Today we’re talking about how to detect, treat and how not to treat the common nuisance of plantar warts.
Do not try to pick, cut or grind the wart away. Doing so can cause other warts to appear elsewhere on your foot or fingers.
Many plantar warts eventually recede on their own, though they often take years to heal naturally.
If you want faster relief, seek treatment from a professional.
Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body.
There are two types of plantar warts:
- A solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional satellite warts.
- Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one area. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts.
Common treatments include:
- Topical or oral treatments
- Laser therapy
- Cryotherapy (freezing)
- Acid treatments
- Surgery to remove
The goal of treatment is to completely remove the wart, and some may return even after treatment. Do not use unproven treatment techniques. Many people attempt to cure warts with “folk” remedies or try removing warts themselves. Such attempts tend to have a placebo effect at best, and home-surgery can cause more harm than good.