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Warts in feet treatment: Plantar warts – Symptoms and causes

Plantar Warts Treatment | Foot Doctor Fort Worth, TX 76116 and Arlington, TX 76012

What are Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are growths that typically appear on the heels or other weight-bearing areas of the feet. These warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The virus enters the body through breaks in the skin, such as cuts, that are on the bottom of the feet. Plantar warts are more likely to affect children and teenagers, people with weakened immune systems, people who have a history with plantar warts, and people who walk barefoot in environments exposed to a wart-causing virus.

Common Symptoms

If you suspect you have plantar warts, you may have the following symptoms: pain or tenderness while walking, a lesion that interrupts the ridges in the skin of your foot, small fleshy lesions on the bottom of the foot, or a callus where a wart has grown inward over a well-defined spot on the skin.

What Causes Plantar Warts?

HPV causes plantar warts to form and is very common. There are more than 100 kinds of the virus in existence. However, only a few of them cause warts on the feet. The other types of HPV are likely to cause warts on other parts of the body.

Treatment Options

If you have plantar warts, your podiatrist may try different treatment methods depending on your specific case. Some treatments for plantar warts are peeling medicines (salicylic acid), freezing medicines (cryotherapy), or surgical procedures. Laser treatments and vaccines are also used to treat plantar warts.

 

Say goodbye to stubborn warts.

Say hello to SWIFT.

Treatment now available

Are you tired of dealing with pesky warts? We at Fusion Foot & Ankle are very excited to announce that we have a brand new and effective treatment for surface based skin lesions, primarily warts.

Plantar warts; a common and stubborn Viral Infection

“Plantar” means “Of the sole” in Latin. Unlike other types of warts, plantar warts are typically quite painful as the pressure from walking and standing forces them to grow into your skin. Like all warts, Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus, specifically types 1, 2, 4, 60, and 63. Underneath the skin, the wart can have finger-like roots that reach down and grow, making them very difficult to treat effectively from the surface.

What is Swift?

Swift is a cutting edge, FDA Cleared technology that has proven to be highly effective in the removal of plantar warts. It delivers low dose microwave energy through a specialized probe that targets and effectively treats the underlying HPV virus by stimulating a natural immune response in the body. We like to say that we’re addressing the root cause; not the symptom.

What to Expect

Swift protocol involves between 3 and 4 treatments, spaced 4 weeks apart; aligning with the body’s natural immune cycle. Each treatment lasts only 5-10 minutes and is what we call a “sock off – sock on” treatment: Limited debridement, no breaking of the skin, no bandages. No home treatment is required between treatments and patients are able to resume daily activities immediately post treatment.

How effective is Swift?

Due to Swift harnessing the power of the patient’s immune system to target the root cause of the wart (HPV), efficacy is significantly higher compared to other treatment methods. For more information on Swift and how it compares to traditional methods, visit Wart Treatment Info.

Does it hurt?

While pain is variable and patient/lesion specific, most patients typically feel some level of discomfort as infected tissue temperatures are rapidly elevated over a 2 second dose of energy. The pain immediately subsides following cessation of energy delivery and there is very limited post procedural pain, in fact some report an immediate reduction in pain levels. All patients are about to continue on with day-to-day activities immediately following treatment.

When you should come to see us

It’s important to visit a podiatrist if you suspect or feel that you have a plantar wart and are seeking removal. The longer you wait to seek treatment, the more likely the wart is to persist. Here are some common symptoms to look out for:

  • You may get the feeling of “painful pebbles” in your shoes.
  • You may experience pain when you compress the sides of the wart.
  • You may see a circular flat spot on the skin with a depressed area in the middle.
  • They may appear “yellowed” with a crust; small black dots can be an easy give away.
  • The lesion on your foot is painful, bleeding, or has changed color.
  • Treatments you have tried do not work, and the wart reoccurs or multiplies.
  • Discomfort that prevents you from doing regular activities.
  • Poor sensation in your feet.
  • You are unsure if the lesion is a wart.

 

What to do Next?

If you would like to (a) get rid of your warts and/or (b) explore Swift Treatment, please book a consultation with us either online or by calling us on Fort Worth (817) 494-0566 or Arlington (817) 860-9121. One of our specialists will be happy to help.

