Heel wart is a neoplasm that can cause great discomfort to the patient. The growth forms under the influence of the papillomavirus and also mainly affects the damaged skin of the heel. It looks like an elastic, dense formation on the epidermis, covered with dry crusts.
Causes of heel warts
The papillomavirus is capable of infecting different parts of the human body, causing the proliferation of epithelial tissue. Heels are no exception. Here, as a rule, warts are formed, caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57. In total, there are at least 100 strains of this pathogen in the world. It is very contagious and widespread and therefore around 80% of the world's population carries this virus.
Of all the benign growths that can be located on the heel, warts account for 1/3. It is very easy to become infected with HPV, which causes its appearance - the virus is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person as a result of common everyday contacts in everyday life, as well as in crowded places. Using other people's personal hygiene items, walking barefoot on the floor in environments with large crowds of people (gyms, changing rooms, saunas, swimming pools) are ways of transmitting the papillomavirus.
Contrary to popular belief, it is almost impossible to become infected with HPV and "get" a heel wart at the beach. This pathogen dies quickly when dried and exposed to sunlight.
The formation of heel warts does not always occur immediately after papillomavirus infection. People with strong immunity are usually not susceptible to the formation of warts and papillomas. The body's defense systems suppress the pathogen and it does not cause harm to health. But as soon as the immune system fails, which happens with overwork, hypothermia, infectious diseases, hormonal imbalances, poor diet, poisoning, HPV can become active and manifest itself as skin tumors.
In addition, there are a number of factors that accompany the appearance of heel warts:
- Traumatization of the heel epidermis - cracks, abrasions, scratches, cuts;
- Wearing ill-fitting shoes that pinch, crush or rub the skin;
- Diseases that cause trophic changes in soft tissues - varicose veins, diabetes, atherosclerosis;
- Deformation pathologies of the lower extremities - flat feet, arthritis, osteoarthritis and others;
- Excessive sweating or excessive dryness and sensitivity of the epidermis of the feet.
As a rule, if the virus is not very active and the immune system resists, warts may appear on the heel, in the singular. If the pathogen is very active, it is possible to cause massive damage to the heels and feet by warts.
Methods for diagnosing heel warts
Due to the constant pressure on the foot and heel, warts in this area often become very similar to corns and calluses. Therefore, they are not so easy to identify. An exceptional dermatologist is able to establish an accurate diagnosis and differentiate growth from other pathologies. To do this, a procedure called dermoscopy is most often performed.
To carry out a qualitative study, the stratum corneum of the epidermis is scraped and a sample is collected. The resulting scraping is sent to the laboratory. There they confirm or deny the presence of HPV.
A visual examination can also help paint a definitive picture of the disease. With a heel wart, there is no skin pattern on its surface. Additionally, you may see blackheads. These are traces of clogged capillaries.
If necessary, an ultrasound examination is prescribed, which helps to establish the depth of penetration of the so-called "roots" of the wart into the skin.
Differentiated diagnosis of heel tumors is necessary in the following cases:
- The presence of oncological lesions in the patient;
- Foot deformities of various etiologies;
- Reiter's syndrome, which can cause the development of keratoderma;
- Syphilis, which can cause painful, ring-shaped growths to form on the feet and hands.
To clarify the diagnosis, blood tests for HPV, syphilis and general analyzes are also carried out.
Why is it important to treat heel warts?
Although heel warts are considered a fairly harmless pathology, consultation with a doctor and treatment should not be delayed. Over time, the disease may worsen. In addition, home self-medication can only suppress the external manifestations of papillomavirus infection. At the same time, the virus will persist in the blood and cause regular recurrences of warts on the body.
It is also worth remembering that a neglected wart on the heel progresses and its growth continues. Furthermore, given the external pressure on the foot, the neoplasm grows inside the skin, increasingly affecting the soft tissues. This provokes the process of compaction of the layers of the epidermis and the formation of blood clots in the capillaries, which manifest themselves in the form of dark spots on the surface of the vegetation. Gradually, the wart on the heel begins to cause severe pain.
Treatment of a heel wart is necessary for the following symptoms:
- Intense pain in the growth area;
- Rapid growth of the wart and damage to new areas of the heel;
- Discomfort when walking and supporting the leg.
It should also be remembered that a patient infected with HPV poses a threat to other people, as they are a carrier of the virus. Relatives of that person are at risk of infection at home.
Only comprehensive treatment can help completely eliminate pathological tumors and suppress the virus, as well as prevent relapses.
Ways to Treat Heel Warts
Only combined therapy will help those who do not know how to get rid of a wart on the heel. This is an opportunity not only to eliminate the tumor and the discomfort associated with it, but also to lead a full life without posing a threat to others. Warts are treated with special medications, instrumental removal methods, and sometimes you can resort to traditional medicine.
Medicines to treat heel warts
There are a wide variety of medications available to treat heel warts. They are divided into different groups according to their composition and characteristics of impact on the tumor and the virus that caused the disease.
Let's look at the main groups of funds:
- Acidic substances. These medications are available in pharmacies without a prescription and are generally inexpensive. They have a pronounced cauterizing effect. Salicylic acid gives good results. To remove warts on the heel, a solution with a concentration of 10-60% is required. The product must be applied once a day until the tumor is completely destroyed. This substance is not suitable for patients with diabetes and cancer. An analogue of salicylic acid is trichloroacetic acid.
