Plantar warts are a very unpleasant disease that is not life-threatening, but causes discomfort and severe pain in the foot area. The disease is diagnosed in 10% of the young population. At the first signs, you should consult a doctor who will select the most effective methods for removing plantar warts.
Description of warts
A plantar wart is a benign epithelial tumor and is a type of common wart. Location on the foot.
The wart is usually uneven in shape with a depression. The surface is rough with a porous structure. The color can be flesh or dark.
When cutting off the top layer, black dots are visible. This disease is also called cornea or spine. On the Internet you can find many photos of plantar warts of different types.
What does a wart on the sole of the foot look like?
A wart on the sole looks like a dense formation of varying sizes in the center with a very pronounced affected area, reminiscent of a callus that has grown into the skin. Painful symptoms most often appear when pressing on the wart and can vary in intensity.
Symptoms of a wart:
- At the site of wart formation, the skin becomes rough and rough;
- When walking, a person may feel sharp pain;
- The stratum corneum increases at the site of the wart;
- The presence of black dots in the center, sometimes itching;
- When the skin is damaged, blood appears at the site of wart formation.
The first signs of a wart may appear as follows:
- The appearance of thickening of the skin, which most often itches and hurts when pressed;
- The skin becomes yellow or brown;
- In the center of the wart, a rod consisting of dead cells appears.
Very often, in the absence of timely treatment, a specific odor appears in the area of the skin lesion, which cannot be eliminated by simply washing the feet.
Photo of what plantar warts look like:
Types of warts
All growths differ in size from 1 mm to 2 cm, as well as color. The wart can protrude beyond the surface, be flush with it, or have a small depression.
The tumor can be located on the inside of the foot, on the heel or on the toes. Infection also occurs with more than 100 types of human papillomavirus.
How to distinguish a wart from calluses?
A wart differs from calluses on the feet in the following ways:
- The callus most often has liquid contents;
- A callus has unclear boundaries, while a wart has clear contours;
- The callus goes away quickly within a week.
A wart differs from corns in the following ways:
- When a corn forms, the skin pattern on the surface is preserved;
- Pain with a corns manifests itself throughout the entire area of formation, while a wart manifests itself with painful symptoms in the center;
- Unlike a wart, when the skin is damaged in the area of the corn, no bloody discharge appears.
In the first stages of a skin infection, it is very difficult to distinguish a wart from other types of diseases, so you should contact a specialist who will prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Symptoms
After infection, it can take from several weeks to six months. With the initial signs of the disease, the surface of the growths is smooth, but as they grow, they take on a rough appearance. The wart causes pain and discomfort when walking.
The neoplasm is uneven in shape, often flesh-colored. You can often see dark spots inside the growth from clogged blood vessels. Localization is usually spotty; you can rarely notice several growths nearby.
Treatment with folk remedies
Very often, traditional medicine methods are used in combination with medications, which help speed up the healing process and reduce unpleasant symptoms.
When using such methods in childhood, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician and conduct a test for individual sensitivity to the components of the drug.
For adults
For people over 18 years of age, the following traditional medicine methods are used to eliminate warts on the soles of the feet:
- Lotions with celandine - in order to make a lotion with celandine, you need to carefully cut a branch of the plant and, using the juice that is released, apply a few drops to the center of the wart and seal it with a band-aid. Apply twice a day for 5 days. It is necessary to carry out the procedure with gloves and make sure that the plant juice does not get on healthy skin, otherwise burns may occur;
- Onion compress with vinegar helps to eliminate damaged epidermal cells and eliminate various types of formations. To prepare a compress, you need to use onions and table vinegar. Pass one medium onion through a meat grinder and add a tablespoon of vinegar. Mix and apply the resulting mixture to the problem area on the sole and attach a plastic film on top. Secure the compress with a bandage and leave overnight. After removing the compress, the leg must be treated with a soap solution. It is recommended to carry out such procedures up to 5 times;
- Rowan compresses - you need to crush the rowan berries to obtain a paste and apply to the wart on the sole, secure with a gauze bandage. Leave this compress overnight, and in the morning, rinse off any remaining product with warm water. The course of treatment is up to 7 days. This method of eliminating formation helps eliminate viral damage and eliminate pain symptoms.
