Your Guide to Plantar Warts

What is a plantar wart?

What is a plantar wart? Plantar warts are warts that appear on the bottom of the foot. They often start as small, fleshy bumps that may look like a callus or a corn. This wart can appear as a single wart or as a cluster called a mosaic plantar. Solitary plantar warts may grow into multiple warts if left untreated, while mosaic warts appear as a cluster initially and are more difficult to treat.

What causes plantar warts?

Like most other warts, plantar warts are related to the human papillomavirus. This virus has received a lot of attention in recent years as the sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cancer, particularly in women. There are over 100 kinds of HPV, and the ones that cause plantar warts are not the same as those that cause cancer.

You can get a plantar wart when you come into direct contact with the HPV virus. This can happen when you have a small cut or a break in the skin and walk on an infected surface. The virus enters through the skin opening, causing the infection that leads to the plantar wart.

These warts are contagious. When you have one, you can spread the virus by touching the wart and then touching other parts of your body or by trying to cut the wart out yourself. This may lead to more warts! You can also spread the virus if you share footwear or other items that have come into contact with the wart or walk barefoot while you have a plantar wart.

Who gets plantar warts?

Anyone can get a plantar wart, but they’re more common in children and teenagers than adults. People who have compromised immune systems are also more at risk for getting infected with the HPV that causes plantar warts.

The virus that causes this condition survives best in warm and moist environments. If you walk barefoot in a locker room or public shower or around a swimming pool, you risk getting infected. However, not everyone is vulnerable to the virus. People’s immune systems react differently when exposed to HPV. Some people who get exposed to it never become infected, while others do. You can even see these differences in people from the same family!

What symptoms indicate plantar warts?

The wart can appear on any part of the foot, but it often shows up on the areas where you bear weight. It appears as a fleshy, grainy, and rough raised bump. Frequently, a plantar wart causes pain at the site, and you may feel like you have something stuck in your shoe. When the growth is on a weight-bearing part of the foot, the wart may grow inward, and a rough callus forms over the top of it.

A plantar wart can also appear as a small lesion that breaks up the normal ridges and lines in your skin. You may see small black dots at the center of the lesions or bumps. These spots are frequently referred to as wart seeds. They aren’t actually seeds; they are tiny clots in the blood vessels. You may have either a single wart or a cluster of them growing together.

What are the treatment options for plantar warts?

Sometimes, plantar warts go away on their own. This can take several months and up to two years. If they don’t go away by themselves or are too painful or uncomfortable to wait, you can treat them in several ways. Some people attempt over-the-counter remedies, but if you have circulation issues or diabetes, you shouldn’t use over-the-counter wart treatment creams.

A podiatrist has the skill and expertise to remove your wart without damaging healthy skin cells and can offer invasive and non-invasive plantar wart treatment options.

Wart – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

Continuing Education Activity

Warts are prevalent benign lesions caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) that occur in the mucosa and skin. Warts may cause significant morbidity for affected individuals. This activity reviews the diagnostic evaluation and management of warts and highlights the role of the interprofessional team in educating patients about the required follow-up for this condition.

Objectives:

• Outline the epidemiology of warts.

• Describe the pathophysiology of warts.

• Describe the risks associated with delayed treatment of warts.

• Explain the importance of collaboration and communication among interprofessional teams managing the care of patients with warts.

Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.

Introduction

Warts are benign lesions that occur in the mucosa and skin. Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), with over 100 types of HPV identified. HPV may occur at any site. The primary manifestations of HPV infection include common warts, genital warts, flat warts, deep palmoplantar warts (Myrmecia), focal epithelial hyperplasia, Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, and Plantar cysts. Warts may be transmitted by direct or indirect contact. Events that disrupt the normal epithelial barrier increase the likelihood of developing warts. Treatment may be difficult. Warts often resolve spontaneously within a few years. Some high-risk HPV subtypes are associated with malignancies, including types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 35. Malignant transformation usually is seen in patients with genital warts and immunocompromised patients. HPV types 5, 8, 20, and 47 have oncogenic potential leading to epidermodysplasia verruciformis.

Etiology

There are over 100 subtypes of the HPV virus, but only a few types can cause skin warts at selective anatomical sites. However, with skin contact, the HPV can be transferred to any part of the body. HPV tends to cause genital warts, flat warts, and palmoplantar warts. Warts are easily transmitted by direct or indirect contact, especially if there is the disruption of the normal epithelial barrier. Besides the skin, warts can also occur on mucous membranes. In general, HPV usually only infects the epithelial layers of skin, and systemic dissemination is very rare. The virus is known to replicate in the upper level of the epithelium, but the virus particles also can be found in the basal layer.  

• Common warts are associated with HPV types 2, 4 (most common), followed by types 1, 3, 27, 29, and 57

• Flat warts are caused by types 3, 10, and 28

• Deep palmoplantar warts are caused by types 1 (most common) followed by types 2, 3, 4, 27, and 57

• Cystic warts are caused by type 60

• Focal epithelial hyperplasia is caused by types 13 and 32

• Butcher’s warts are caused by type 7

Epidemiology

Warts are a common medical problem, especially in Whites.

Frequency

Warts are common worldwide and affect approximately 10% of the population. In school-aged children, the prevalence is as high as 10% to 20%. They are more common among immunosuppressed patients and meat handlers. 

Age

Warts can occur at any age. Although rare in infancy and early childhood, prevalence increases among school-aged children and peaks at 12 to 16 years.

Race

Warts are twice as common in Whites as in Blacks or Asians. Focal epithelial hyperplasia (Heck disease) is more prevalent in Inuit and American Indians.

Sex 

The male-to-female ratio is approximately equal.

Pathophysiology

Out of the 100 subtypes of HPV, a few of them have the propensity to induce cancer. These subtypes include HPV strains 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 35. Malignant transformation tends to occur in individuals with genital warts and those who are immunocompromised. HPV strains 5, 8, 20, and 47 also have malignant potential in individuals with epidermodysplasia verruciformis.

Warts, in general, are benign, but there are reports that sometimes they may become malignant and develop into what is known as verrucous carcinoma. The verrucous carcinoma is a slow-growing tumor and is classified as a well-differentiated squamous cell malignancy that is often mistaken for a common wart. Even though it can occur on any part of the body, it is most common on the plantar surface. Verrucous cancer rarely spreads, but it is locally destructive.

Histopathology

Common wart (Verrucca vulgaris)

Histopathologic features include acanthosis, digitated epidermal hyperplasia, papillomatosis, compact orthokeratosis, hypergranulosis, tortuous capillaries within the dermal papillae, and vertical tiers of parakeratotic cells with red blood cells entrapped above the tips of the digitations. Elongated rete ridges may point radially toward the center of the lesion. In the granular layer, cells infected with HPV have coarse keratohyalin granules and vacuoles surrounding wrinkled-appearing nuclei. Koilocytic cells are pathognomonic.