- Alkaline products. These substances have approximately the same effect on pathological tissues as the previous ones. They also cauterize the wart and cause the diseased areas of the dermis to die. The most popular drug in this group causes tissue necrosis, therefore it must be used according to the instructions and with caution in relation to adjacent healthy tissues.
- Freezing drugs. Until recently, heel warts were only frozen in a hospital setting with liquid nitrogen. Now this procedure can be carried out at home using special pharmaceutical preparations. A mixture of dimethyl alcohol and propane has proven itself well. The refrigerant is liquid nitrogen. The product helps to remove warts on the heel and has a detrimental effect on the papilloma virus. The use of this medication also requires special care to avoid causing damage to healthy tissues.
- Antiviral creams, gels, ointments. These remedies are effective because they act directly on the cause of warts – HPV. Although most often a longer exposure to the tumor is required than in the case of aggressive cauterizing substances. One of the most effective medicines in this group is an ointment based on potato sprout extract. It has a herbal composition and helps to stimulate the production of interferon in the body, which hinders the recovery process of viruses and causes their rapid death.
- External immunomodulatory agents. They are quite effective when it comes to small warts on the heels. They help stimulate the local immune response and the body independently suppresses the virus. Interferon-based ointment is popular. Long-term application is required - for at least 4 weeks until a pronounced therapeutic effect appears.
- Antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs in tablets. If the concentration of HPV in the blood is high, the doctor may prescribe a course of immunomodulatory or antiviral therapy with oral tablets. This will suppress the pathogen from the inside, preventing the risk of relapse. This is especially important in immunodeficiency states.
If local cauterizing agents can be used independently to treat heel warts, following the instructions, oral medications should only be prescribed by the attending physician based on these tests.
Instrumental methods for removing warts on heels
Today there are several effective ways to remove heel warts using various devices. Modern clinics can offer a number of highly effective instrumental techniques with different costs:
- Electrocoagulation. Heel warts that have been progressing for a long time usually have roots deep in the dermis. Electrocoagulation does not involve deep penetration into soft tissues. Therefore, this method is used only to treat small and superficial formations. Additionally, electrocoagulation often leaves scars.
- Cryodestruction. One of the most popular methods for removing heel warts is to use liquid nitrogen. In addition, this is a fairly cheap method of influence. Scars rarely remain after manipulation. But the effectiveness of the method depends on the skill of the doctor, since it is necessary to accurately determine the depth of the growth roots before removing the wart on the heel. Otherwise, a recurrence of the tumor may occur. The operation is quick, as is the tissue regeneration period.
- Laser removal. One of the most modern and minimally invasive methods of treating pathological skin growths. Allows you to obtain a good cosmetic effect. The penetration depth of the laser beam can be easily adjusted, unlike liquid nitrogen. The procedure is short and practically painless. The heel wound also heals quickly and without complications. Recurrences after laser treatment of heel warts are almost excluded.
- Radio wave removal. In this case, the warts are cut out with a special radium knife. At the same time, blood vessels are cauterized to prevent the virus from spreading to healthy tissue and bleeding. After such an operation, there is also a short recovery period and practically no scars.
- Surgical excision. This method is considered obsolete, but is used in a number of cases. For example, when the growth is very large and additional histological examination of the removed tissue is necessary. The operation is quite painful, it is carried out under local anesthesia and the recovery period can last several weeks. Bleeding and inflammation are also possible. Scars often form. A relative advantage of this method of treating heel warts is its low cost.
The choice of how to treat a wart on the heel is up to the patient and the attending physician. Most often, the most gentle and minimally invasive techniques are selected - laser and radio wave removal of growths.
Folk remedies for warts on heels
If you have a wart on your heel and don't know what to do, you can try treating it with some substances at home. So, acetic acid, celandine juice, garlic juice, etc. are popular among "traditional healers". These remedies are less effective than pharmaceutical medications or instrumental methods. However, with regular application they can also have a positive effect. The main condition is not to stop treatment until the growth disappears completely.
Also, real help in the treatment of heel warts can be provided by an immunomodulatory effect on the body using folk methods. To do this, take decoctions of the following plants: rose hips, coltsfoot, hawthorn, mint, chamomile, lemon balm, black currant and raspberry leaves, calendula. These plants help boost immunity, especially in cold weather when there are not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. It is also useful to consume natural juices and various fruit juices and compotes.
Heel wart prevention
Preventing human papillomavirus infection is the most effective way to combat it. Therefore, respect personal hygiene rules, try not to use other people's objects and always wear replaceable shoes in public places.
If you have already been infected with HPV and have warts on your heels, start treating them immediately. After eliminating the growths, carefully monitor the condition of your feet.
If you have hyperhidrosis, only wear shoes made from natural, comfortable and breathable materials. If your feet are deformed, wear orthopedic shoes to relieve excess stress from your feet.
Do not forget about a hygienic pedicure, use moisturizing creams if the skin on your heels is dry. Avoid developing cracked heels. Simple prevention rules can prevent tumors from recurring.
Warts on the heels are potentially harmless neoplasms, but they can cause considerable discomfort to the patient because, as they grow, they put pressure on the tissue and cause pain. Furthermore, we must not forget that these are viral formations and therefore humans are the source of infection. Therefore, the treatment of warts on the heels should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.