Plantar wart is a growth on the skin with a viral nature, also called corn. From medical terminology it is clear that such formations are localized on the soles of the feet and toes. In terms of cancer risk, they are not dangerous, but they cause a lot of discomfort 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 dies quickly from sunlight, but 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 microtraumas and cracks in the skin, as well as reduced immunity.
With strong protective properties of the body, the virus can remain dormant indefinitely after infection. But if the immunity decreases, it begins to multiply actively, provoking the appearance of warts with different localization on the skin. They are most often caused by 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57 subtypes of HPV.
Several predisposing factors contribute to the appearance of such formations:
- shoes that are too tight or not large;
- frequent wearing of high heels;
- various foot deformities (including flat foot);
- various diseases of the joints of the legs (arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc. ).
Warts on the legs 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 the 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 growth on the skin. 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 goes deep inside with its root. The color may not be different from the surrounding skin or it may be darker or lighter. Often such formations have a yellow or gray hue. Visually, when viewed inside the elements, black dots or lines can be seen (they are also clearly visible in the photo). This is what the capillaries in which blood clots look like due to compression of Horny vessels by masses look like.
Initially, a plantar wart has a smooth surface. But over time, it becomes tough, rough, thickening. It is the aroused masses that give these warts their yellow color.
An important symptom of plantar warts is pain when compressing. Each step causes severe sharp pain to the patient.
These warts are very similar to plantar calluses. The resemblance to a cornice is particularly 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 it remains on the calluses.
Diagnosis of plantar wart
The competent dermatologist will diagnose this disease based on only one clinical picture. In some cases, additional dermatoscopy is needed. The absence of a skin pattern on the formation and the presence of capillaries with blood clots in its structure confirms this diagnosis.
Treatment of plantar warts
Plantar warts are more difficult to get rid of 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, the old formations must first be softened with keratolytic agents.
External wart removers
In some cases, self-destruction of such formations is possible. But because the plantar wart hurts quite badly, patients do not want to wait and try to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Any medicine for plantar warts with necrotizing effect is prescribed to remove small and superficial elements.
These products contain acids that coagulate skin proteins, causing necrosis. Medicines that contain a refrigerant have a similar effect. But they cause necrotizing effects by freezing the tissues, not by chemical damage.
All of these drugs are applied topically to the formation. It is necessary to strictly ensure that the substance does not get on the surrounding tissues, as this will lead to their burning. After the treatment, a wound will remain at the site of the former wart, which will be covered with a crust. After healing, she will fall by herself. You can carry out such treatment at home, but only according to the doctor's instructions.
In this way, it is possible to remove a plantar wart only small in size and with shallow penetration into the skin. For large items, you should choose other methods of removal, as incomplete destruction of the wart tissue will definitely lead to its recurrence.
Surgical methods to remove plantar warts
There are different ways to remove a plantar wart during surgery. Gentle methods are preferred:
- laser removal;
- knife for radio waves;
- cryodestruction;
- electrocatery.
All of these procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. Patients can go home literally minutes after they are finished, they just need to treat the wound regularly at home.
The most effective and safest methods for removing plantar warts are laser or radio wave knife cutting. When performed, the vessels coagulate immediately, which is a good prevention of bleeding and secondary infection. Complications in removing skin lesions using these methods are extremely rare. The same cannot be said of cryodestruction and electrocoagulation, so these treatments 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 that you treat them with keratolytics two weeks before the removal procedure. For this purpose, salicylic ointment or acid and other drugs are prescribed. In this way it is possible to exfoliate some of the excited scales, the formations to be softer and more flexible. This will also make it easier to remove the wart faster.
In rare cases, when there are many elements or there are doubts about their nature, the doctor may recommend surgical excision with a scalpel. With this method of removing warts, the rehabilitation period and the high risk of scarring are much longer, so it is used only in strict indications.
Characteristics of plantar warts in children
In children over the age of five, plantar warts are quite common, as they often run barefoot, injure themselves and do not always follow the rules of personal hygiene. Immune defects due to regular contact with sick children (in kindergartens and schools), which leads to an increased likelihood of warts.
The treatment of such formations in a child is best started with external means. You can try to exfoliate shallow elements using salicylic ointment, followed by pumice. Immunomodulatory drugs have been shown to be effective. When applied regularly on a wart, they can remove it after a few weeks.
If the elements are deep, apply necrotizing agents or remove them with a laser or radio wave knife.
Plantar wart prevention
It is absolutely impossible to prevent the appearance of warts, but you can reduce the risk of their appearance. To do this, you need to act in two directions: eliminate the predisposing factors and stimulate the body's defenses.
To achieve the first goal, you must:
- 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 foot deformities and treat joint diseases.
A healthy lifestyle, exercise, hardening, taking vitamin complexes and immunostimulating drugs 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 do medical pedicure and peeling regularly. In case of excessive sweating of the feet, you should use special means to treat hyperhidrosis. 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 discomfort due to pain when walking. Fortunately, in modern medicine there are many ways to get rid of it quickly and with minimal risk of new recurrences. To do this, you should consult a dermatologist and strictly follow all his appointments and recommendations.