Butcher’s

Butcher’s warts have acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, and papillomatosis. Small vacuolized cells are seen, and centrally located shrunken nuclei may be identified in clusters within the granular layer rete ridges.

Filiform

Filiform warts appear similar to common warts, but they may have prominent papillomatosis.

Focal Epithelial Hyperplasia (Heck disease)

Focal epithelial hyperplasia is characterized by acanthosis, blunting, hyperplastic mucosa with thin parakeratotic stratum corneum, anastomosis of rete ridges, and whiteness of epidermal cells due to intracellular edema. Some may have prominent keratohyalin granules, and vacuolated cells may be present.

Deep Palmoplantar

Deep palmoplantar warts are similar to common warts except the lesion lies deep to the plane of the skin surface. The endophytic epidermal growth has the distinctive feature of polygonal, refractile-appearing, eosinophilic, cytoplasmic inclusions made up of keratin filaments, forming ringlike structures. Basophilic parakeratotic cells loaded with virions and basophilic nuclear inclusions and may be in the upper layers of the epidermis.

Flat

Flat warts are similar to common warts in light microscopy. Cells with prominent perinuclear vacuolization around pyknotic, basophilic, centrally located nuclei can be in the granular layer. These are referred to as “owl’s eye cells.”

Cystic

A cyst wart is filled with horny material. The wall is composed of basal, granular, and squamous cells. Many epithelial cells have large nuclei and clear cytoplasm with eosinophilic inclusion bodies. The cyst may rupture causing a foreign body granuloma.

History and Physical

The majority of warts do not cause symptoms. However, they do cause cosmetic disfigurement and, in a rare patient, may cause localized pain. Plantar warts can be painful because of compression and extensive friction that can lead to bleeding. If the plantar wart is large, it can even impair a patient’s ambulation and ability to wear shoes.

On physical exam, the common wart may appear as a papular growth with an irregular contour and surface. They may range in size from 1 mm to several centimeters. The majority of common warts are seen on the lower and upper extremities.

Common warts around the lips and eyelids may be thin and long. Those on the plantar surface may be mistaken for a callous. They tend to be deep and painful when palpated.

Flat warts appear as fleshy growths ranging in size from 1-7 mm and may number hundreds in number. 

Butcher’s warts are seen in individuals who handle raw meat products. These warts tend to have a cauliflower-like appearance and tend to be large.

Focal epithelial hyperplasia includes warts that occur in the oral cavity. These small lesions appear as whitish papules, measuring 1-5 mm in size and arranged in groups.

Cystic warts tend to appear on weight-bearing surfaces like the sole and have a smooth appearance.

Evaluation

The diagnosis of a wart is usually made on a clinical examination and physical findings.

Laboratory Studies

Immunohistochemical detection of HPV structural proteins confirms the presence of a virus, but this has poor sensitivity. Viral DNA identification using Southern blot hybridization is more sensitive and specific for HPV type. Polymerase chain reaction amplifies viral DNA for testing. Although HPV can be detected in younger lesions, it is not always present in older lesions.

Procedures

A biopsy is obtained if doubt exists regarding the diagnosis. The paring of a wart often reveals tiny black dots that represent thrombosed capillaries.

Treatment / Management

Once the diagnosis is made, the treatment depends on symptoms, patient preferences, and cost. Even though there are many treatments for warts, none is very effective, and recurrences are common with each of them. In general, one should try the least expensive and least painful treatment first.

The more expensive and invasive treatments are usually reserved for multiple recurrent warts. Observation is also a part of the treatment and should always be considered. It is known that nearly two-thirds of warts spontaneously disappear within 24 months. The only negative observation is that there is a small risk that the wart can enlarge and may even spread to other areas. In most cases, topical agents are utilized first. Salicylic acid is often a first-line agent for the common wart. It requires no prescription and can be used by the patient at home. It has cure rates of 50% to 70%. Cryotherapy, retinoic acid, podophyllin, topical 5-fluorouracil, interferon, and imiquimod are also used for treatment.

Cidofovir has been used to treat CMV infections in HIV patients and case reports suggest it may be beneficial in patients with recalcitrant warts.

5-Fluorouracil is used to treat actinic keratosis and has been used to treat warts under occlusion for 30 days.

The vitamin A derivative, tretinoin, has been used with partial success to treat flat warts.

Intralesional injections with immunotherapy (candida), bleomycin, and interferon alfa have also been reported to work in some patients.

Systemic treatments that have been tried include cidofovir, cimetidine, and retinoids.

Nonpharmacological therapies that are also used include adhesiotherapy, hypnosis, hyperthermia, propolis, and a number of plant extracts. Without controlled trials and the fact that warts do resolve spontaneously, it is difficult to say if these treatments actually work.

Surgical treatments include cryotherapy, laser, electrodesiccation, and excision.

Differential Diagnosis

• Molluscum contagiosum

• Seborrheic keratosis

• Lichen planus

• Squamous cell cancer

• Keratoacanthoma

Prognosis

Close to two-thirds of warts resolve spontaneously over several years, so the efficacy of treatments is difficult to discern. Warts usually do not cause residual scarring when they disappear on their own. However, almost every type of topical treatment available has the potential to cause moderate to severe scarring. More important, treatment failures are common leading to pain and severe deficits in cosmesis. Malignant change is rare with common warts but rarely one may encounter transformation to verrucous carcinoma, which is most common on the plantar surface.

Pearls and Other Issues

Irrespective of the treatment selected, failures and recurrence are common. Most warts resolve spontaneously.

Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes

To obtain the best outcomes, the management of warts should be under an interprofessional team. Patients with warts may present to the primary provider, dermatologist, urgent care clinic, or the nurse practitioner. The key to the management of warts is patient education. Once a diagnosis of warts is made, the patient should be educated on preventing trauma and transmission. The patient should be told to avoid nail-biting, wear proper shoe wear at the swimming pool, and wear gloves when working with meat products. Patients should be told that warts can disappear spontaneously, and the decision to seek treatment should not be undertaken lightly. The pharmacists should educate the patient about the topical treatments, their efficiency, and adverse effects. Finally, the patient should understand that no treatment works immediately, and many sessions are required- which not only adds to the cost but also increases the risk of adverse reactions. Individuals at risk for warts like butchers and animal workers should wear gloves and appropriate garments. Patients should be told that is the wart does not cause symptoms, it may be left alone. Only through open communication between the clinicians can the morbidity of warts be reduced. (Level V)

Outcomes

When looking at outcomes, it is important to be aware that nearly two-thirds of warts resolve spontaneously over 12-24 months, and there is almost no scarring or any residual defect. However, when warts are medically or surgically treated, inevitably, there is scarring, pain, cost, and adverse effects. More important, every single treatment for warts is associated with failures. Warts are generally asymptomatic but can be painful in some people, depending on their location. Malignant change has been reported in warts, but this is a rare occurrence (Level V).

