19 Nov Warts: How To Get Rid of Them
Plantar warts—hard growths that usually appear on the bottom, heel, ball, sole or toes of your feet—are the extremely common growths resulting from the very contagious human papilloma virus, or HPV. The strain that causes warts on feet, however, is different from the strains that cause genital warts.
The good news: Plantar warts are harmless. In fact, without treatment, they may clear up on their own after approximately two years.
The not-so-good news: They can be unsightly, very painful and are contagious to not only you but to others as well. Scratching your warts can also sometimes cause them to bleed—yikes!
Causes
Plantar warts can be transmitted through shared shoes or shower floors and can be found on any dirty surface, especially if damp, like around pools. The virus is easily spread. Of course, those with weak immune systems are most likely to contract the virus, but even those with strong immune systems are susceptible. Children are more likely to contract warts than adults.
Appearance
Plantar warts can vary in size, from very small to fairly large; the longer the wart is present, usually the larger it becomes. Because of the nature of how the foot is used, the warts tend to be flattened out at the bottom of the foot. Sometimes, mosaic warts can develop—a condition where several warts form in a small cluster. You might note a small black dot at the center of a plantar wart; this is a blood vessel that has grown up into the wart.
Prevention
All warts are contagious, so the best way to successfully prevent them is naturally to avoid direct contact with surfaces that may have become infected. These include communal shower floors, changing rooms and benches. Wear flip-flops or sandals when visiting these areas and cover any warts with adhesive bandages before swimming.
Avoid sharing socks, shoes and towels and also refrain from touching any warts on other parts of your body.
Don’t stress out—warts are treatable!
Treatment
Over-the-counter remedies have inconsistent success rates and may take months to work—a considerably long time—and sometimes the warts can even become larger if not treated properly.
If your plantar wart is painful, give the folks at Cherrywood Foot Care a call. We have the tools and the expertise to painlessly remove the wart via state-of-the-art lasers or by freezing them off with liquid nitrogen.
Say good-bye once and for all to your wart-related pain!
[Read more about warts HERE]