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Plantar Warts - Treatment

Plantar warts are a common skin infection on the bottom (plantar) side of your foot. About 10 percent of teenagers have warts. Using a public shower or walking around the locker room in your bare feet after a workout increases your risk for developing plantar warts.

Causes

Infection with the human papilloma virus, which passes from person to person by direct contact. The virus invades the skin, making infected cells reproduce faster than normal cells. Plantar warts are contagious and are most common in association with the following:

• Repeated injury to the skin due to puncture wounds, excessive perspiration, increased heat, friction of foot covering and protective gear.
• Fall and spring seasons.
• Persons who have other warts.

Most plantar warts aren't a serious health concern, but they may be bothersome or painful, and they can be resistant to treatment. You may need to see your doctor to remove them.

Signs and symptoms

• Pinhead-sized bump that grows to 2mm or 3mm Shaving off the top reveals small black dots, pinpoint bleeding and an underlying translucent core.
• Hard, flat growths with a rough surface and well-defined boundaries
• Pain on walking. The wart compresses underlying tender tissue.
• Plantar warts may occur singly or in adjacent clusters.
• Bumps that interrupt the normal lines and ridges in the skin of your feet

Diagnosis

In most cases, your doctor can diagnose plantar warts just by inspecting your feet. If there's any doubt, your doctor may need to pare down the lump with a scalpel. Why? Corns and calluses don't have a blood supply and won't bleed, while plantar warts will show signs of pinpoint bleeding from their dark dots, which are really blood vessels.

If there's still doubt about the diagnosis, your doctor may take a sample of your foot tissue and send it to a laboratory for analysis.

Treatment

Medical Treatment- Your doctor will probably pare away the overlying callused skin, and apply chemical cauterants, such as trichloracetic acid, 20% salicylic acid or 20% formalin. Sometimes plantar warts are removed with lasers.

Medication

• For minor discomfort, you may use non-prescription drugs such as acetaminophen.
• Your doctor may prescribe chemically treated plaster for you to apply, Follow instructions carefully.

Home remedies for the treatment plantar warts

• Insert pads or cushions in your shoes to make walking more comfortable.
• Soak feet in 1/2 gallon of warm water with 2 tablespoons of mild detergent.
• Apply the sticky side of medicated plaster directly onto the wart. Push down, keep it dry and in place for 2 days.
• After 2 days, remove bandage and plaster. If skin tears as you remove the tape, loosen the tape with nail polish remover on a cotton-tip applicator between the skin and the tape. (Wart will look whitish). Wash 2 times daily for 2 days with soap and water and scrub with a brush or toothbrush. Expose the wart to air.
• Scrape gray wart tissue with the point of a sterilized nail file after a bath or shower.
• Repeat entire process for 2 weeks. If warts become sore, skip treatment for 2 or 3 days.
• Wear a pad cut from adhesive foam. Cut a hole for the wart and attach the pad to prevent pressure directly on the wart.
• If the wart is close to the base of the toes, have a shoe repairman sew a metatarsal bar on the bottom of the shoe.

Prevention

• Don't touch warts on other people.
• Don't wear another person's shoes.
• Wear footwear in public locker rooms or showers.

Related topic

• Home remedies for warts
• Warts