Plantar warts are a frequent issue, affecting roughly 10% of the population. While typically harmless, they can cause discomfort and disrupt your daily routine. This blog dives into plantar warts, their causes, and effective treatment options.
What are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts are small, rough growths that appear on the soles of your feet, usually on weight-bearing areas like the balls and heels. The human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of over 200 viruses, causes them. While HPV infection itself isn’t a major concern, specific high-risk strains are associated with warts.
Who Gets Plantar Warts?
Anyone can develop plantar warts, but certain groups are more susceptible:
- Children and teenagers: Their immune systems are still developing, making them more vulnerable to HPV infection.
- Individuals with weakened immune systems: This includes those with underlying health undergoing immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplants.
- People with autoimmune diseases: Autoimmune conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can affect the body’s ability to fight off infections, including HPV.
Contagious and Common
Plantar warts are highly contagious and spread through direct contact with HPV. This can happen through:
- Sharing shoes, socks, or towels contaminated with the virus.
- Skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, especially in public areas like swimming pools or gym locker rooms.
- Touching your own wart and then another part of your body, unintentionally transferring the virus.
Symptoms to Watch For
- Pain or tenderness, especially when walking or standing. This discomfort can be significant, sometimes making it difficult to bear weight on the affected area.
- Discomfort when putting pressure on the affected area. Activities like walking, running, or jumping can exacerbate the pain.
- Bleeding beneath the wart’s surface. The pressure on the wart can sometimes cause tiny blood vessels to rupture, leading to small spots of blood under the wart’s surface.
- Black or brown specks within the wart, which are tiny blood vessel clusters that have clotted.
Remember:
Consulting a podiatrist for proper diagnosis and treatment is essential for managing plantar warts effectively. They can recommend the best course of action based on your specific situation and ensure a speedy recovery.
Disclaimer:
This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be substituted for professional medical advice. Always consult your podiatrist for diagnosis and treatment of plantar warts.
Treatment Options Available
Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for successful wart removal and preventing complications. Here are some common podiatry treatment methods:
• Sharp Removal: A podiatrist may use a sterile surgical blade to carefully remove the wart tissue, minimising bleeding. This procedure is typically performed in a podiatrist’s office using local anesthesia to numb the area.
• Silver Nitrate Acid: This topical application contains silver nitrate with antimicrobial properties to cauterise and stop bleeding. It is applied by a podiatrist during an office visit and may require multiple sessions for complete removal.
• Cryotherapy: Freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen or argon gas destroys the tissue. This treatment can be uncomfortable and may cause blistering around the wart. Multiple sessions are often needed.
• Laser Treatment: A podiatrist uses laser light to target and destroy the wart’s blood vessels, hindering its growth. Laser treatment is a precise method that offers faster healing times compared to other options.