The plantar wart is a viral skin overgrowth, also called corn. From medical terminology, it is clear that these formations are located on the soles of the feet and toes. From the point of view of cancer 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 human papillomavirus (HPV). You can get it through close contact with infected people or in everyday life. The virus dies quickly in sunlight, but is great in high humidity environments. Therefore, most of the time 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, in addition to reduced immunity.
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 starts to multiply actively, causing warts to appear from various places on the skin. Due to its occurrence, it is only for you that 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57 HPV subtypes are the most responsible.
Several predisposing factors contribute to the appearance of such formations:
- shoes that are too tight or out of size;
- frequent use 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 excessively 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 mole on the foot looks like a rounded bump of skin. It may have different sizes, but it 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 penetrates deeply with its root. The color may not differ from the surrounding skin, or be darker or lighter. Often, these formations have a yellow or gray tint. Visually, when viewed within the elements, black dots or lines can be seen (they are also clearly visible in the photo). This is what capillaries look like, in which blood clots have formed, due to the compression of the horny vessels by masses.
In the beginning, the plantar wart has a smooth surface. But over time, it becomes difficult, rough and thick. 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 in the calluses it remains.
Diagnosis of plantar warts
A competent dermatologist will diagnose this disease based on only one clinical picture. In some cases, additional dermatoscopy is required. The absence of a cutaneous pattern in the formation and the presence of capillaries with blood clots in their structure confirm this diagnosis.
Treatment of plantar warts
Plantar warts are more difficult to eliminate 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, deep warts are removed surgically. At the same time, old formations must first be smoothed out with keratolytic agents.
External preparations to remove warts
In some cases, self-destruction of such formations is possible. But as the plantar wart hurts so badly, patients don't want to wait and strive to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Any medicine for plantar warts with a necrotizing effect is prescribed to remove small, superficial elements.
These products contain acids that coagulate skin proteins, causing necrosis. Drugs containing soda have a similar effect. But they cause necrotizing effects by freezing tissues, not by chemical damage.
All of these drugs are applied punctually in training. It is necessary to monitor strictly so that the substance does not fall into the surrounding tissues, as this will cause them to burn. After treatment, a wound will remain at the site of the anterior wart, which will be covered by a scab. After healing, it will fall on its own. You can perform this treatment at home, but only as directed by a doctor.
In this way, it is possible to remove a plantar mole of only a small size and with superficial penetration into the skin. For large elements, you need to choose other methods of removal, as incomplete destruction of the wart tissue will certainly lead to its recurrence.
Surgical methods to remove plantar warts
There are several ways to remove a plantar wart in surgery. Gentle methods are preferred:
- laser removal;
- radio wave knife;
- free-destruction;
- electrocautery.
All of these procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. Patients can go home literally a few minutes after completion, they just need to regularly treat the wound at home.
The most effective and safe methods to remove plantar warts are excision with a laser or radio wave knife. When performed, the vessels clot immediately, which is a good prevention of bleeding and secondary infection. Complications when removing skin formations with these methods are extremely rare. The same cannot be said about freezing and electrocoagulation, therefore, these treatment methods are in the background and are rarely used.
If the warts are large or old (covered by a large amount of corneal masses), it is recommended to treat them with keratolytic agents for two weeks before the removal procedure. For that, ointment or salicylic acid and other medications are prescribed. Thus, it is possible to exfoliate part of the horny scales, to make the formations smoother and more malleable. This will make it easier and faster to remove the wart.
In rare cases, when there are many elements or doubts about its nature, the doctor may advise surgical excision with a scalpel. With this method of wart removal, the rehabilitation period and the high risk of scarring are much longer, so it is used only under strict indication.
Characteristics of plantar warts in children
In children over five years old, plantar warts are quite common, as they often run barefoot, hurt themselves and do not always follow personal hygiene rules. Immunity problems due to regular contact with sick children (in kindergartens and schools), which leads to an increased likelihood of warts.
The treatment of these formations in children should be started with external agents. You can try to exfoliate surface elements using salicylic ointment, followed by pumice. Immunomodulatory drugs have been shown to be good. 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.
Prevention of plantar 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 reach the first goal, you need:
- follow personal hygiene rules (don't 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, playing sports, toughening up, taking vitamin complexes and immunostimulating drugs prescribed by a doctor will help keep your body's defenses at a good level.
In case of excessively dry skin and hyperkeratosis, it is recommended to regularly do medical pedicure and peels. In case of excessive sweating on the legs, special means must be used to treat hyperhidrosis. Following all these rules, the risk of developing warts on the soles of your feet will be minimal.
Plantar warts are not a dangerous disease, but they cause many disorders 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. For that, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist and strictly follow all his consultations and recommendations.