For children
For children, it is recommended to use the following traditional medicine methods:
- Potato compress – fresh potatoes have the ability to eliminate microbes and trigger the skin’s natural regeneration processes. To prepare a compress, you need to chop half the potatoes and apply the resulting mass to the wart on the sole. Secure with adhesive tape and bandage. Use once a day for 5 days. Recommended age over 3 years;
- Dandelion juice - used to eliminate warts from the age of 5 years. For use, it is recommended to apply a few drops of plant juice to the wart on the sole and secure with a band-aid. Apply three times a day for 3 days;
- Lotion with a series - used to eliminate various skin diseases and infections, including the papilloma virus. You need to pour a tablespoon of herb with a glass of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Soak a cotton ball in a herbal decoction and apply to the sole, use three times a day for 5 days. Allowed for use from the age of 6 months;
- Onion compress – used for children over 3 years old. To prepare, you need to cut a small onion in half and attach it to the sole using a plaster. This type of compress is done before bed and left overnight. The course of treatment is no more than 4 days.
The use of traditional medicine methods is effective when the first signs of disease appear on the soles of the feet, and require regular implementation.
Causes
Plantar warts appear after infection with the human papillomavirus. It can be transmitted through a handshake and contact with an infected person.
The virus remains in the body for many years and may not manifest itself in any way. HPV is activated as a result of weakened immunity and begins to actively multiply.
Other reasons include:
- wearing tight shoes;
- wounds on the skin of the feet;
- constant stress;
- failure to comply with hygiene rules.
Drug treatment of plantar warts
If necessary, you can remove a wart from the sole of your feet with medication. The action of this method is aimed at improving the resistance of the immune system, due to which the wart is independently removed and its further development is blocked.
The most popular medications include:
- Interferon - used to increase immune resistance to various viral skin lesions, including papillomas. Used twice a day for a course of no more than 10 days. Contraindicated in case of individual sensitivity to the components of the drug and in the presence of mental disorders. Use in childhood is acceptable, however, it requires an individual course of treatment. Average cost 220 rubles ;
- Cycloferon is prescribed to increase the body's resistance to viral damage. Use once a day 20 minutes before meals. The tablet must be taken with plenty of water. The course of treatment is up to 20 days. Depending on the individual characteristics of the body. For children, the use of the drug is allowed upon reaching 3 years of age; the dosage is prescribed on an individual basis. It is contraindicated to use the drug during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Average cost 350 rubles ;
- Viferon - available in the form of suppositories, recommended for enhancing immunity and increasing resistance to various viral infections. Use once a day before bed for 7 days. Allowed for use in children from 1 month. The average cost of the drug is 220 rubles .
Interferon
Cycloferon
Viferon
This method of eliminating warts on the soles of the feet is effective only in the first stages of infection. For more complex stages it must be used in combination with local treatment.
People at high risk of infection
People in professions such as construction workers, workers in the meat processing and fishing industries are at high risk of infection.
The virus can be acquired by visiting swimming pools and other public places. People with weak immune systems, patients with cancer and AIDS have a high risk of infection.
Treatment in medical institutions
The wart must be removed because... it causes discomfort. The procedure is best performed under the supervision of a physician. There are many methods of medical removal:
- Laser removal involves burning off the infected skin surface. The most effective way to combat this disease. There are pros and cons to laser plantar wart removal. The positive aspects include that the wart completely disappears and healing occurs quickly. The disadvantages include the high cost of the operation.
- Cryotherapy involves freezing tissue with liquid nitrogen.
- Surgical intervention consists of mechanical removal of the wart with a scalpel.
- Cauterization with chemicals.
- Radio wave removal allows not only to excise the affected area, but also cauterizes the capillaries.
Not all removal methods are suitable for a child. Only a specialist knows how to remove plantar warts for children. You should not self-medicate; you should immediately consult a doctor.
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Prevention
The most effective way to protect yourself from this disease is to strengthen your immune system.
It is necessary to eat healthy foods, often walk outdoors, exercise and breathe fresh air. If necessary, take medications that strengthen the immune system.
When visiting the pool, use only your own shoes and towel. You should only wear comfortable and warm shoes appropriate for the season. And also avoid long-term stress and worries in life.
