Plantar Warts

Warts are non-cancerous skin growths that can show-up on any part of your skin. Warts are rough, bumpy, lesions that are often painful with pressure. Blood vessels appear in the lesion and they look like small Blacks dots. Plantar warts are specifically the warts that are found on the bottom of your feet, they become flat from the continued pressure.

Warts are caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), the virus can be picked up from infected surfaces (like shoes or shower floors) or directly from another individual that is infected. An individual with the virus can begin to infect different locations on their body, HPV travels more effectively on perspiring skin and a drying agent can be used to decrease the ease of motility.

Those with weakened immune system are more susceptible to the virus but it can also be contracted by a healthy individual. The virus is more commonly seen on children because they tend to be more active without shoes and less hygienic, increasing their chances of being exposed to the virus.

At Frederick Foot & Ankle treatment starts with an office visit. The podiatrist will remove part of the lesion in question and sent it to the laboratory for a confirmation. Treatment will begin by removing the top layer with a blade and then trichloric acetic acid is placed on the site to remove and kill the virus infecting the skin cells, this process is normally only mildly uncomfortable. The area is then covered for protection.

Between office visits it is the patient’s responsibility to continue to treat of the plantar wart. A wart pack can be purchased from the office which includes all the necessary products to quickly treat the infection. The wart pack includes: wart medication, a drying agent, a pumi stone, and bandages.

The amount of time it takes to rid the skin of the virus depends on the initial size of the wart and the compliance of the patient treating the area at home.

If you have a questionable lesion below your knee let the podiatrists at Frederick Foot & Ankle evaluate and treat it for you.

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