plantar warts, or spike, looks like a hard to the touch, flat formation on the skin of the feet, which rises slightly above the level of the skin. This type of wart refers to epithelial tumors, which are benign in nature, and the diagnosis, as a rule, does not cause difficulties - the main method is dermatoscopy. The doctor, using a special device, visually determines the nature of the new formation. Warts can appear anywhere on the foot, but they most often form on the eggs of the toes, heels, or in places of the greatest pressure. The photo clearly shows what the plantar wart looks like, its appearance is quite specific and usually leaves no doubt about the diagnosis. The formation has a dirty brown or unpleasant yellow color, characteristic rough papules are visible, which destroy the papillary patterns.
Because the formation is located on the foot, it can lead to pain and injury to the nipple itself. For these reasons, the thorn should be treated, although there is little chance that the plantar wart will go away on its own without serious treatment.
Unfortunately, it is still not easy to get rid of warts, so it is recommended to consult a dermatologist to reduce the risk of infecting other people, as well as to shorten the treatment time of the disease. The use of exclusively folk remedies and independent attempts to get rid of tumors are undesirable. The plantar wart has a deep root that is almost impossible to remove on its own, so recurrence occurs. Folk remedies often seriously injure the surrounding tissues, which can lead to an increase in the area of damage and unpleasant consequences in the form of burns and scars.
Symptoms
If you suspect a neoplasm, not only should you know what the 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 the nipples is from a few millimeters to 2 centimeters;
- unlike corns, the nipple brings pain;
- bleeding from injury;
- pain when walking.
If you experience similar symptoms, consult your doctor immediately. It is easier to prevent disease than to deal with the consequences.
Causes of plantar warts
The plantar wart is caused by a human papilloma virus (HPV) infection on the foot. The main route of transmission is contact, the infection occurs through common objects or directly from person to person. The favorable environment is heat and humidity, so it is important to take precautions when visiting the bathroom, pool, sauna and gym.
A weakened immune system can also be the cause, because in the normal state, the human papilloma virus does not show visible manifestations.
This type of wart can also occur with microtrauma of the epidermis, dry skin, wearing tight uncomfortable shoes, hyperhidrosis. Also, the causes of warts on the foot can be diseases that lead to deformities of the feet - arthritis of the joints, osteoarthritis, flat feet, as well as diseases that lead to disruption of the integrity of the skin of the feet: diabetes mellitus, varicose veins. It must be borne in mind that frequent stress can indirectly affect the occurrence of this disease.
HPV can be acquired accidentally during normal walking barefoot on the infected surface, the virus can live up to several months without a direct carrier. After entering the body, it may not manifest for a few days or even weeks, which is why it is not always possible to know the exact time of infection.
Diagnosis
To determine how to treat plantar warts, a dermatologist conducts a series of studies:
- general inspection;
- dermatoscopy;
- PCR diagnostics;
- histological examination.
How to cure plantar warts
When a plantar wart appears, the question arises as to how to cure this neoplasm. When the growths cause excessive discomfort and spread quickly, the best way out is to consult a dermatologist as soon as possible, who will choose the most appropriate treatment option. There are several ways to solve this problem.
The most radical of them is operative: the nipple and its roots are removed surgically. This method is not the most effective, because 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.
Wart removal can be reported by laser and electrocoagulation, as well as cryotherapy.
In addition to removal in medical institutions, plantar warts can be removed by less radical methods, such as ointments, solutions, special patches, as well as folk remedies. These plantar wart removers have a number of advantages and disadvantages, the main of which is the longevity of treatment.
Removal of plantar warts
One of the most common ways to remove plantar warts is to remove them in specialized medical facilities. The dermatologist at the examination should tell you in detail how to get rid of plantar warts and, based on the results of the examination, choose the most appropriate method. Despite the fact that thorns are difficult to cure, there are no special specific ways to remove them, all methods that are relevant in the treatment of other types of warts are used. Plantar wart removal can be done on an outpatient basis, but your doctor may prescribe medications to help you remove the growths at home.
Surgical removal of warts
Along with other methods of treatment, surgical intervention is used to remove warts. The wart is scraped with a special scalpel under local anesthesia. After this procedure, if the plantar wart was larger, sutures are placed under the skin and removed within one to two weeks. The wound site is treated with a disinfectant solution and an aseptic bandage is applied. There is usually a small scar at the site of removal.
