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Warts are benign tumors that can occur anywhere on the skin. Warts can be quite annoying, especially if they occur on the sole or plantar surface of the foot. These warts are called plantar warts and are cosmetically unattractive, as well as, very painful because of their location and constant pressure against them.
Plantar warts usually appear hard, flat, rough, bumpy and spongy with well-defined boundaries. Most are gray or brown in color, and have a center with one or more dark pinpoints. The dark pinpoints are tiny capillaries that supply blood to the wart. Because warts can be confused with other skin abnormalities, it is wise to consult a podiatric physician when any suspicious growth is discovered on the skin of the foot in order to ensure a correct diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated, plantar warts may grow up to an inch in circumference and spread into clusters. Warts can be resistant to treatment and
warts have a tendency to reoccur.
Causes
Warts are caused by the human
papilloma virus, which is a common organism that everyone is exposed to throughout a lifetime. The human
papilloma virus is often found on contaminated surfaces, such as the tile floors of public locker rooms, showers and swimming pools. The virus invades the body through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin. Children, especially teenagers, tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults.
Plantar warts are spread by touching, scratching, or by contact with skin shed from another wart. The wart may also bleed, and blood is another route for spreading.
A plantar wart is similar in structure to an iceberg. The part on the skin surface represents only a small fraction of the entire wart. Often, the portion of the wart under the skin is at least twice as big as the part you can see on the surface of the skin.
Fortunately, many of these viruses die within a year or two and the warts they produce simply disappear. While they last, though, they are ugly, irritating and often painful. For these reasons, many podiatrists recommend having them removed.
Treatment
Self treatment is generally not advisable. Over-the-counter wart removal preparations contain acids or chemicals that destroy skin cells, and it takes an expert to destroy abnormal skin cells, warts, without also destroying the surrounding healthy tissue.
There are several methods for removing plantar warts:
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Acid - One of the most common methods of wart removal is to burn them off with a mild acid which is applied topically to the wart. This
destroys the viral cells and allows normal healthy skin to replace them. Multiple applications may be required over the course of several weeks to completely remove the wart, but the technique is very successful.
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Cryotherapy - Cryotherapy is the application of a very cold solution of sodium nitride, which can kill the the human
papilloma virus. Freezing the wart causes it to turn black and eventually fall off within a few days. Cryotherapy works well on many parts of the body, but it is sometimes ineffective on plantar warts because they tend to run deep and the cold may not penetrate far enough to kill the virus completely.
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Laser Treatment - New technology has enabled doctors to use lasers to kill the virus in warts. The procedure, sometimes performed in the physician's office, is effective, clean and accurate, but also more expensive than use of acid or cryotherapy.
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Debridement - Debridement is a technique in which the podiatric physician uses a scalpel to cut the warts off. An anesthetic is used to prevent pain. It is often the procedure of choice when many small warts are present in a particular area. Debridement can be used in combination with acid to ensure the virus is killed and to prevent the warts from
reoccurring.
Prevention
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Avoid walking barefoot in public areas such as showers, swimming pools, saunas.
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Change shoes and socks daily.
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Keep feet clean and dry.
Check feet periodically for
warts. Avoid direct contact with warts from other persons or from other parts of the body. Visit your podiatric physician as part of your annual health checkup.
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