Because the formation is located on the foot, it can lead to painful sensations and injury to the nipple itself. For these reasons, the spine must be treated, although there is little chance that the plantar wart will disappear on its own without serious treatment.
Unfortunately, getting rid of warts is still not easy, so a visit to a dermatologist is recommended 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 remove the tumor are undesirable. The plantar wart has a deep root that is almost impossible to remove on its own, so recurrence occurs. Folk remedies often severely injure the surrounding tissue, which can lead to an increase in the surface area of the lesion and unpleasant consequences in the form of burns and scars.
Symptoms
If you suspect the appearance of a neoplasm, you should not only 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 is painful;
- bleeding when damaged;
- pain in gait.
If you experience similar symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. It is easier to prevent disease than to deal with the consequences.
Causes of plantar warts
Plantar warts occur when the foot is infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV). The main route of transmission is contact, the infection occurs with common objects or directly from person to person. The favorable environment is warm and humid, so it is important to take precautions when visiting the swimming pool, swimming pool, sauna and gym.
Weakened immunity can also serve as a cause, because in the normal state, the human papilloma virus does not give 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 deformity of the feet - arthritis of the joints, osteoarthritis, flat feet, as well as diseases that lead to violation of the integrity of the skin of the feet: diabetes mellitus, varicose veins. We must keep in mind that frequent stress can indirectly affect the occurrence of this disease.
HPV can be acquired accidentally during normal barefoot walking on an infected surface; the virus can live for several months without an immediate carrier. After entering the body, it may not manifest for 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 are uncomfortable and spread quickly, the best solution is to visit a dermatologist as soon as possible, he will choose the most appropriate treatment option. There are several ways to solve this problem.
The most radical of these is operative: the wart 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 completely remove them.
Wart removal can be reported by laser and electrocautery, 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 removal drugs have a number of advantages and disadvantages, the main of which is long-term treatment.
Plantar wart removal
One of the most common ways to remove plantar warts is to remove them in specialized hospitals. The dermatologist at the scheduled appointment 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 means to remove it; all methods suitable for the treatment of other types of warts are used. Plantar warts can be treated on an outpatient basis, but your doctor may prescribe medication to remove the growths at home.
Surgical removal of warts
Surgery is used in conjunction with other wart removal treatments. The wart is scraped with a special scalpel under local anesthesia. After this procedure, if the plantar wart was significant, sutures are placed 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 site of removal.
The difficulty of this method is that during the operation the doctor has to remove all the roots, otherwise the plantar wart will reappear. Therefore, this method is used today only if all other methods of treatment have proven 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 tissue of the formation itself. In fact, inside the nipple cells, under the influence of an extremely low temperature of -196 degrees Celsius, a rupture occurs, which leads 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 is necessary to use local anesthesia, usually novocaine.
Exposure time to liquid nitrogen is up to 30 seconds. After the first moxibustion, the physician should take a break to assess the effectiveness of the effect and the need for repeated moxibustion.
After freezing, a blister with a colorless or reddish liquid forms at the site of the nipple, which indicates the beginning of the inflammatory process. This is a normal reaction to the moxibustion process.
Cryodestruction is considered painless, but in the treatment of plantar warts it must be repeated several times to achieve the final effect. Once the wart falls off, the scars do not remain.
The advantages of removing liquid nitrogen are:
- freezing precludes 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 a repeated course with a large lesion area or due to the size of the nipple;
- human factor - the professionalism of the doctor who performs this procedure is a guarantee of success. The physician must properly assess the time and degree of nitrogen exposure to the tissues, otherwise burns may occur;
- the discomfort that a swollen bladder brings and the need for treatment are also considered to be the disadvantages of the method.
In general, reviews of the treatment of plantar warts by the liquid nitrogen moxibustion method are positive, as this is the simplest, most effective, and most 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 contagious. The procedure itself is painless; a special nozzle is built into the laser to cool the exposure site. In addition, one or more injections are given to relieve pain before surgery. The patient usually feels slight tingling 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 roots, which means that wart regrowth can be prevented.
The operation takes place under 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 removal of plantar warts make this method the most attractive.
The main disadvantage of laser plantar wart removal is the high cost, which usually includes medical advice, anesthesia and the surgery itself. In addition, after removal, the wound heals for a long time and requires hygiene.
Plantar wart treatment
Before treating a plantar wart, you must be 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 that, when the body is weakened, actively develops. Local immunotherapeutic agents 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 disappear faster.