The difficulty with this method is that the doctor must remove all the roots during the operation, otherwise the plantar wart will reappear. Therefore, this method is used today only if all other methods of treatment have been ineffective.
Liquid nitrogen removal
Liquid nitrogen removal involves exposing the neoplasm to extremely low temperatures, this is the most common modern and fastest way to treat plantar warts.
The method is based on freezing the formed tissue itself. Namely, inside the nipple cells, under the influence of extremely low temperature of -196 degrees Celsius, ruptures occur which lead to the death of the nipple.
Cryodestruction is performed 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.
Exposure time directly to liquid nitrogen is up to 30 seconds. After the first cauterization, the physician should take a break to assess the effectiveness of the impact and the need for re-cauterization.
After freezing, a blister with colorless or reddish fluid forms at the site of the nipple, which indicates the beginning of the inflammatory process. This is a normal reaction to the cauterization procedure.
Cryosurgery is considered painless, but in the treatment of plantar warts it must be repeated several times in order to achieve the final effect. Once the wart falls off, no scars remain.
The advantages of removing liquid nitrogen are:
- freezing eliminates further spread of the disease to the nearest skin;
- lack of special training;
- short duration of the procedure;
- the risks of scarring or scarring are minimal.
Disadvantages of cryodestruction of plantar warts are:
- the need for another course with a large area of damage or due to the size of the nipple;
- human factor - the professionalism of the doctor who leads this procedure is a guarantee of success. The doctor must correctly assess the time and degree of tissue nitrogen exposure, otherwise burns may occur;
- The discomfort caused by a swollen bladder and the need to treat it are also considered shortcomings of the method.
In general, feedback on the treatment of plantar warts by cauterization with liquid nitrogen is positive, as this is the simplest, most effective and most affordable method.
Laser removal
Laser removal is considered to be one of the most effective and safest methods. After laser treatment, the wart ceases to be infectious. The procedure itself is painless, a special nozzle is built into the laser to cool the impact site. Additionally, one or more anesthetic injections are given before surgery. The patient usually feels a slight tingling sensation during the procedure. After the removal of the neoplasm, no traces remain, because the laser directly burns the diseased tissue. The laser method enables maximum control of the exposure depth, which is in each case individual. Therefore, even with deep tissue lesions, it is possible to completely remove the root, which means preventing wart regrowth.
The operation takes place in sterile conditions, there is no direct contact with the skin or the nipple, and the duration of the operation is only a few minutes. Positive results of laser plantar wart removal also make this method the most attractive.
The main disadvantage of laser removal of plantar warts is the high cost, which usually includes consultation with a doctor, anesthesia and the operation itself. In addition, the wound heals after removal for a long time and requires compliance with hygiene rules.
Treatment of plantar warts
Before treating a plantar wart, you must make sure that the diagnosis is correct, and then proceed directly to the procedures. In addition to surgery, your doctor may prescribe immunotherapy and topical medications.
The need for immunotherapy is usually justified, because the disease is caused by a virus, which is actively developing in a weakened state of the body. Local immunotherapies directly affect the virus in two ways. In the first case, the drug stimulates the immune system, and in the second case, an antigen is injected into the body of the wart, which also activates the immune system, so that the wart disappears faster.
The treatment of plantar warts takes quite a long time, it is important not to forget to strengthen the immune system and maintain hygiene. If removal and treatment are not used, the wart can disappear on its own for more than a year, and the person is a source of infection for everyone around him. Carefully consider this unpleasant disease and be sure to consult a dermatologist who will definitely tell you how and how to treat plantar warts.
Treatment of plantar warts directly depends on compliance with all hygienic standards and regulations of the doctor, and daily treatment of the formation is a guarantee of successful recovery.
Treatment at home
No new skin formations should be ignored, as the tension from cancer is growing all over the world. Do not neglect a meeting with a specialist, he can prescribe treatment for plantar warts at home. In this case, special solutions, ointments and a wart patch are usually prescribed.
Fats are one of the mildest methods of treatment, they act on the nipple itself, as a result of which it gradually dies and disappears. The following types of ointments are used in treatment:
- antiviral ointment;
- acid-based grease;
- various ointments based on herbal medicines.
