortable. You can buy moleskin patches at a drugstore.

• Try non-prescription medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil), or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) to help relieve pain.

  Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18, because of the risk of Reye syndrome, a serious but rare illness. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.

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Credits

Treatment and removal of warts in Saratov 👍 “Medical dynasty”

“Can a bad person be talented?” – they asked Faina Ranevskaya.

“Yes,” answered the actress, “one does not choose talent, it grows like a wart on the first body that comes across. ”

Indeed, warts can appear in any person at completely different age periods. Sometimes they are just a minor cosmetic defect, and sometimes they become a serious problem.

What causes warts? Ways of infection.

Warts are a viral, contagious disease caused by the human papillomavirus. Infection occurs after contact with sick people, but viruses can also persist on the surface of objects. Entrance gates for viruses are small abrasions or cracks in the skin. It is easy to get warts in the pool, the gym, where the skin is easily damaged, and in other public places.

The main types of warts

Ordinary or vulgar warts – hard rough nodules ranging in size from 0.2-1 cm, the color can be either light, flesh-colored or dark, almost black. As a rule, the hands are affected, but they can occur on the forearms, knees, shins, face. Mostly children of preschool and school age are ill.

Plantar warts – occur on the feet, especially often in places of maximum pressure: on the heels, balls of the toes and other areas. They often cause pain when walking. Contribute to the spread of warts are tight, “non-breathing” shoes, flat feet, vascular diseases of the lower extremities, mycosis of the feet, diabetes mellitus, etc. They can be single, but more often there are 3-6 elements or more, on the contact surfaces of the fingers there may be “kissing” warts .

Flat warts or juvenile warts – rare, usually in children and adolescents, located more often on the face, hands. They have the appearance of multiple flat nodules of a rounded shape, flesh-colored with a smooth surface, small in size from 1 to 3 mm and slightly rise above the level of the skin.

Can warts grow?

Yes, especially if they get damaged. The human immune system has a great influence. If the patient has so-called foci of chronic infection, for example, in children – adenoiditis, sinusitis, frequent bronchitis; in adults – primarily tonsillitis, sinusitis, dental caries, then warts can spread or recur.

How can warts be treated?

Today, wart removal can be done in several ways: with a scalpel, liquid nitrogen, radio wave method, laser and high-frequency electric current. Folk methods, such as cauterization of a wart with celandine or removing it with raw potatoes, have unproven effectiveness.

Many people wonder which wart removal is the least traumatic and most effective. Clinics that emphasize laser treatment describe its merits in all colors and reject the removal of warts with liquid nitrogen. And vice versa – if a beauty salon prefers cryodestruction, it in every possible way presents this particular technique and describes its superiority over a surgical laser no less reasonably. So which method should you choose?

So, how to remove a wart quickly, painlessly and effectively?

First, an individual approach is needed. The method of treatment should depend on:

1. Type of warts
Flat warts should be treated conservatively and predisposing factors eliminated. Ordinary warts on the face are best removed with a laser due to the visual control of the penetration depth, faster healing, and the absence of cosmetic defects. The same warts, but on the hands, are perfectly treated with both a laser and liquid nitrogen. On the feet, the most justified method is liquid nitrogen due to less trauma, pain, does not require special care after the procedure.

2. Patient’s age
Warts in children and the elderly are best treated with liquid nitrogen, as it does not require anesthesia, is safe, and can be treated at any time of the year.

Recurring and refractory warts

Periungual warts are the most difficult to remove. The use of a laser, radio wave method, electrocoagulation is often impossible, liquid nitrogen is effective, but painful. From time to time, people turn to the clinic, having tried many methods of treatment, ranging from traditional medicine to the most modern ones.

An absolutely new method of photodynamic therapy, the only one in Saratov, has appeared in the clinic “Medical Dynasty”, which is used specifically for the treatment of the above groups of patients. Based on the safe interaction of laser light, photosensitizer and oxygen. As a result, active substances are produced in the skin that increase local immunity and the body itself begins to fight viruses.

Where can a wart be removed?

The medical center “Medical Dynasty” successfully uses all available methods of treating warts, including the most modern ones. When contacting the clinic, you will receive competent advice from a specialist who will offer you the best method of therapy (liquid nitrogen, laser, photodynamic therapy).

We are waiting for you at the Medical Dynasty Medical Center!

For more information, please ask your specialist.

Appointment by phone: 67-48-28, 73-40-80

How to remove warts – useful information for patients, Vitbiomed clinic blog +

Warts are unsightly but non-painful skin “growths” most commonly found on the face, arms and neck. But not only: some types of warts can appear on the feet (these are plantar warts), in the armpits and on the genitals.

Are warts harmful?

In general, warts are not dangerous to health and cause mainly psychological discomfort due to their unaesthetic appearance. However, some types of warts, if they are often injured and bleed, can eventually degenerate into a malignant tumor. As a rule, these are large papillomas located in places subjected to friction with clothing. If you have frequently traumatized growths, see a dermatologist. Most often it is recommended to remove them.

Types of warts

There are several types of warts:

• flat – they are also called juvenile warts, as they are most often found in children and adolescents, usually light, flat, rise on the surface of the skin by 1–2 mm, usually appear on face and hands;
• simple, also called ordinary or vulgar, – rounded, up to 5 mm high, flesh or grayish-brown in color;
• filiform, or papillomas, – round or oblong small formations on a thin stalk, resembling nodules, appear on the eyelids, neck, under the mammary glands in women, in the armpits or inguinal folds;
• genital warts – develop on the genitals, similar to overgrown cauliflower;
• senile, or seborrheic keratomas, are found in people of senile age and are small skin growths of brown or gray, covered with scales.

All types of warts, except senile warts, are caused by papillomavirus (human papillomavirus, HPV).

Can warts be removed at home? Similar recommendations for getting rid of warts at home can be found now. The effectiveness of most of these remedies is very doubtful, although sometimes they help. And this happens for a simple reason – the placebo effect. Since warts are caused by a virus, often new warts appear at the time of weakening of the immune system, including during severe stress. Sometimes a person, unconditionally believing in the power of a conspiracy or lotion from potatoes, removes a wart with a silk thread, calms down, and a new wart does not grow. However, self-hypnosis does not help most patients.

Methods for removing warts

To get rid of warts, you need not only to remove them physically, but also to fight the virus and strengthen the immune system. Therefore, clinics often prescribe complex treatment.

To do this, use:

• drugs to strengthen immunity (immunomodulators) and increase immunity in natural ways (healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, taking vitamins)
• antivirals that act on HPV.