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What
are warts?
Definition
of plantar warts (plantar verruca)
Warts are one of several soft tissue
conditions of the foot that can be quite
painful. They are caused by a virus,
which generally invades the skin through
small or invisible cuts and abrasions.
They can appear anywhere on the skin,
but, technically, only those on the
sole are properly called plantar warts.
Children, especially teenagers, are
often more susceptible to warts than
adults; some people seem to be immune.
Identification
problems
Most warts are harmless, even though
they may be painful. They are often
mistaken for corns or calluses –
which are layers of dead skin that build
up to protect an area which is being
continuously irritated. The wart, however,
is a viral infection.
It is also possible for a variety of
more serious lesions to appear on the
foot, including melanomas. Although
rare, these conditions can sometime
be misidentified as a wart. It is wise
to consult a podiatrist when any suspicious
growth or eruption is detected on the
skin of the foot in order to ensure
a correct diagnosis.
Plantar warts tend to be hard and flat
with a rough surface and well-defined
boundaries; warts are generally raised
and fleshier when they appear on the
top of the foot or on the toes. Plantar
warts are often gray or brown (but the
color may vary), with a centre that
appears as one or more pinpoints of
black. It is important to note that
warts can be very resistant to treatment
and have tendency to reoccur.
Sources of virus
The plantar wart is often contracted
by walking barefoot on dirty surfaces
or littered ground where the virus is
lurking. The causative virus thrives
in warm, moist environments, making
infection a common occurrence in communal
bathing facilities.
If left untreated, warts can grow to
an inch or more in circumference and
can spread into clusters of several
warts; these are often called mosaic
warts. Like any other infectious lesion,
plantar warts are spread by touching,
scratching, or even by contact with
skin shed from another wart. The wart
may also bleed which is another route
for spreading.
Occasionally, warts can spontaneously
disappear after a short time, and, just
as frequently, they can recur in the
same location.
When plantar warts develop on the weight-bearing
areas of the foot – the ball of
the foot, or the heel, for example –
they can be the source of sharp, burning
pain. Pain occurs when weight is brought
to bear directly on the wart, although
pressure on the side of a wart can create
equally intense pain.
What can you do?
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Avoid walking barefoot,
except on the sandy beaches |
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Change shoes and socks daily |
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Keep feet clean and dry |
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Check children’s feet
periodically |
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Avoid direct contact with warts
– from other persons or
from other parts of the body |
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Do not ignore growths on, or
changes in, your skin |
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Visit your Podiatric Physician
as part of your annual health
checkup |
Self treatment is generally not advisable.
Over-the-counter preparations contain
acids or chemicals that destroy skin
cells, and it takes an expert to destroy
abnormal skin cells (warts) without
also destroying surrounding healthy
tissue. Self treatment with such medications
especially should be avoided by people
with diabetes and those with cardiovascular
or circulatory disorders. NEVER use
them in the presence of an active infection.
What might the podiatrist do?
It is possible that your podiatrist
will prescribe and supervise your
use of a wart-removal preparation.
More likely, however, removal of warts
by a simple surgical procedure, performed
under local anesthetic, may be indicated.
Lasers have become a common and effective
treatment. A procedure known as C02
laser cautery is performed under local
anesthesia either in your podiatrist’s
office surgical setting or an outpatient
surgery facility. The laser reduces
post-treatment scarring and is a safe
form for eliminating wart lesions.
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