The plantar wart is a growth on the skin of a viral nature, it is also called corn. From medical terminology, it is clear that such formations are localized on the soles of the feet and toes. From the point of view of oncological risk, they are not dangerous, but they cause a lot of discomfort in 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 quickly dies from sunlight, but feels great in high humidity conditions. Therefore, HPV infection most often 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 by 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 begins to actively multiply, provoking the appearance of warts of various localization on the skin. For their occurrence, it's just that 1, 2, 4, 27, and 57 subtypes of HPV are most often responsible.
Several predisposing factors contribute to the appearance of such formations:
- shoes too tight or oversized;
- frequent use of high heels;
- various foot deformities (including flat feet);
- various diseases of the joints of the feet (arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc. )
Warts on the leg are more common in people with excessive dry skin and hyperkeratosis.
Therefore, 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 on the state of immunity.
How plantar warts appear
A wart on the foot looks like a rounded skin growth. 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 with its root. The color may not differ from the surrounding skin or may be darker or lighter. Often such formations have a yellow or gray tint. Visually, when viewed inside the elements, you can see black dots or lines (they are also clearly visible in the photo). This is what the capillaries look like, in which blood clots have formed, due to the compression of the cornea vessels by the masses.
In the beginning, the plantar wart has a smooth surface. But over time it becomes hard, rough, thickened. It is the horny masses that give these warts their yellow color.
An important symptom of plantar warts is pain when compressed. Each phase inflicts severe acute pain on the patient.
These warts are very similar to plantar calluses. The similarity with a frame 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 on the corns it remains.
Diagnosis of plantar warts
A competent dermatologist will diagnose this disease based on a single clinical picture. In some cases, additional dermatoscopy is required. 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 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 and deep warts are surgically removed. At the same time, the old formations should first be softened with keratolytic agents.
External preparations to remove warts
In some cases, self-destruction of such formations is possible. But because the plantar wart hurts a lot, patients don't want to wait and make an effort to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Any remedy for plantar warts with a necrotizing effect is prescribed to remove small and superficial elements.
These products contain acids which coagulate skin proteins, causing necrosis. Medicines that contain refrigerant have a similar effect. But they cause necrotizing effects through tissue freezing, not through chemical damage.
All these drugs are applied punctually to training. It is necessary to strictly monitor that the substance does not fall on the surrounding tissues, as this will cause them to burn. After treatment, a wound will remain on the site of the former wart, which will be covered with a scab. After healing, it will fall by itself. You can carry out such treatment at home, but only as directed by a doctor.
In this way it is possible to remove only a small plantar wart with little penetration into the skin. For large elements, it is necessary 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 various ways to remove a plantar wart in surgery. Gentle methods are preferred:
- laser removal;
- radio wave knife;
- cryodestruction;
- electrocautery.
All these procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. Patients can go home literally minutes after completion, they just need to regularly treat the wound at home.
The safest and most effective methods of removing plantar warts are excision with a laser or radio wave knife. When they are done, 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 cryodestruction and electrocoagulation, so these methods of treatment have taken a back seat and are rarely used.
If the warts are large or old (covered with a large amount of horny masses), it is recommended to treat them with keratolytic agents for two weeks before the removal procedure. For this purpose, salicylic or acid ointment and other drugs are prescribed. In this way it is possible to exfoliate part of the horny scales, to make the formations softer and more flexible. This will make it easier and faster to remove the wart.
In rare cases, when there are many elements or there are doubts about their nature, the doctor may recommend surgical removal 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 precise indications.
Characteristics of plantar warts in children
In children over five years of age, plantar warts are quite common, as they often run barefoot, injure themselves and do not always follow the rules of personal hygiene. Malfunctions of immunity due to regular contact with sick children (in kindergartens and schools), which leads to an increased likelihood of warts.
Treatment of such formations in a child is better to begin with external agents. You can try exfoliating the superficial elements using a salicylic ointment, followed by pumice. Immunomodulatory drugs have proved effective. If 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 them occurring. To do this, it is necessary to act in two directions: eliminate predisposing factors and stimulate the body's defenses.
To achieve the first goal, you need:
- follow the rules of personal hygiene (do not walk barefoot in public places, wash your feet daily and promptly treat cuts and wounds);
- choose comfortable shoes according to the size;
- in time to prevent foot deformities and cure joint diseases.
A healthy lifestyle, playing sports, hardening, taking vitamin complexes and immunostimulating drugs as prescribed by a doctor will help keep the body's defenses at a good level.
In case of excessive dry skin and hyperkeratosis, it is recommended to have regular medical pedicures and peels. In case of excessive sweating of the legs, it is necessary to use special agents for the treatment of hyperhidrosis. By 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 the minimum risk of new relapses. To do this, you need to consult a dermatologist and strictly follow all his appointments and recommendations.