Before SWIFT treatment

SWIFT treatment

After SWIFT treatment

 

Treating Mosaic Warts | Greater Washington Advanced Podiatry, LLC

Mosaic warts develop as clusters on the bottoms of the feet, but can also happen on other areas of the body. These warts are a type of plantar wart. They can be difficult to treat and prevent from coming back. If at-home methods are not successful or the warts are reoccurring, see a podiatrist who can help you get rid of them permanently.

Causes of Mosaic Warts

Mosaic warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus enters the body through the skin on the bottom of the feet. When this happens, warts can develop. Some ways that the virus can be transmitted are:

  • Having direct contact with someone who has HPV
  • Walking barefoot on a shower, locker room, or gym floor
  • Having a small cut or break in the skin of the foot and picking up the virus 

Common Symptoms of Mosaic Warts

Mosaic warts appear on the bottom of the foot in a cluster resembling a mosaic tile. They are often confused with a callus or corn. These warts can be very painful and can grow on any part of the foot but most commonly appear on the ball of the foot or heel due to pressure. Mosaic warts can grow deep inside the bottom of the foot. 

Some common symptoms of a mosaic wart are:

  • Thickened skin on the bottom of the foot
  • Pain when standing, walking, or applying pressure
  • Small black dots in the center of the warts

Diagnosing Mosaic Warts

A podiatrist can diagnose mosaic warts by doing a physical exam of your feet. Mosaic warts appear in clusters and can often resemble a corn. A podiatrist may file the area to determine if it is a wart or corn. No other testing other than an exam is needed to diagnose the warts. Once a diagnosis is made, treatments will be recommended.

Treatment Options

Mosaic warts can sometimes disappear without treatment, but this is not often the case. Many at-home treatments will not get rid of the warts completely and they may come back. A podiatrist can use a variety of treatments to help eliminate the warts and prevent them from reoccurring. Often mosaic warts need multiple treatments by a podiatrist to be destroyed so that they do not spread to other areas of the body. 

Some treatment options for mosaic warts include:

  • Cryotherapy. Cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze away the warts.
  • Laser surgery. Laser surgery can be done to burn away the warts.
  • Topical medication. Topical prescription-strength medication can be used directly on the warts to exfoliate the area and fight off the virus.
  • Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy injections can be administered to stimulate the body’s immune response to destroy the warts.
  • Surgery.  Surgery is only recommended if the warts do not go away and are causing daily discomfort after other attempts at treatment.

If you notice any unusual or sudden changes with your mosaic warts, contact your podiatrist immediately. Changes to watch out for include:

  • Bleeding
  • Changes in the appearance or color of the warts
  • Warts are hot to the touch 
  • Pain with daily activities

Preventing Mosaic Warts 

There are several ways to prevent mosaic warts such as:

  • Do not share personal items such as towels, shoes, socks, nail clippers, or other foot instruments.
  • Never go barefoot in public areas such as showers or locker rooms.
  • If you have warts, wear shoes that fit properly and have padding to reduce pressure on the areas of the feet where there are warts.
  • Cover mosaic warts with bandages to reduce the risk of spreading the HPV virus to others.

Time to See an Experienced Podiatrist

If you have mosaic warts and need treatment by an experienced podiatrist, Greater Washington Advanced Podiatry can help. We offer a free initial consultation and can customize a treatment plan based on your personal condition and needs. To set up an appointment, fill out our contact form online or call our office at (301) 515-FEET.

 

Treatment of warts. Methods and methods of treating warts

  • Warts
  • Species
  • Facial
  • On hand
  • Finger
  • On feet
  • On the foot
  • Flat
  • Intimate
  • Treatment
  • Disposal methods

Warts are a common phenomenon that every person has encountered at least once in their life. Caused by the human papillomavirus, skin growths can occur on any part of the skin or mucous membranes – on the arms, legs, face or genitals.

Treatment of warts includes removing the neoplasm itself and activating the immune system, because a healthy immune system is able to suppress the activity of the virus and prevent the appearance of growths. Therefore, most often they disappear on their own without any external intervention within three years from the moment of occurrence.

In the event that the wart causes significant psychological and physical inconvenience, then it is worth removing it.

At home, you can try to do this with the help of folk remedies. For example, with the help of celandine juice, garlic gruel or raw potatoes.