Since the formation is located on the foot, it can lead to painful sensations and injury to the wart itself. For these reasons, the spine should be treated, although there is a small chance that the plantar wart will go away on its own without serious treatment.
Unfortunately, it is still not easy to get rid of a wart, so it is recommended to see a dermatologist to reduce the risk of infecting other people, as well as to shorten the time of treatment of the disease. The use of exclusively folk remedies and independent attempts to get rid of the tumor are undesirable. Plantar wart has a deep root, which is almost impossible to remove on its own, so relapses occur. Folk remedies often seriously injure the surrounding tissues, which can lead to an increase in the area of the lesion and unpleasant consequences in the form of burns and scarring.
Symptoms
If you suspect the appearance of a neoplasm, you should not only know what a plantar wart looks like in the photo, but also remember that the disease has characteristic symptoms:
- palpable itching at the site of formation;
- the size of warts is from a few millimeters to 2 centimeters;
- unlike corns, a wart is painful;
- bleeding when damaged;
- pain when walking.
If you have similar symptoms, see your doctor immediately. It is easier to prevent a disease than to manage its consequences.
Causes of plantar wart
A plantar wart occurs when the foot is affected by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The main route of transmission is contact, infection occurs through common objects or directly from person to person. The favorable environment is hot and humid, so it is important to take precautions when visiting the public baths, swimming pool, sauna and gym.
Weakened immunity can also serve as a cause of occurrence, since in a normal state the human papillomavirus does not give visible manifestations.
This type of wart can also occur with microtrauma of the epidermis, dry skin, when wearing uncomfortable tight shoes, hyperhidrosis. In addition, the causes of warts on the leg can be diseases that lead to deformation of the feet - arthritis of the joints, osteoarthritis, flat feet, as well as diseases that lead to a violation of the integrity of the skin of the foot: diabetes mellitus, varicose veins. It should be remembered that frequent stress can indirectly affect the onset of this disease.
HPV can be contracted by accident from normal barefoot walking on an infected surface; the virus can live for up to several months without an immediate carrier. After entering the body, it may not manifest for several days or even weeks, which is why it is not always possible to know the exact time of infection.
Diagnostic
To determine how to treat plantar warts, a dermatologist performs a number of studies:
- General inspection;
- dermatoscopy;
- PCR diagnosis;
- histological examination.
How to cure plantar warts
When a plantar wart appears, the question arises of how to cure this tumor. When the growths are uncomfortable and spread quickly, the best solution is to see a dermatologist as soon as possible, he will select the most appropriate treatment option. There are several ways to solve this problem.
The most radical of them is operative: the wart and its roots are removed surgically. This method is not the most effective, since the roots of the neoplasm are located in the deep layers of the skin. In some cases, it is not possible to remove them completely.
Removal of warts can be done by laser and electrosurgical unit, as well as using cryotherapy.
In addition to removal in medical institutions, plantar warts can be removed with less radical methods, such as ointments, solutions, special dressings, as well as folk remedies. These remedies for removing plantar warts have a number of advantages and disadvantages, the main of which is the long duration of treatment.
Plantar warts removal
One of the most common ways to get rid of plantar warts is to get them removed at specialist hospitals. The appointment dermatologist should explain to you in detail how to get rid of plantar warts and, depending on the results of the examination, choose the most suitable method. Despite the fact that the thorns are difficult to heal, there is no specific special way to remove them; all the methods used are suitable in the treatment of other types of warts. Plantar warts can be treated on an outpatient basis, but your doctor may prescribe remedies to help remove the growths at home.
Surgical removal of warts
Surgery is used along with other treatments to remove warts. The wart is scraped off with a special scalpel under local anesthesia. After this procedure, if the plantar wart was large, stitches are applied under the skin, which are removed within one to two weeks. The wound site is treated with a disinfectant solution and an aseptic dressing is applied. There is usually a small scar at the removal site.
The difficulty with this method is that during the operation the doctor must remove all the roots, otherwise the plantar wart will reappear. Therefore, this method is used today only if all other methods of treatment have proved ineffective.
Liquid nitrogen removal
Removal with liquid nitrogen involves exposing the neoplasm to extremely low temperatures; it is the most common and fastest modern way to treat a plantar wart.
The method is based on freezing the tissue of the formation itself. This is because inside the wart cells, under the influence of an extremely low temperature of -196 degrees Celsius, ruptures occur, leading to the death of the wart.