Figure

Plantar Wart. Contributed by DermNetNZ

Warts – Better Health Channel

About warts

Warts are infections in the skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of HPV that are responsible for the many different types of warts, which include common warts, plantar warts, flat warts and genital warts.

Warts are common, particularly in childhood. Some estimates suggest that up to one in five children have warts, with children aged 12 to 16 years most commonly affected. Without medical treatment, many wart infections go away by themselves.

Symptoms of warts

The characteristics of a wart depend on the type, but can include:

• A small, raised bump may appear on the skin.
• The average size can range from one to 10 millimetres.
• The wart may have a rough or smooth surface.
• Warts can occur singly or in clusters.
• In some cases, the wart may itch.
• Face, feet, knees and hands are most commonly affected.

Types of warts

Some of the types of warts caused by HPV include:

• Common warts (verruca vulgaris) – these look like hard, raised lumps with rough surfaces. Any body part can be affected, but the knees and hands are the most common sites.
• Flat warts (verruca plana) – these look like smooth, flattened lumps. Any body part can be affected, but the face, lower legs and hands are the most common sites.
• Filiform warts – these look like thin, long threads. The face is usually affected, particularly near the eyelids and lips.
• Mosaic warts – these appear as a group of tightly clustered warts. The hands and soles of the feet are most commonly affected.
• Plantar warts – these look like small, hard bumps, and can have tiny black dots on them. The soles of the feet are most commonly affected.
• Genital warts – these look like grey or off-white lumps with a grainy ‘cauliflower’ appearance. Since genital warts are sexually transmitted, the penis, vulva and anus are most commonly affected. Some common types of genital warts predispose women to cancer of the cervix.

Risk factors for warts

Anyone can develop warts, but factors that increase the risk include:

• Injuries to the skin.
• Skin infections that break the skin surface.
• Frequently getting the hands wet.
• Hands or feet that sweat heavily (hyperhidrosis).
• Swimming in public swimming pools.
• Nail biting.
• Direct contact with other people’s warts.
• Scratching or shaving your own warts, which can spread the infection to other areas of your body.

Diagnosis of warts

Most warts are easily recognised. For unusual warts, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment for warts

There are many different treatments for warts. Make sure you talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of your treatment as some cause scarring. Warts can be stubborn, so you may need to use more than one type of treatment.

Some of the wart treatment options include:

• Do nothing – about 65% of warts clear up by themselves within two years, without any medical intervention. However, new warts occur three times as frequently in infected children as in uninfected ones. This ‘wait and see’ approach isn’t recommended for people with multiple warts, or for those who have had their warts for more than two years. 
• Topical (applied to the skin) chemicals – such as salicylic acid or lactic acid. Some topical agents can be harmful to healthy skin tissue, which means they are best applied by your doctor or dermatologist. Other topical agents can be applied yourself. It may take three months or more for the treatment to get rid of the warts.
• An immune system stimulator – such as imiquimod – can be used for genital warts. It stimulates the immune system to fight the viral infection. A similar way to invoke the immune system is with DPCP (diphenylcyclopropenone). A person is made hypersensitive to this chemical and then low concentrations are applied around the wart, encouraging immune cells to invade and destroy the wart. DPCP is only available in specialist clinics.
• Cryotherapy – the warts are frozen with liquid nitrogen. It may take up to four months of regular cryotherapy to get rid of the warts.
• Currettage and electrocautery –  a surgical procedure performed under local anaesthesia. The wart is removed by curettage and the base is cauterized.  The wound generally heals in 7 to 10 days, but may leave a scar.
• Laser therapy – a laser is used to burn off the warts. Scarring may occur.
• Gardasil vaccination is now provided to teenage girls to protect them against HPV strains associated with genital warts and cervical cancer. It is not generally recommended to treat existing warts. 

Genital warts

• If you suspect you have genital warts, you should see your doctor about treatment. A ‘wait and see’ approach to genital warts is not recommended. For adult women infected with genital warts, a Cervical Screening Test should also be done to screen for cancer of the cervix.

Where to get help

Plantar warts | Beacon Health System

Overview

Plantar warts are small growths that usually appear on the heels or other weight-bearing areas of your feet. This pressure may also cause plantar warts to grow inward beneath a hard, thick layer of skin (callus).

Plantar warts are caused by HPV. The virus enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks or other weak spots on the bottom of your feet.

Most plantar warts aren’t a serious health concern and usually go away without treatment eventually. You may want to try self-care treatments or see your doctor to have the warts removed.

Symptoms

Plantar wart signs and symptoms include:

• A small, fleshy, rough, grainy growth (lesion) on the bottom of your foot, usually the base of the toes and forefoot or the heel
• Hard, thickened skin (callus) over a well-defined “spot” on the skin, where a wart has grown inward
• Black pinpoints, which are commonly called wart seeds but are actually small, clotted blood vessels
• A lesion 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 doctor for the lesion on your foot if:

• The lesion is bleeding, painful or changes in appearance or color
• You’ve tried treating the wart, but it persists, multiplies or recurs
• Your discomfort interferes with activities
• You also have diabetes or poor sensation in your feet
• You also have a weakened immune system because of immune-suppressing drugs, HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders
• You aren’t sure whether the lesion is a wart

Causes

Plantar warts are caused by an infection with HPV in the outer layer of skin on the soles of your feet. They develop when the virus enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks or other weak spots on the bottoms of your feet.

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 transmitted by direct contact from one person to another. But it thrives in warm, moist environments. Consequently, you may contract the virus by walking barefoot around swimming pools or locker rooms. If the virus spreads from the first site of infection, more warts may appear.

Risk factors

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

• Children and teenagers
• People with weakened immune systems
• People who have had plantar warts before
• People who walk barefoot where exposure to a wart-causing virus is common, such as locker rooms

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 reduce your risk of 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. Change your shoes and socks daily.
• Avoid walking barefoot around swimming pools and locker rooms.
• Don’t pick at or scratch warts.
• Don’t use the same emery board, pumice stone or nail clipper on your warts as you use on your healthy skin and nails.

Diagnosis

In most cases, your doctor can diagnose a plantar wart with one or more of these techniques:

• Examining the lesion
• Paring the lesion with a scalpel and checking for signs of dark, pinpoint dots — tiny clotted blood vessels
• Removing a small section of the lesion (shave biopsy) and sending it to a laboratory for analysis

Treatment

Most plantar warts are harmless and go away without treatment, though it may take a year or two. If your warts are painful or spreading, you may want to try treating them with over-the-counter (nonprescription) medications or home remedies. You may need many repeated treatments before the warts go away, and they may return later.

