Plantar warts affect the bottom of your feet, often on the underside of your toes or heel. They can develop in anyone but are more common in children. Plantar warts are associated with the HPV virus, specifically types 1, 4, 57, 60, 63, 65, and 66. The virus causes protein keratin to accumulate on your skin, resulting in warts. Warts West Coxsackie can be painful, and you may experience discomfort or tenderness when you exact pressure on your foot while walking. Plantar warts usually present as thickened skin on the foot bottom, tiny black dots on your foot, or white or skin-colored lesions. There are various treatments for plantar warts, including:
Table of Contents
Salicylic acid
Over-the-counter salicylic medicine can help remove your plantar wart. You apply the drug over your wart for several weeks. It may take about twelve weeks or more to remove your wart.
Pumice stone
Pumice stones can help treat plantar warts. First, soak your foot in warm water to soften your wart for ten to fifteen minutes, then rub it with a pumice stone. You can purchase a pumice stone in a drugstore.
Freezing creams
You can remove plantar warts by freezing them off with over-the-counter freezing lotions. These lotions might contain propane and dimethyl ether, but they might not be as effective as salicylic acid. Doctors frequently advise patients against using them since they are not likely to be effective. Make an appointment with your healthcare practitioner to receive cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen if you are interested in this treatment.
Prescription creams
Your doctor may prescribe salicylic acid to treat your plantar warts. This treatment is often the first option for removing warts. You may have to apply the salicylic acid topically to your warts daily for a few months.
Cryotherapy
You can freeze your plantar wart with cryotherapy and liquid nitrogen. According to research, the medication may not be as helpful for some people as salicylic acid. For efficient outcomes, doctors frequently mix it with salicylic acid. To totally eradicate your wart, you could require multiple treatment sessions. Because cryotherapy is painful, treatment might not be appropriate for young children.
Immunotherapy
If your plantar warts do not respond to other treatments, your doctor can recommend immunotherapy to help stimulate your immune system to fight the HPV virus responsible for their growth. You can use a chemotherapy drug known as fluorouracil that you apply as a cream to your wart. Doctors do not recommend the drug for pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant. Cimetidine, an oral medication, helps boost the immune response in some patients.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment involves your doctor using high light beams to destroy your plantar warts. The treatment can be effective, but it may also cause scarring. Studies show that the pulsed dye laser technique is sixty to seventy-five percent effective in eliminating plantar warts that are challenging to treat. Your doctor may recommend multiple treatment sessions for maximum results.
Plantar warts develop on your foot, especially the bottom side. Common plantar warts treatments include salicylic acid, pumice stone, freezing creams, cryotherapy, immunotherapy, and laser treatment. Schedule an appointment at Hudson Valley Foot Associates for plantar warts treatment to alleviate your foot pain.
