Plantar wart - treatment, symptoms, causes

Plantar wart is an outgrowth on the skin of a viral nature, it is also called a corn. From medical terminology, it is clear that such formations are localized on the soles of the feet and toes. From the point of view of oncological risk, they are not dangerous, but they cause a lot of inconvenience when walking due to their painful compression.

Causes of plantar warts

All types of warts, including plantar warts, are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). You can get it through close contact with infected people or through everyday life. The virus quickly dies from sunlight, but it feels great in high humidity. Therefore, most often HPV infection occurs in baths, saunas, swimming pools. The penetration of the virus into the body is facilitated by microtrauma and cracks in the skin, as well as reduced immunity.

causes of plantar warts

With strong protective properties of the body, the virus after infection can remain in a dormant state for an indefinitely long time. But if immunity decreases, it begins to multiply actively, provoking the appearance of warts of various localization on the skin. For their occurrence, it is on the sole that 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57 subtypes of HPV are most often responsible.

Several predisposing factors contribute to the appearance of such formations:

  • shoes that are too tight or out of size;
  • frequent wearing of high heels;
  • various foot deformities (including flat feet);
  • various diseases of the joints of the feet (arthritis, arthrosis, etc. ).

Warts on the leg are more common in people with excessive dry skin and hyperkeratosis.

Thus, the causes of plantar warts are the same in all cases (HPV infection), but the predisposing factors are different. The number and size of elements on the skin depend on them and the state of immunity.

How plantar warts appear

A wart on the foot looks like a rounded skin growth. It can be of different sizes, but rarely exceeds two centimeters in diameter. It rises above the level of the skin by no more than three millimeters, but at the same time it goes deep inside with its root. The color may not differ from the surrounding skin, or be darker or lighter. Often such formations have a yellow or gray tint. Visually, when viewed inside the elements, black dots or lines can be seen (they are also clearly visible in the photo). This is how capillaries look like, in which blood clots have formed, due to compression of Horny vessels by masses.

At first, the plantar wart has a smooth surface. But over time, it becomes tough, rough, thickened. It is the horny masses that give these warts their yellow color.

An important symptom of plantar warts is pain when compressed. Each step inflicts severe acute pain on the patient.

These warts are very similar to plantar calluses. The resemblance to a cornice is especially pronounced due to the severe pain of both formations. The main difference is that there is no skin pattern on the surface of the warts, while on the calluses it remains.

Plantar warts diagnosis

A competent dermatologist will diagnose this disease on the basis of only one clinical picture. In some cases, an additional dermatoscopy is required. The absence of a skin pattern on the formation and the presence of capillaries with blood clots in its structure confirms this diagnosis.

Plantar warts treatment

plantar warts treatment

Plantar warts are more difficult to get rid of than similar formations in other areas due to their deeper penetration into the dermis. In the case of small and newly formed elements, necrotizing external preparations can be used. Large and deep warts are surgically removed. At the same time, old formations should first be softened with keratolytic agents.

External preparations for removing warts

In some cases, self-destruction of such formations is possible. But since the plantar wart hurts quite strongly, patients do not want to wait and strive to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Any remedy for plantar warts with necrotizing effect is prescribed to remove small and superficial elements.

These products contain acids that coagulate skin proteins, causing necrosis. The drugs that contain refrigerant have a similar effect. But they cause necrotizing effects through tissue freezing, not through chemical damage.

All of these drugs are applied pointwise to the formation. It is necessary to strictly monitor that the substance does not fall on the surrounding tissues, as this will cause them to burn. After treatment, a wound will remain on the site of the former wart, which will be covered with a crust. After healing, it will fall off on its own. You can carry out such treatment at home, but only as directed by a doctor.

In this way it is possible to remove a plantar wart only of small size and with shallow penetration into the skin. For large elements, you need to choose other methods of removal, since incomplete destruction of the wart tissue will definitely lead to its recurrence.

Surgical methods for removing plantar warts

surgical methods for removing warts

There are various ways to remove a plantar wart in surgery. Gentle methods are preferred:

  • laser removal;
  • radio wave knife;
  • cryodestruction;
  • electrocautery.

All these procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. Patients can go home literally a few minutes after their completion, they just need to regularly treat the wound at home.

The most effective and safest methods for removing plantar warts are excision with a laser or radio wave knife. When they are carried out, the vessels immediately coagulate, which is a good prevention of bleeding and secondary infection. Complications when removing skin formations using these methods are extremely rare. The same cannot be said about cryodestruction and electrocoagulation, so these methods of treatment have faded into the background and are rarely used.

If the warts are large or old (covered with a large amount of horny masses), it is recommended to treat them with keratolytic agents for two weeks before the removal procedure. For this purpose, salicylic ointment or acid and other drugs are prescribed. Thus, it is possible to exfoliate part of the horny scales, to make the formations softer and more pliable. This will make it easier and faster to remove the wart.

In rare cases, when there are many elements or there are doubts about their nature, the doctor may advise surgical excision with a scalpel. With this method of removing warts, the rehabilitation period and the high risk of scarring are much longer, therefore it is used only under strict indications.

Features of plantar warts in children

In children over five years of age, plantar warts are quite common, as they often run barefoot, get injured and do not always follow the rules of personal hygiene. Immunity malfunctions due to regular contact with sick children (in kindergartens and schools), which leads to an increased likelihood of warts.

Treatment of such formations in a child is best started with external agents. You can try to exfoliate shallow elements using salicylic ointment, followed by pumice. Immunomodulating drugs have proven themselves well. When applied regularly to a wart, they can remove it in a few weeks.

If the elements are deep, apply necrotizing agents or remove them with a laser or radio wave knife.

Plantar warts prevention

prevention of raised warts

It is absolutely impossible to protect yourself from the occurrence of warts, but you can reduce the risk of their occurrence. To do this, you need to act in two directions: eliminate predisposing factors and stimulate the body's defenses.

To achieve the first goal, you need:

  • follow the rules of personal hygiene (do not walk barefoot in public places, wash your feet daily and treat cuts and injuries in a timely manner);
  • choose comfortable shoes by size;
  • in time to prevent deformities of the foot and treat diseases of the joints.

A healthy lifestyle, playing sports, hardening, taking vitamin complexes and immunostimulating drugs as prescribed by a doctor will help maintain the body's defenses at a good level.

In case of excessive dry skin and hyperkeratosis, it is recommended to regularly do medical pedicure and peelings. In the case of excessive sweating of the legs, you need to use special means to treat hyperhidrosis. By following all these rules, the risk of developing warts on the soles of the feet will be minimal.

Plantar warts are not a dangerous disease, but they cause a lot of inconvenience due to pain when walking. Fortunately, there are many ways in modern medicine to get rid of it quickly and with minimal risk of new relapses. To do this, you need to consult a dermatologist and strictly follow all his appointments and recommendations.