If your self-care approaches haven’t helped, talk with your doctor about these treatments:

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

  Your doctor will likely suggest you apply the medicine regularly at home, followed by occasional office visits.

• Freezing medicine (cryotherapy). Cryotherapy done at a doctor’s office involves applying liquid nitrogen to the wart, either with a spray or a cotton swab. This method can be painful, so your doctor may numb the area first.

  The chemical 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 doctor’s office for repeat treatments every two to four weeks until the wart disappears.

  Some studies suggest that cryotherapy combined with salicylic acid treatment is more effective than just cryotherapy, but further study is needed.

Surgical or other procedures

If salicylic acid and freezing medicine don’t work, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Other acids. Your doctor shaves the surface of the wart and applies trichloroacetic acid with a wooden toothpick. You’ll need to return to the doctor’s office for repeat treatments every week or so. Side effects include burning and stinging. Between visits, you may be asked to apply salicylic acid to the wart.
• Immune therapy. This method uses medications or solutions to stimulate your immune system to fight viral warts. Your doctor may inject your warts with a foreign substance (antigen) or apply a solution or cream to the warts.
• Minor surgery. Your doctor cuts away the wart or destroys it by using an electric needle (electrodesiccation and curettage). This procedure can be painful, so your doctor will numb your skin first. Because surgery has a risk of scarring, this method usually isn’t used to treat plantar warts unless other treatments have failed.
• Laser treatment. Pulsed-dye laser treatment burns closed (cauterizes) tiny blood vessels. The infected tissue eventually dies, and the wart falls off. This method requires repeat treatments every three to four weeks. The evidence for the effectiveness of this method is limited, and it can cause pain and potentially scarring.
• Vaccine. HPV vaccine has been used with success to treat warts even though this vaccine is not specifically targeted toward the wart virus that causes the majority of plantar warts.

Lifestyle and home remedies

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

• Peeling medicine (salicylic acid). Nonprescription wart removal products are available as a patch or liquid. Usually, you’re 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 usually changed every 24 to 48 hours. Liquid applications are generally used daily. You may need repeated applications on a regular basis over several weeks to months to see results.
• 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.

Preparing for an appointment

You’ll likely start by seeing your primary care doctor. He or she may 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 over-the-counter (nonprescription) medications and dietary supplements — and the daily dosage of each.

You may also want to list questions for your doctor, such as:

• If I have a plantar wart, can I start with at-home care?
• If I proceed with home treatment, under what conditions should I call you?
• If the first treatment doesn’t work, what will we try next?
• If the lesion 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 doctor may ask you questions such as:

• When did the lesion first appear?
• Has it changed in size or appearance?
• 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 over-the-counter remedies or alternative medicine approaches. But talk with your doctor 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.

Last Updated: April 2nd, 2020

Plantar Warts Diagnosis & Treatment

The pressure on the bottom of the feet from standing and walking may also cause plantar warts to grow inward beneath a callus (a hard, thick layer of skin). If the virus spreads from the first site of infection, additional warts may appear, and the original wart will grow in size over time.

Those that are most prone to plantar warts include children and teenagers, people with weakened immune systems and those who have had prior plantar warts. The virus that cause plantar warts thrive in warm, moist environments so people who share gym or athletic facilities or who engage in group activities where bare feet are the rule, such as yoga and martial arts, are more likely to contract the virus.

Some people mistakenly think plantar warts are malignant. In reality, plantar warts very rarely become malignant.  Eventually, in about two years, most warts go away without treatment. Warts can, however, cause irritation or pain, depending on their location.

What causes plantar warts?

Plantar warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). The very common virus enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks or other weak spots on the bottom of your feet. Like other viral infections, plantar warts are contagious, commonly spread in public swimming pools, communal showers, or even your shower at home.

When skin cells become infected with HPV, the virus tends to make them grow faster than the cells in surrounding areas, causing a wart to form. There are more than 100 strains of the HPV virus, 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.

Most plantar warts aren’t a serious health concern and may go away without treatment eventually. You may want to try self-care treatments first.  If unsuccessful, you may want to see one of our doctors to have the warts removed.

Symptoms

Unlike warts on other parts of your body, plantar warts usually grow into your skin instead of out from it. That’s because your body weight exerts pressure on the soles of your feet where they typically appear. Plantar wart signs and symptoms include:

• Pain or tenderness when walking or standing
• Hard, thickened skin (callus) over a well-defined spot on the skin, where a wart has grown inward
• A small, fleshy, rough, grainy growth (lesion) on the bottom of your foot, usually the base of the toes and forefoot or the heel
• Black pinpoints, which are commonly called wart seeds but are actually small, clotted blood vessels
• A lesion that interrupts the normal lines and ridges in the skin of your foot

How are plantar warts diagnosed and treated?

Plantar warts often look similar to corns and calluses — layers of skin that develop to protect areas of the skin from friction and pressure. In most cases you shouldn’t need to see a doctor about a wart. If you want a quick treatment option, try one of the many home remedies to remove the wart. Over-the-counter wart treatments work about half the time, and they’re fairly quick and inexpensive. Most at-home treatments peel away the wart layer by layer, so it may take some time.  These OTC treatments are more successful of warts on the side or top of the foot, rather than plantar warts on the bottom of the foot.

You should, however, contact your doctor for treatment options if the wart becomes painful or doesn’t go away using home remedies. You should also see your doctor about warts , and not use the OTC wart removal remedies, if you have diabetes, poor circulation or lack of feeling in your feet, signs of infection, or a weakened immune system.

Your doctor at Augusta Foot & Ankle, PC can usually make a visual diagnosis during your appointment. In some cases, he may take a skin sample of the wart and send it to a laboratory for testing. This procedure is called a biopsy.

If home remedies and time have failed, some options your doctor might recommend include:

• Acid applications: removes layers of your wart and triggers your immune system
• Cryotherapy: freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen to kill the wart and stimulate your immune system
• Laser treatment: destroys the wart with heat
• Cantharidin (beetle juice): a blistering medication applied

These topical treatments often resolve your wart in one or two treatments. In rare cases, your doctor might recommend a minor office surgery to remove the wart.

To learn more about treatment options for plantar warts, call Augusta Foot & Ankle, PC to schedule an appointment today.

Plantar Wart – an overview

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV causes a variety of lesions of the skin and mucous membranes including common warts of the skin, plantar warts, genital warts (sometimes called condyloma acuminata), squamous intraepithelial lesions, and invasive anogenital carcinoma of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anal canal, and perineal areas. Of the over 100 types of HPV, approximately 30 infect the anogenital area and are transmitted principally through sexual contact. Anogenital HPV types are divided into those associated with high risk development of malignancies (e.g., HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, etc.) and those associated with low risk of malignancy development (e.g., HPV types 6, 11, 42, 43, 44, etc.). HPV 16, 18 are the most oncogenic or highest risk of these types. Low-risk types are commonly associated with visible genital warts.

