From ancient times the ugly formations on the body have bothered mankind. A wart on the foot is a skin disease caused by a virus. People with skin defects were avoided for fear of infection, and after noticing a neoplasm of the sole or other part of the body, they tried to remove it as soon as possible. What people do not apply to their plantar warts, only to disappear forever. So far, dermatologists are looking for the most effective and painless method of dealing with the disease.
What is a wart
Human papillomavirus causes a benign or cancerous mutation of DNA in skin cells. The body is covered with papillomas, warts, papules. More than a hundred types of HPV have been studied. A wart is a growth on the skin that signals the presence of the first or third type of papilloma virus in the body. The neoplasms are not potentially carcinogenic, but are extremely infectious due to the viability of the pathogen in the external environment.
What does a wart on the leg look like?
The plantar neoplasm has a round shape with clear edges measuring a few millimeters or centimeters. Black dots of clogged capillaries can be seen in the center. On the feet, they look like old dry calluses that have grown into the skin. The pain of plantar growth is not manifested by direct pressure, but by compression. The absence of papillary lines on the foot is characteristic.
Causes of plantar wart
HPV infections are more common during unprotected sex. The virus penetrates through microcracks in the mucous membranes of the genitals. Someone's HPV is "in transit", while others are less fortunate - the virus stays in the body without being notified for a long time. Dermatologists do not rule out that the appearance of papillomas on the surface of the feet is promoted by immune disorders and infectious diseases.
Walking barefoot in public places: baths, swimming pools, body care salons, shared baths, on the beach, trying on shoes on bare feet are the most common causes of plantar warts. The virus is viable outside its host and "lurks in anticipation of the victim" on towels, tiles, towels, furniture, guest slippers, etc. The infection is attracted by dense, stretched areas of skin on plantar surfaces and palms where the papillomathe virus enters through minor injuries.
Warts on children's feet
The children are restless, often injured. Parents may not be aware of the presence of HPV in a child's body through cuts and abrasions. When the immune system is weakened, the virus becomes active and papillomas appear on the legs. Painful methods of dealing with warts on the legs in children are often contraindicated, poorly tolerated. Often the child's body copes with this disease on the skin of the feet.
Types of warts on the legs
Warts are a collection of skin lesions caused by papilloma. Depending on the external manifestation, the impact on human health, the following types of warts are classified:
- vulgar (ordinary) - round keratinized blisters;
- flat - rash in the form of spots rising above the skin;
- filamentous (accordes) - elongated with "torn" edges formed in the folds of the body;
- genital warts - reminiscent of the crest of a rooster;
- senile (keratomas) - occurring in the elderly, not related to HPV.
The formations of warts are localized all over the body, on the internal organs, in the oral cavity. Warts on the legs, called plantar warts, are a common type. One type includes well-formed, which is a depression pressed into the skin, characterized by rapid growth. The appearance of subungual growths slightly raises the nail plate.
Treatment of plantar warts
It is dangerous to neglect the treatment of plantar warts. Foot neoplasms are constantly injured. They are removed to stop the growth of new growths and the entry of infections. There is no complete cure for HPV. Treatment comes down to turning the disease into a "sleep mode". Available drugs, surgical, immunomodulatory removal of plantar warts, with the help of alternative medicine.
The disadvantage of the treatment of plantar growths lies in their location: the large stratum corneum of the epidermis makes it difficult to deliver active substances to the depth of the formation of the foot. In preparation for therapy, the upper layer of the accumulation is irrigated and exfoliated. Traditionally, the treatment of warts on the legs begins with the use of salicylic acid. The wart on the foot is boiled daily for three months, disinfected, then the softened top layer is cleaned with pumice, salicylic acid is applied and a patch is applied.
Pharmacy chains advise how to get rid of warts on the feet with the help of drugs containing celandine, phenol, trichloroacetic acid. The drugs cause tissue necrosis, relieving the patient of the deficiency, but leaving a trace of healing of a deep wound from warts. Each disease is individual in varying degrees, therefore, before choosing a method of removing warts on the foot, you should ask the opinion of your doctor.
Ointment
According to the mode of action, necrotizing, antiviral, herbal ointments differ. In the first case, the acid or alkali at the base of the ointment cauterizes the painful growth and leaves a scar. At home, for the treatment of feet, you can use liquid solutions: with acetic, nitric, oxalic, lactic acid in the composition. To avoid burns, the surface of the neoplasm is treated strictly.
Antiviral ointment for warts on the foot is applied to the growth itself and the area around it to reduce the spread of infection. Used with special ointments. Herbal ingredients only affect the formation of the skin. Known for its effectiveness in the treatment of foot balm with applicator, colchamine ointment.
Modern methods of removal
The advent of modern methods of removing warts has replaced the traumatic scalpel. Like a surgeon's knife, the electrocoagulator burns the neoplasm of the foot with electricity. After the procedure for removal with laser or radio waves, a dent remains in the foot. The treatment takes several weeks. Exposure to liquid nitrogen is considered a very painful treatment and requires several treatments. In 2014, British dermatologists published material on the latest antigen injection therapy. This will help patients who are resistant to existing treatments.
Folk remedies
Procedures with folk remedies for warts on the legs are performed at bedtime, with pre-steamed legs and for a long time. During work, protect your hands with latex gloves from further spread of infection, disinfect all used devices and things to prevent infection of loved ones. List of considered effective folk ways to get rid of warts on the feet:
- Garlic is known for its antibiotic properties. In case of neoplasm of the sole, the upper hardened layer is cut off, a thin clove of garlic is applied.
- You can make "beard dough". It is mixed with finely grated garlic, vinegar, wheat flour, spread on the surface of the neoplasm and sealed with plaster. After a few days, the dough is removed along with the accumulation.
- Apply onions steamed in vinegar on your feet, or you can rub the growth with vinegar, then attach fresh onions.
- You can fill the formation with the juice of medicinal plants: celandine, kalanchoe, calendula, thrush, dandelion, golden mustache or attach a slice of apple, mountain ash, figs, potatoes, horseradish, cabbage. The procedure is performed daily, lasting from a few weeks to months, until the accumulation disappears.
- You can apply wood ash diluted in water to a creamy state.
- The growth is sprinkled with chalk, ground to a powder and wrapped in a bandage. The compress cannot get wet.
- Birch and willow bark containing salicylic acid have been shown to be effective in treatment. The bark is applied to the foot, pre-softened with boiling water.
- Hot foot baths with sea salt, soda, laundry soap, tea tree oil or spruce broth help in the treatment of foot diseases. Treatment can be mixed or alternated.
- Wormwood broth applications are used. 3 tablespoons dried wormwood herb is brewed in a glass of boiling water, insist for at least 2 hours.