Cryodestruction is carried out manually or by hardware. If the wart is large or the procedure is performed on a child, then it becomes necessary to use local anesthesia, usually novocaine.
The exposure time directly to liquid nitrogen can be up to 30 seconds. After the first moxibustion, the doctor should take a break to assess the effectiveness of the effect and the need for repeated moxibustion.
After freezing, a bubble with a colorless or reddish liquid forms at the site of the wart, which indicates the beginning of the inflammatory process. This is a normal reaction to the moxibustion procedure.
Cryodestruction is considered painless, but when treating plantar warts, it must be repeated several times to achieve the final effect. Once the wart falls, there is no scar left.
The advantages of removing liquid nitrogen are:
- freezing excludes the spread of the disease to the nearest skin;
- lack of special training;
- short duration of the procedure;
- the chances of developing scars or scars are minimal.
The disadvantages of cryodestruction of plantar warts are:
- the need for repeated cure with a large area of the lesion or due to the size of the wart;
- human factor - the professionalism of the doctor performing this intervention is a guarantee of success. The doctor must correctly assess the time and degree of exposure to nitrogen on the tissues, otherwise a burn may form;
- the discomfort of a swollen bladder and the need to treat it are also considered disadvantages of the method.
In general, reviews of the treatment of plantar warts with the method of moxibustion with liquid nitrogen are positive, because it is the easiest, most effective and affordable way.
Laser removal
Laser removal is considered to be one of the most effective and safest techniques. After laser treatment, the wart stops being infectious. The procedure itself is painless; a special nozzle is integrated into the laser, which cools the exhibition site. In addition, one or more analgesic injections are given before the operation. The patient usually feels a slight tingling sensation during the procedure. After removing the neoplasm, no traces remain, as the laser directly burns the diseased tissue. The laser method allows maximum control of the exposure depth, which is individual in each case. Therefore, even with deep tissue damage, it is possible to completely remove the roots, which means that the wart regrowth can be prevented.
The operation is carried out under sterile conditions, there is no direct contact with the skin or the wart, and the duration of the operation is only a few minutes. The positive results of laser assisted plantar warts removal also make this method the most attractive.
The main disadvantage of laser plantar warts removal is the high cost, which usually includes seeing a doctor, the anesthesia, and the operation itself. In addition, after removal, the wound heals for a long time and requires hygiene.
Plantar warts treatment
Before treating a plantar wart, you need to make sure that the diagnosis is accurate, and then proceed directly to the procedures. In addition to surgery, your doctor may prescribe immunotherapy and topical medications.
As a rule, the need for immunotherapy is justified, since the disease is caused by a virus, which, when the body is weakened, actively develops. Local immunotherapeutics directly target the virus in two ways. In the first case, the drug stimulates the immune system, and in the second, an antigen is injected into the body of the wart, which also activates the immune system, so that the wart can go away faster.
The treatment of a plantar wart takes a long enough time, it is important not to forget to strengthen the immune system and to respect hygiene. If you do not apply removal and treatment, the wart can go away on its own for over a year, while a person is a source of infection for everyone. You need to carefully consider this unpleasant disease and be sure to consult a dermatologist, who will certainly tell you how and how to treat a plantar wart.
Treatment of a plantar wart directly depends on compliance with all hygienic standards and doctor's prescriptions, the daily treatment of education is a pledge of successful healing.
Home treatment
Any new formation on the skin cannot be ignored, as cancer tension is increasing all over the world. Do not neglect the appointment with a specialist, he can prescribe a treatment for a plantar wart at home. In this case, special solutions, ointments and a bandage for warts are usually prescribed.
Ointments are one of the gentler treatment methods; they act on the wart itself, as a result of which it dies and gradually disappears. The following types of ointments are used in the treatment:
- antiviral ointment;
- ointment based on acid;
- various herbal ointments.
Most often, salicylic acid ointments and oxolinic ointment are prescribed. Any type of ointment is applied to the wart several times a day according to the instructions. When treating a plantar wart, before applying the drug, it should be previously steamed in lukewarm water. It is advisable to apply any ointment at night so that you do not have to step on the formation and wash off the ointment.