The prevalence of HPV infection is high. According to population-based estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 26.8% of women ages 14–59 had subclinical infection detectable by DNA testing of self-collected vaginal swabs. Incidence is difficult to determine.⁸⁴ Annual incidence of all types of genital HPV infection is estimated to be 6.2 million in the United States. It is also estimated that 80% of sexually active women will have been infected with genital HPV by age 50. Limited data for young men show similar incidence rates. The prevalence of genital warts is estimated at 1% and incidence is estimated to be approximately 0.3% per year overall.

Risk factors for HPV acquisition in women include young age (<25 years), early age at first intercourse (16 years or younger), multiple sexual partners, and having a male partner who has had multiple sex partners. Similar risk factors have been found for penile HPV in men.⁸⁵ Prior HPV infection at other sites does not appear to offer protection, and there does not appear to be significant cross-protection between genital HPV types. Recent evidence from several studies demonstrates that condoms prevent subclinical HPV infection and may be effective in preventing actual disease manifestations.^86,87 Vertical transmission rarely results in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis due to HPV 6/11 in infants and young children. Cesarean section has not been shown to effectively reduce transmission to neonates.

Cervical carcinoma is the most important sequela of genital high-risk HPV infection in women. In 2007, an estimated 11 150 cases of cervical cancer occurred with 3670 related deaths.⁸⁸ Worldwide, almost 500000 estimated cervical cancers occurred with over 270000 associated deaths. Cancer rates at other anogenital sites such as the penis, vulva, vagina, and anus are 8- to 10-fold lower, although anal cancer incidence in HIV-positive individuals, especially men who have sex with men is high.

Risk factors for persistence or progression of HPV infection to neoplasia include diminished cellular immunity and immunosuppression for any cause. Hormonal influences related to pregnancy and oral contraceptives, smoking, folate deficiency, other STIs such as C. trachomatis and herpes simplex virus infection have been associated with cervical cancer in some studies.

Recommendations for Pap screening in women have been developed by a number of nationally recognized expert groups. According to the CDC, Pap screening should begin no sooner than 3 years after onset of vaginal intercourse; no later than age 21.^70,89 Exceptions include known or suspected history of sexual abuse, HIV infection, or immune compromise. Women age 30 or older (with three consecutive satisfactory normal Paps) may be screened every 2–3 years. Another option is a combination of Pap screening with a test for high-risk HPV. Those with negative combined tests should be screened with combined tests no more frequently than every 3 years. Exceptions to these guidelines include DES exposure, HIV infection, or immune compromise. Pap screening may be discontinued in women who have had a total hysterectomy for benign disease and no history of CIN 2 or 3 or at age 70 with three or more consecutive satisfactory normal Paps and no abnormal Paps within the past 10 years. Exceptions include any history of cervical cancer, DES exposure, or HIV infection. The Bethesda System for cervical cytology uses categories of low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade SIL (HSIL). Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significant (ASCUS) and atypical squamous cells cannot rule out high grade lesion (ASC-H) are less specific, but potentially important indicators of disease. Atypical glandular cells (AGC) can also be observed on cytology. There is no need for more frequent Pap tests in the case of external genital warts. Limitations of Pap tests include unsatisfactory results (requiring a repeat visit and specimen) up to 20% of the time and variable sensitivity (50–70% for a single Pap test, which is the rationale for serial testing). Liquid media-based tests (e.g., Thinprep, SurePath) and computer-assisted reading may enhance sensitivity, but reduce specificity.⁸⁸

Perhaps the most exciting progress in prevention of cervical cancer is the development of the HPV vaccines. Gardasil (Merck) is a prophylactic quadrivalent vaccine that was licensed in June 2006 for the prevention of genital warts and cervical disease. It is composed of non-infectious virus-like particles, types 6, 11, 16, and 18. It is licensed for females between the ages of 9 and 26 years old. Trials are currently being conducted among males but efficacy in this population is still unknown. A second vaccine (Cervarix Glaxo Smith Kline) is currently under FDA review.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend routine administration of the HPV vaccine for girls between 11 and 12 years of age.^89,90 It may be given as young as 9 years of age and catch-up vaccination for girls 13–18 years old is recommended. For 19–26-year-old women the ACIP recommends catch-up vaccination as well. The recommended dosing schedule is 0, 2, and 6 months but a minimum of 4 weeks between the first and second doses and a minimum of 12 weeks between the second and third doses is recommended if the 0, 2, and 6-month schedule cannot be followed. There is no need to restart the series if a dose is missed.

Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris) – ACFAS

What is a Plantar Wart?
A wart is a small growth on the skin that develops when the skin is infected by a virus. Warts can develop anywhere on the foot, but typically they appear on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. Plantar warts most commonly occur in children, adolescents, and the elderly.

There are two types of plantar warts:

• A solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional “satellite” warts.
• Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one area. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts.

Causes
Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body.

Symptoms
The symptoms of a plantar wart may include:

• Thickened skin. Often a plantar wart resembles a callus because of its tough, thick tissue.
• Pain. Walking and standing may be painful. Squeezing the sides of the wart may also cause pain.
• Tiny black dots. These often appear on the surface of the wart. The dots are actually dried blood contained in the capillaries (tiny blood vessels).

Plantar warts grow deep into the skin. Usually this growth occurs slowly, with the wart starting small and becoming larger over time.

Diagnosis and Treatment
To diagnose a plantar wart, the foot and ankle surgeon will examine the patient’s foot and look for signs and symptoms of a wart.

Although plantar warts may eventually clear up on their own, most patients desire faster relief. The goal of treatment is to completely remove the wart.

The foot and ankle surgeon may use topical or oral treatments, laser therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), acid treatments, or surgery to remove the wart.

Regardless of the treatment approaches undertaken, it is important that the patient follow the surgeon’s instructions, including all home care and medication that has been prescribed, as well as follow-up visits with the surgeon. Warts may return, requiring further treatment.

If there is no response to treatment, further diagnostic evaluation may be necessary. In such cases, the surgeon can perform a biopsy to rule out other potential causes for the growth.

Although there are many folk remedies for warts, patients should be aware that these remain unproven and may be dangerous. Patients should never try to remove warts themselves. This can do more harm than good.

90,000 Plantar wart: causes and treatment.

Plantar wart (or spine) occurs as a result of the penetration of the plantar papilloma virus under the skin of the foot. Baths, shared showers, swimming pools, dirty sand on the beaches become the source of infection.