Any type of ointment is applied topically to the nipple several times a day according to the instructions. When treating a plantar wart, it must be steamed in warm water before applying the medicine. It is recommended 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 special patch based on salicylic acid. This tool has a low cost and proven efficiency. The patch is sold in pharmacies without a prescription, the principle of its use is very simple - the nipple is sealed with a piece of patch, and an ordinary medical patch is fixed on top. You need to change the patch at regular intervals. It can take about two weeks to remove a small wart, and you should not leave the wart without a patch for a long time. As the treatment progresses, the surface of the nipple decreases, after 12 hours it becomes covered with crust, which then disappears. After a successful treatment, a small pink spot remains on the skin, which should disappear completely over time.
Care should be taken when applying the patch - healthy areas of the skin should be avoided when applying it, otherwise severe irritation may occur. There are contraindications to the use of this method of removing warts, so the decision to prescribe a patch should be made by a doctor.
Another way to treat plantar warts at home is hyperthermia. Feet affected by warts are immersed in the warmest possible water. Such procedures are repeated several times. In some cases, hyperthermia shows a positive effect. The mechanism of the procedure is based on the excitation of small blood vessels in the legs and the activation of local immunity.
At home, you can use a treatment of low temperatures by analogy with the removal of warts with liquid nitrogen. To do this, you can use special applicators or sprays. As with cryosurgery, multiple applications may be required.
Treatment with folk remedies
Despite the fact that modern medicines 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 gained a lot of experience in the fight against warts, and some methods are still effective.
- Celery juice is one of the most popular ways to remove thorns. You can use fresh plant juice or buy a medicine at the pharmacy that contains other plant extracts in addition to celandine juice. The juice is applied once or twice a day to the affected area.
- Acetic acid, along with various additional products, is also used to remove warts. In addition to acid, garlic and flour are used. You can drip the acid directly on the affected area, but this method is quite dangerous due to the high risk of severe burns.
- Apple cider vinegar: a tampon soaked in the solution is applied to the affected area of the skin (it is important not to use undiluted vinegar), and the area of the skin is previously treated with an abrasive nail file.
- Garlic is another folk remedy for treating warts. Raw garlic should be rubbed on the formation until it completely disappears, but this method can be used for no more than three weeks.
- Banana peel is applied from the inside to the affected area of the skin, it is believed that it can stretch the nipple.
To fill the lesion site and not affect adjacent tissues, you can use a piece of adhesive tape. A hole is made in it according to the size of the neoplasm, and the adjacent healthy skin remains intact. This avoids burns and other injuries.
Plantar wart in a child
Over the years, a person develops immunity to HPV, so children and young people are more susceptible to this infection. The disease most often affects children older than five years. The doctor will help you recognize the plantar wart in the child, because in some cases it may look like old corn.
Although plantar warts in a child go away on their own, their treatment should not be neglected, but it is worth remembering the possibility of infecting the whole family and the environment. A plantar wart in a child almost always causes severe painful discomfort when walking, so it requires prompt treatment and a visit to the doctor.
As children are sensitive to pain, it is quite difficult to find therapy. For starters, it is worth using a variety of fats - they are affordable, convenient to use and effective. Folk remedies are also widely used, and their safety is beyond doubt.
Effective methods for removing plantar warts in children are removal with liquid nitrogen and laser. Removing warts with these methods is one of the most radical methods. They are resorted to in case the solutions and fats do not have the desired effect.
After treatment, it is important not to forget about the prevention of plantar warts in children. It is strengthening the immune system, careful hygiene and wearing the right comfortable shoes. It should be borne in mind that the risk of infection is particularly high in public places and from another person, so you must be careful that the child does not walk in other people's shoes or barefoot. All items that are in direct contact with the formation must be thoroughly washed at high temperature. All these actions will help prevent the development of the virus in the future.
Danger
If the procedure of removing plantar warts is not carried out in time, it can lead to serious consequences, such as:
- appearance of warts on other parts of the skin;
- skin cancer.
Doctors strongly advise you not to self-medicate - cutting, drilling or cauterizing warts will make the situation worse and lead to the formation of new warts.
Risk group
The risk group is:
- people with hormonal disorders in the body;
- infected with HIV.
Prevention
For the prevention of plantar warts, patients are recommended:
- strengthen immunity;
- eat more foods rich in vitamins;
- proper foot skin care;
- do not wear tight shoes, shoes made of synthetic materials;
- do not walk barefoot in public places (locker rooms, showers).