Juliet Cohen

How to Remove Plantar Warts

Plantar warts affect females slightly more often than males. Plantar warts may occur at any age.

Warts are the most common infection of the skin caused by HPV virus. The virus grows in warm, moist environments, such as those created in a locker room or in your shoes when your feet perspire and the moisture is trapped. Plantar warts grow on the plantar, or bottom surface of the foot. Planter warts are caused by viral infection. The nasty little virus sneaks into your feet through cuts so small so as to avoid detection. Planter warts can spread quickly on your body, as well as to others. About 10 percent of teenagers have warts.

Although they are more common in children and teenagers. Risk factors include repeated HPV exposure (e.g., walking barefoot in public locker rooms and common bathing areas) and having a weakened immune system. In some cases, the virus can be transmitted to the feet from other areas of the body. Plantar warts can be destroyed with surgery, by freezing with liquid nitrogen, or with other chemicals. The CO2 laser is the most effective method for treating warts, but it is also the most expensive method. The treatment used on your plantar warts depends on their location and size, your type of skin, and medical judgment.

Lasers produce little scarring and are effective in most cases. Salicylic acid patches, applied on a daily basis, and good foot hygiene, including regular use of a pumice stone, are often all that is needed. Cryotherapy involves freezing warts with a very cold solution that destroys the virus and causes the wart to turn black and fall off within a few days. This treatment is ineffective in some cases. Topical application of dilute glutaraldehyde (a virucidal chemical, used for cold sterilization of surgical instruments) is an older effective wart treatment. To reduce your risk for getting plantar warts, be sure to wear shower thongs or sandals.

When you use a public locker room or shower. Use foot powders and change your socks frequently to keep the feet dry. Duct tape therapy" covered their warts in duct tape for six days, then soaked their warts in water, and gently rubbed warts with an emery board or pumice stone. Imiquimod cream is an immunotherapy medication that encourages your body to release immune system proteins to help ward off warts. You can apply this cream directly to your warts. Don't go barefoot in public areas. Wear shoes or sandals in public pools and locker rooms. Don't pick at warts. Picking may spread the virus.

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