Have you ever noticed a small, painful bump on the bottom of your foot and had no idea what it was or where it came from? It is quite probable that you were looking at a plantar wart. Plantar warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be contracted by walking barefoot in public areas, such as a pool, shower or locker room. Often times a wart will disappear on its own, however it can stick around for a year or two before vanishing. While they don’t usually pose any significant harm, plantar warts can be painful and make being on your feet very uncomfortable. If you have a wart and are looking to get rid of it, a local podiatrist can help you, or you can try some at-home methods. Below are a few of the methods commonly used for plantar warts removal:
- Salicylic acid – Salicylic acid is often an effective treatment for getting rid of warts, and there are many over the counter foot care products available that use this method. Salicylic acid can take a while to work, because it removes small layers of the wart bit by bit. It is usually a good first step to take when trying to get rid of a wart. If problems persist, however, you may need a stronger solution.
- Freezing – For more stubborn warts, you may need to visit your local podiatrist to have them frozen off. Freezing a wart involves applying liquid nitrogen to the affected area. After a little while, the wart, and dead skin around it, falls off. A few treatments may be necessary before the wart is completely removed.
- Plantar Wart Laser Treatment – Laser treatment for wart removal is usually only used if other methods have not worked, or if you have large or abundant warts. Doctors use a laser to burn the tissue around a wart, killing it. This method can be painful and has not been proven to be any more effective than other treatments.
These are just a few of the solutions for removing plantar warts from your feet. While it is not usually medically necessary to remove warts, they can still be uncomfortable, annoying and ugly. If over-the-counter or home remedies do not work for you, consider consulting a doctor for more treatment options. For more information see this: www.calgaryfootdoc.com