The wart on the sole (spine) has a callus-like horny wart with papillary growths located under the horny masses.The papilloma virus settles under the skin of the feet and matures up to six months. The papillomavirus penetrates through cracks, wounds in the sole. With a decrease in immunity, it immediately manifests itself in the form of a wart.

Most often, sloppy people aged 20-30, old people and children suffer from plantar warts.

Causes of plantar wart

The main causes of plantar wart are the following factors that can occur in every person:

• active stage of papilloma virus with reduced immunity;

• excessive sweating of the legs;

• tight and uncomfortable shoes; poor skin care for the feet.

Warts are formed on the foot in places of constant pressure, friction and stress: on the heels and pads of the metatarsal bones, therefore they are characteristic:

• discomfort and sensation of persistent baking pain;

• growth and protrusion above the rest of the skin of the foot;

• self-infection and reproduction.

Feelings of burning pain force a person to change gait, wear loose shoes, which leads to deformation of the foot and the appearance of watery and dry calluses (see how to treat dry calluses), which also hurt, rub and become infected.

Thorns can infect others by lending slippers to guests. You can become infected with a plantar wart when walking with bare feet around the room where a patient with papillomavirus lives.

A plantar wart can grow from a couple of millimeters to the size of a hen’s egg. With low immunity, chronic and colds, mental trauma, daughter rashes from a large maternal spine are actively growing.

Permanent mechanical injuries (inept getting rid of the wart, long stay on the legs), the use of artificial detergents (soap) contribute to the transformation of the maternal spine into a malignant tumor.

Plantar wart treatment

The early stages of plantar wart development already give rise to referral to a dermatologist.

There is no need to wait for the growth of the maternal wart and its reproduction, since the formation on the sole may turn out to be not a spine, but a tumor. The diagnosis is clarified by examining the tissue of the wart and determining the nature of the cells.

A malignant tumor can be confirmed or refuted by histological examination.

A humid environment with excessive sweating of the legs promotes the instant multiplication of the wart. The process involves areas of healthy skin, so it is necessary to take measures to eliminate excessive sweating.

For the treatment of plantar wart use:

• surgical operation; laser,

• electric current, nitrogen;

• ointments and folk remedies.

First of all, the maternal wart is removed – the largest wart. The rest disappear on their own or remove them without surgery.

Despite the huge number of “folk” recipes, self-medication is unacceptable , because formations on the skin can be of a very different nature, pose a danger to health and even life.

Diagnostics is carried out by an experienced doctor who makes the necessary appointments.A small spine may not cause cosmetic discomfort, so surgeons recommend not to injure the sole: to remove or cauterize the plantar wart, since it is removed with a scalpel, leaving significant scars. There is no certainty that the papilloma virus has been completely removed from the skin, and the wart will not begin to grow again. The body of the wart contains not only cornea, but also a large number of papillary growths surrounded by horny cells. The difficulty in removing is the presence of a funnel in the center of its mass.When its central part is removed, the papillary surface is exposed. So several more callus-like warts may soon form.

Electrocoagulation (high frequency currents) is difficult to completely remove a deep wart, but you can burn out a small spine from the surrounding tissue. The wart is removed bloodlessly, while the wound is disinfected and access to healthy tissue is closed.

In the treatment of low temperatures – cryotherapy (exposure to liquid nitrogen on the wart), a course of procedures is used to gradually die off the wart. This procedure is recommended for children as it does not leave scars or painful sensations.

In the presence of diabetes mellitus, it is important to choose the right treatment and not to infect the wound or scar that formed after treatment. With aggressive methods of drug treatment, allergic dermatitis can be caused, so two diseases will have to be treated.

Prevention

Prevention is reduced to the observance of foot hygiene: the use of baths with the addition of sea salt, essential oils: tea tree, thuja, onion, lemon to eliminate excessive sweating and suppress papillomavirus.

It is useful to lubricate the sole with the juice of onion, dandelion and wormwood, celandine and lanceolate sow thistle (bodyagi). It is recommended to lubricate the sole with petroleum jelly, rub it in thoroughly and then wipe the foot dry.

Between the toes – sprinkle with talcum powder and pour a little powder into a stocking or sock to get rid of excessive sweating of the foot and preserve the stocking.

Warts – causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment in Astrakhan | Diseases

Reasons

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection

Symptoms

Warts are classified according to their location on the skin and their shape.

Common warts are hard growths that usually have a rough surface. They are round or irregular, light gray, yellow, brown or gray-black in color, and appear on the most commonly injured areas (knees, face, fingers, elbows).

Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet, where, as a rule, they become flat under the influence of walking, and the skin around them thickens. Palmar warts form on the palms.hard and flat, with a rough surface and clear boundaries. They are often painful, and plantar warts can be very painful when pressure is applied to them.

Mosaic warts are groups of smaller plantar warts joined together. Like other plantar warts, they are often painful.

Periungual warts are thickened growths around the nails that look like cauliflower.are more common among people who bite their nails, and representatives of professions whose activities are directly related to water (dishwashers and bartenders).

Filamentous warts are long, narrow small growths that commonly appear on the eyelids, face, neck and lips. This type of warts usually does not cause symptoms and is usually easy to treat.

Flat warts most often in children and young people appear on the face and hands in groups in the form of smooth flat spots of yellow-brown, pink or flesh-colored.This type of wart usually does not cause any symptoms, but it is difficult to treat.

Genital warts (genital warts) appear in the genital area. They can be flat, smooth, velvety, or irregular, irregular growths that resemble a tiny head of cauliflower in texture.

Plantar wart Shipitsa at MiDerm Clinic, Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus. At least 45 species of this virus have been identified, but none of them is strictly specific for a particular type of wart variety.

Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus. At least 45 species of this virus have been identified, but none of them is strictly specific for a particular type of wart variety.

Causes of plantar wart

With plantar warts, types 1 and 4 are most often found. You can become infected by direct contact through personal items, the incubation period of the disease ranges from several weeks to six months.Infection is most often accompanied by a weakened immune system, microtrauma, as well as hyperhidrosis (increased sweating) of the feet. One of the main and very unpleasant symptoms is pain when walking and itching in the wart area.

Plantar warts are often solitary, painful, deep, located in places of greatest pressure on the foot. They are covered with thick horny layers, the skin pattern in the area of ​​warts is disturbed. Most often, plantar warts are yellowish in color and are 1 to 2 centimeters in size.With a close arrangement of individual warts, the focus can take on a mosaic character and reach a diameter of up to 3 centimeters

Plantar wart removal

Plantar warts do not respond well to therapeutic treatment, so in 985 cases they are simply removed. Effective methods include

-cryodestruction

-laser destruction

-electrocoagulation

Patients often confuse plantar warts and core calluses, therefore, in any case, a specialist consultation is necessary after which the doctor will prescribe treatment for a specific problem.