To get rid of plantar warts at home, you can use a salicylic acid patch. This product has a low cost and proven effectiveness. The plaster is sold in pharmacies without a prescription, the principle of its use is very simple - a wart is glued with a piece of plaster, and an ordinary medical plaster is fixed on top. You should change the patch at regular intervals. It may take about two weeks to remove a small wart, but you cannot leave the wart without the patch for long. As the treatment progresses, the area of the wart decreases, after 12 hours it becomes covered with a scab, which then disappears. After a successful cure, a small pinkish spot remains on the skin, which should completely disappear over time.
Care should be taken when applying the patch - when applying, you should avoid healthy areas of the skin, otherwise severe irritation may occur. There are contraindications to the use of this method of wart removal. The doctor must therefore make the decision on the appointment of the patch.
Hyperthermia is another way to treat plantar warts at home. Feet with warts are immersed in the hottest water possible. Such procedures are repeated several times. In some cases, hyperthermia shows a positive effect. The mechanism of the procedure is based on the stimulation of the small blood vessels in the legs and the activation of local immunity.
At home, low-temperature treatment can be used, similar to removing warts with liquid nitrogen. To do this, you can use applicator pens or special sprays. As with cryodestruction, several applications may be necessary.
Treatment with folk remedies
Despite the fact that modern drugs are much more effective, and with their help the process of removing plantar warts is faster, there is no denying the effectiveness of treatment with folk remedies. Traditional medicine has accumulated a wealth of experience in the fight against warts, and some methods are still effective.
- Celandine juice is one of the most popular ways to remove thorns. You can use the juice of a fresh plant or buy a collection with celandine at the pharmacy, which contains, in addition to celandine juice, other plant extracts. The juice is applied once or twice a day to the affected area.
- Acetic acid, along with various additional agents, is also used to remove warts. In addition to acid, onions and flour are used. You can drip the acid itself directly on the affected area, but this method is quite dangerous due to the high risk of severe burns.
- Apple cider vinegar: a swab soaked in solution (it is important not to use undiluted vinegar) is applied to the affected area of the skin, the skin area is pre-treated with an abrasive nail file.
- Garlic is another popular remedy for treating warts. The formation should be rubbed with raw garlic until it disappears completely, but this method can not be used more than three weeks.
- Banana peel is applied with the inside on the affected area of the skin, it is believed that it can remove the wart.
In order to locate the site of the lesion and not to touch the adjacent tissues, you can use a piece of adhesive bandage. A hole is made at the size of the neoplasm and the adjacent healthy skin remains intact. This prevents burns and other injuries.
Plantar wart in a child
With age, a person develops immunity to HPV, so children and young people are more susceptible to this infection. Most often, the disease affects children over the age of five. A doctor will help you recognize a plantar wart in a child, as in some cases it can look like an old callus.
Although plantar warts in a child go away on their own, you should not ignore their treatment, it is also worth remembering the possibility of infecting the whole family and those around him. A plantar wart in a child almost always causes severe painful discomfort when walking, so it requires prompt treatment and a visit to a doctor. Our service contains proven pediatric dermatologists and reviews about them, according to which you can choose a good specialist for your child.
Because children are sensitive to pain, it is difficult to find therapy. To begin with, you need to use various ointments - they are affordable, easy to use and effective. Folk remedies are also widely used, the safety of which is not in doubt.
Effective methods of removing plantar warts in children are liquid nitrogen and laser removal. Removing warts using these methods is one of the most drastic methods. They are used when solutions and ointments do not have the desired effect.
After healing, it is important not to forget about the prevention of plantar warts in children. This strengthens the immune system, good hygiene and the wearing of good, comfortable shoes. It should be remembered that the risk of infection is especially high in public places and from another person, so you should make sure that the child does not walk in someone else's shoes or barefoot. Any item that has come in direct contact with the formation should be thoroughly washed at high temperature. All of these actions will help prevent the development of the virus in the future.
Danger
If the plantar warts removal procedure is not carried out on time, it can lead to serious consequences, such as:
- the appearance of warts on other areas of the skin;
- skin cancer.
Doctors strongly advise against self-healing - cutting, piercing, or cauterizing warts will make it worse and cause new warts to form.
Risk group
The risk group is:
- people with hormonal disorders in the body;
- infected with HIV.
Prophylaxis
For the prevention of plantar warts, patients are advised to:
- strengthen immunity;
- eat more foods rich in vitamins;
- take good care of the skin of the feet;
- do not wear tight shoes, shoes made of synthetic materials;
- in public places (changing rooms, showers) do not walk barefoot.