Treatment of plantar warts takes quite a long time, it is important not to forget to strengthen the immune system and respect hygiene. If you do not apply the removal and treatment, then the wart can disappear on its own for more than a year, while the person is a source of infection for all the people around. You need to carefully consider this unpleasant disease and be sure to consult a dermatologist who will definitely tell you how and how to treat a plantar wart.
Treatment of plantar warts directly depends on compliance with all hygiene standards and regulations of the doctor, daily treatment of education is a guarantee of successful recovery.
Home treatment
Any new formations on the skin cannot be ignored as the tension of cancer grows all over the world. Do not neglect an appointment with a specialist, he can prescribe treatment for plantar warts at home. In this case, special solutions, ointments and a nipple 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 ointment;
- various vegetable fats.
Ointments with salicylic acid and oxolinic ointment are most often prescribed. Any type of ointment is applied to the nipple several times a day according to the instructions. In the treatment of plantar warts, before applying the drug, it must first be evaporated in warm water. It is recommended to apply any grease at night so that you do not have to step on the formation and wash off the grease.
To get rid of plantar warts at home, you can use a patch with salicylic acid. This product has a low price and proven effectiveness. The patch is sold in pharmacies without a prescription, the principle of its use is very simple - the nipple is glued with a piece of patch, and an ordinary medical patch is fixed on it. The patch should be changed at regular intervals. Removing a small wart can take about two weeks, but you can't leave a wart without a patch for long. As the treatment progresses, the nipple area shrinks, after 12 hours it is covered with a crust, which then disappears. After successful healing, a small pink spot remains on the skin that should disappear completely over time.
You must be careful when applying the patch - healthy areas of the skin should be avoided when applying it, otherwise strong irritation may occur. There are contraindications to the use of this method of removing the wart, so the doctor should decide on the appointment of the patch.
Another way to treat plantar warts at home is hyperthermia. Legs affected by the nipples 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 stimulation of 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 special application pencils or sprays. As with cryodestruction, several 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 extensive experience in controlling warts, and some methods remain in place.
- Celery juice is one of the most popular ways to remove thorns. You can use fresh plant juice or buy a collection of celandine at the pharmacy, which 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 agents, is also used to remove warts. In addition to acids, garlic 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 serious burns.
- Apple cider vinegar: a tampon soaked in the solution (it is important not to use undiluted vinegar) is applied to the affected area of the skin, and the area of the skin is previously treated with an abrasive nail file.
- Garlic is another folk remedy for treating warts. The formation should be rubbed with raw garlic until it completely disappears, but this method can be used for a maximum of three weeks.
- Banana peel is applied internally to the affected area of skin, it is believed that it can pull out the wart.
To determine the location of the lesion and not touch the adjacent tissue, you can use a piece of adhesive plaster. A hole is made in it to the size of a 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. Your doctor will help you identify a plantar wart in a child, as in some cases it may look like an old blister.
Although plantar warts in a child go away on their own, you should not neglect their treatment, it is also worth remembering the possibility of infecting the whole family and the people around them. A plantar wart in a child almost always causes severe painful discomfort while walking, so prompt treatment and a visit to the doctor is necessary. Our service contains verified 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 should use a variety of fats - they are affordable, easy to use and effective. Folk remedies are also widely used, the safety of which is beyond doubt.
Effective methods for removing plantar warts in children are liquid nitrogen removal and laser removal. Removing warts with these methods is one of the most radical methods. They are resorted to when solutions and fats 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, careful hygiene and wearing the right comfortable shoes. It should be borne in mind that the risk of infection is especially high in public places and from another person, so you must be careful that the child does not walk in someone else's shoes or barefoot. Any object that has come into 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 plantar wart removal procedure is not performed on time, it can lead to serious consequences, such as:
- the appearance of warts on other parts of the skin;
- skin cancer.
Doctors strongly advise not to engage in self-medication - cutting, drilling or cauterization of warts will worsen the situation and lead to the formation of new warts.
Risk group
The risk group is:
- people with hormonal disorders in the body;
- Infected with HIV.
Prophylaxis
To prevent plantar warts, patients are advised to:
- strengthen immunity;
- eat more foods rich in vitamins;
- properly cares for the skin of the feet;
- do not wear tight shoes, shoes made of synthetic materials;
- do not walk barefoot in public places (locker rooms, showers).