Warts and methods of their treatment

Warts – benign growths on the skin, the cause of which is one of the varieties of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Being harmless to health and often not differing in color from the skin, warts, depending on their location on the body, can cause significant discomfort or adversely affect a person’s appearance.

Types of warts:

• Common or vulgar warts – rounded skin formations with an uneven rough surface of yellowish or gray shades. The diameter of such warts can vary from one millimeter to several centimeters. Vulgar warts are most often found on the back of the hands and fingers. In rare cases, several of these warts can “merge” into one aesthetically unattractive raised skin formation.Usually, vulgar warts do not cause discomfort, but their frequent injury can lead to inflammation and soreness.

Wart vulgaris Wart vulgaris

• Flat or juvenile warts are multiple flat papules slightly raised above the surface of the skin, having a smooth or covered with small scales surface.The size of flat warts does not exceed 1-2 mm, the color often coincides with the color of the surrounding tissues, the usual localization is the back of the hands and wrists, the face, neck and chest.

• Plantar warts , as their name implies, are located on the feet – in places of friction and pressure and therefore are very painful. Such warts are similar to calluses, while they can be convex or have the appearance of a depression, “lined” by tufts of papillae.

Plantar wart Plantar wart

• Genital warts or genital warts resemble cauliflower and are located in the male or female genitals and anus, sometimes in the groin, armpits and under the mammary glands.

Causes of wart formation

The main causative agent of warts is the human papillomavirus, which is transmitted by direct contact with the carrier. The incubation period can last from 6 weeks to several years. Any, even the smallest weakening of the body, for example, stress or a cold, can contribute to the manifestation of the disease.

Treatment of warts

Diagnosis of warts is based on the clinical picture and does not require additional examination.The specialists of the Ideal Clinic will offer treatment or removal of warts. The choice in favor of this or that method depends on the type of wart, its size and location.

Treatment methods

There are many methods for treating warts, which are subdivided into destructive, chemical and immunotropic. Depending on the situation, a specific therapy method is selected for the patient. It takes into account such important points as localization, primary or recurrent nature of the process, as well as the area of ​​the lesions.A high risk of recurrence is noted with widespread warts (with an area of ​​more than 2 cm²), with plantar warts, with periungual localization. A special approach is required for neoplasms that recur after primary therapy. In cases of repeated recurrence of warts after various methods of treatment, a special procedure is recommended – intrafocal interferon therapy with the use of a drug – recombinant interferon-α.

In our clinic, for intralesional interferon therapy, we use a recombinant IFN-α2b drug: reaferon EC.This drug is injected in 1-2 days into the focus (under the wart). In case of multiple warts, the dose of the drug is administered under 2-3 lesions, subsequent injections are administered under different warts. The course of treatment is 6 to 8 injections. The tolerance of interferon therapy in all patients is satisfactory, 3-4 hours after the injection, the body temperature may rise to 37.5-38.7 C °. The increased body temperature can last up to 5 hours, after which it decreases to normal. With each subsequent injection, the temperature will rise to a lesser extent.To eliminate side effects (decrease in body temperature, elimination of muscle and headache), the doctor prescribes paracetamol or ibuklin to the patient.

At the end of the course of treatment, the warts decrease in size. 2 months after the end of therapy, at the control examination, complete regression and recovery are observed.

Distinctive results of this method are low invasiveness, good tolerance and high cosmetic results.Warts regress without ulceration and scarring, which is especially important for multiple warts, usually localized on open skin areas. Separately, it is necessary to emphasize the atraumatic nature of the method when localizing the process around the nail folds, since the use of destructive methods at this localization can lead to injury to the nail plate and the nail matrix.

Removal of warts

Clinic Ideal uses most advanced technologies to remove warts.

The removal procedure is carried out under local anesthesia, it is absolutely safe and painless.

Laser wart removal

See prices >>

Plantar warts how to treat

Plantar warts can be very painful for those who develop them.This is not only an aesthetic defect, but also a factor that disrupts the usual quality of human life: it causes severe pain at every step. What is the reason for the appearance of warts on the feet, and how can they be cured?

Warts are caused by a virus

Warts are benign growths that form most often on the hands and feet. Plantar warts almost always appear on the anchor points of the foot. They are flat and coarse, and they are distinguished from ordinary calluses by a black focus in the center of the formation.However, only an experienced doctor can truly distinguish a plantar wart from a callus or callus.

Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), or rather, by its specific types – 1, 2 and 4. The virus enters the human body through scratches, cuts, abrasions and other vulnerable areas of the skin that are damaged. Those with weakened immunity are especially susceptible to HPV. Thus, children, adolescents and the elderly are at risk.

Bratilova A.V., dermatovenerologist, trichologist, cosmetologist.

Removal of viral warts with the “Surgitron” radio wave apparatus in ON CLINIC.

Plantar warts: to treat or not to treat?

There is an opinion among ordinary people that even if the warts are not treated, they will go away on their own after a while. This development of events is possible. But it must be borne in mind that plantar warts are not just an aesthetic defect that you can “close your eyes” to.They become the cause of daily pain when walking, painful selection of comfortable shoes, a change in the usual active lifestyle.

In addition, warts on the feet are subject to constant trauma. And although warts do not degenerate into malignant tumors, nevertheless, if they are “disturbed” all the time, they can provoke various inflammations.

Removal of plantar warts is carried out by several methods:

• cryotherapy – exposure to the wart with liquid nitrogen: the doctor performing the manipulation actually “freezes” the neoplasm;
• laser therapy – removal with a light pulse that literally “evaporates” the wart;
• electrocoagulation – cauterization of a wart using an electric current precisely directed at it;
• radio wave surgery;
• excision – using a scalpel.This method is practically not used today, since it often leads to the formation of postoperative scars.

Remember: no self-medication! Not only is it often simply ineffective, it can do harm! Seek qualified help from a specialist!

Prevention of plantar warts

How to minimize the risk of contracting the plantar warts virus?

• first of all, you need to be careful in swimming pools and saunas: try not to go barefoot;
• Dry your shoes.A humid environment is ideal for the virus to multiply;
• when visiting, do not use other people’s slippers;
• Keep your feet hygienic.

But if you still have suspicious lesions on your feet, the International Medical Center ON CLINIC recommends that you seek help from a dermatologist or podiatrist who specializes in treating foot diseases. The doctor will confirm or deny the presence of warts and, if necessary, prescribe the necessary treatment.You can get rid of the growths that cause discomfort on the same day you went to the clinic.

International Medical Center ON CLINIC – these are new technologies and experienced doctors who have restored health to millions of people! Contact us!

BISEKOV SALAMAT KHAMITOVICH
Surgeon, phlebologist, doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences

Treatment of warts

The questions of the Moskvichka portal are answered by
chief doctor of the clinic, leading dermatologist
Mokina E.B.

Causes of the appearance of warts and modern methods of their removal

Warts become a real scourge of all life for their owners. In pursuit of the desired deliverance from this misfortune, people are ready to try the most incredible folk remedies on themselves. Many people still blame frogs for the appearance of unpleasant formations and continue to believe in the magical power of conspiracies from this disease.
Why do warts actually appear and can you get rid of them forever? We tried to understand these issues with the help of a dermatologist Ekaterina Valerievna Mokina:
Warts are benign growths on the skin that are caused by different types of human papillomavirus.The virus enters the body through direct contact. For example, if a sick person has a wart on his arm, and a healthy person has a microtrauma or a cut, then when shaking hands, the possibility of infection appears. There is a chance of spreading the virus through shared objects, but it is quite small, since the virus lives in human blood.
By themselves, warts of a viral nature, as a rule, do not transform into malignant formations. Only a wart in combination with a mole can be reborn, but this is a special case.

Rehabilitation of a frog
A common myth regarding warts is their appearance from touching a frog. The formation of warts is associated exclusively with the papilloma virus, so frogs have absolutely nothing to do with it. 🙂

TYPES OF BEATS

• One of the types of warts – common warts . As a rule, they are quite small, dense, they are immediately visible on the body. These warts most often appear on the back of the feet and on the hands.Their development begins with one maternal wart, and then new ones appear from it.
• Palmar-plantar warts stand out according to their location. Such formations are the most difficult to treat. The soles have the densest skin, and the roots of the warts penetrate through all its layers into the depths. These warts are often painful as they are trampled inward when a person walks. Plantar warts have been around for a long time, and people often mistake them for calluses.In fact, it turns out that this is a wart that has grown deep inside and its treatment takes a long time.
• Flat warts are named for their appearance. Such formations are the most delicate, they appear on thinner skin – on the face, on the lips, on the mucous membrane – and can spread throughout the body. Flat warts are the easiest to remove.

Warning, danger!
Today, the growing popularity of fitness clubs contributes to the spread of the human papillomavirus.Many visitors are not properly examined by a doctor and are carriers of the disease. And healthy people can easily pick up an infection through microtrauma.

TREATMENT METHODS

The principle of all methods aimed at removing warts is the same – it is necessary to destroy the formation along with the roots. Today, a variety of methods are used to treat warts. Doctors use liquid nitrogen cryodestruction, electrocoagulation, radio wave and laser methods.Acid-based fluids are also used.

The effectiveness of these methods depends on the location of the warts, their number and duration. Flat warts cannot be removed by aggressive methods, such as a laser, as there is a risk of scarring. When removing plantar warts, it is important to consider that the person can walk quickly after surgery.
To date, there are no drugs that would completely destroy the virus itself. Human papilloma is constantly in the blood.Anyone who has had warts at least once in their life cannot be guaranteed that they will not appear again. Therefore, it is better to come to the doctor with a small wart than to delay the visit and wait for a relapse and the appearance of many new formations. With the help of a special examination, doctors will find out why the immune system is not fighting the virus. After that, a whole complex of treatment for the whole body will be prescribed, in parallel with which specialists will remove the warts themselves.

Traditional medicine and warts

What people do not come up with to remove warts with improvised means.They put mountain ash, viburnum and garlic soaked with vinegar, wrap cheesecloth and onions around the warts and leave for a day, rub them with potatoes, tie raw meat to them, and then bury it all … Previously, many generally went to grandmothers-healers to speak warts. For some, such tricks really helped. After the “rite” was performed, people woke up and did not find any formations on their bodies.
But in fact, all these methods were based on the usual action of immunity. If the conspiracy worked, then it did not affect the warts themselves, but the activation of immunity, which independently began to cope with the virus.Today, patients with complex warts are also examined by an immunologist. If there are a lot of warts and they constantly recur, the immunologist prescribes drugs that stimulate the body’s own defenses.
Celandine has become a popular “native” from the people, on the basis of which many drugs sold in the pharmacy are made today. In fact, celandine is an acid, so products with its content belong to methods of chemical treatment of warts. If you use them carefully and under the supervision of a doctor, the wart can be removed.But many patients begin to use these drugs in unlimited quantities. It comes to the point that the skin is burned deep enough and then scars remain. Therefore, the use of such funds must be wise.

They obey all ages

It used to be thought that warts are a childhood disease. It was believed that children are more prone to the appearance of warts, since they come into contact with the virus a lot from kindergartens or camps. But it has already been established that the occurrence of warts does not depend on age.They can appear in both adolescents and old people.

Doctor’s advice

• In many patients, the warts disappear on their own while relaxing at sea. The sea climate and the sun make the immune system work better, which allows the body to cope with unpleasant formations. However, this method cannot be considered universal.
• If you shook hands with a person who has noticed a wart, after such contact, you should thoroughly wash your hands.
• You cannot come to the fitness club if you have an open wound.It can easily penetrate not only the papilloma virus, but also other infections.
• Hygiene rules must be followed. It is especially important to always use only your own towel.
• Patients with atopic dermatitis or eczema should attend as few public facilities as possible when these conditions are exacerbated. The likelihood of getting the virus through damage to the skin increases.

Based on materials from the Moskvichka portal (author Ksenia Pokrovskaya)

90,000 Plantar wart – symptoms and treatment in adults.MC “Health” in Moscow, Southern Administrative District (Warsaw and Annino), Central Administrative District (Krasnopresnenskaya and Rizhskaya).

The main cause of plantar (horny warts) is the human papillomavirus. Spines appear on the palms and feet: yellow, keratinized, rounded projections covered with black dots – clogged vessels. As they grow, they cause pain, especially when walking. They are usually removed with radio waves or liquid nitrogen.

The plantar wart is one of the manifestations of the human papillomavirus.It is the most contagious type of warts.

Why do plantar warts occur?

The cause of such problems is viral infection that occurs in public places. The use of common slippers in the pool or sauna, insufficiently thorough washing of the feet – all these are risk factors for this pathology.

Plantar wart symptoms

Plaques up to several centimeters in diameter appear on the underside of the foot or between the toes.They can be both single and multiple, do not differ in color from the rest of the skin, but do not have a characteristic skin pattern.

Black dots are visible under the horny plaque – these are capillaries with blood clots. Such dots are a characteristic feature that distinguishes the plantar wart from normal calluses. Usually, warts are painful because they are constantly put under pressure when walking.

Plantar wart removal

Self-removal of warts is almost useless and definitely harmful.Most likely, you will not be able to remove the entire wart tissue, which means that some time later there will be a relapse. Keep in mind that warts are contagious and tend to spread along the sole: if you have already become infected, then soon there is a risk of finding warts on the feet of other family members.

Dermatologists of the “Health” MC network will help you to cure warts, reducing the risk of recurrence and scarring to a minimum.