Almost everyone has either had or will have a wart develop in their lifetime. The type of wart you have will depend on where it’s located. The most painful kinds of warts are those that grow on your feet, known as plantar warts.

What Causes Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts result from a viral infection in your skin known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). The most common location is on the soles of your feet, and the virus usually enters the skin through small cuts.

When it comes to plantar warts, they can be painful because these raised bumps contain blood vessels, known as “wart seeds.” The bigger these warts grow, the more uncomfortable it will become to walk or stand. 

Treatments for Plantar Warts

How can you get rid of plantar warts? Plantar warts aren’t necessarily harmful and, while there are several home remedies and medications available, some cases might require a visit to your local podiatrist.

Home Remedies for Plantar Warts

There are a couple of things you can try at home to treat plantar warts, including:

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medications. You can find various topical OTC medications for warts at your local pharmacy in the form of gels, ointments, or lotions. These will usually include salicylic acid as part of the wart remover medication, which works by peeling the wart. OTC medications also include freezing sprays to kill the tissue. But keep in mind that these remedies work only about half the time.
• Duct tape. While it hasn’t been medically proven, some people have placed a small strip of duct tape over the wart. The idea is that it can help “peel away” the layers of the wart and decrease the oxygen supply to the virus causing the wart. So after about six days, you can remove the tape, soak the wart in water, and then debride it with a pumice stone. This process might need to be repeated multiple times and take a couple of months.
• Other remedies. Apart from those above, other remedies that can help with plantar warts include apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, milk thistle, and iodine.

Doctor Treatments for Plantar Warts

Home remedies have always proven to be less effective when it comes to treating HPV. When you visit your podiatrist, they will be able to offer one of the following treatments:

• Prescription medication. The best and first solution is stronger medications prescribed by your doctor. 
• Cryotherapy. Another option includes freezing the wart off with liquid nitrogen. Since plantar warts are deeper and harder to reach with the chemicals, you will require multiple treatments to remove the entire wart.
• Immunotherapy. Plantar warts result from the body’s immune system reacting to HPV, so immunotherapy involves applying or injecting medication to strengthen your immune system to fight off the virus. 
• Surgery. Usually, as a last resort, three types of surgery could be performed: electrosurgery, curettage, or laser surgery.

Canyon Oaks Foot and Ankle

If your plantar wart is getting worse and the pain makes your daily routines uncomfortable, contact the expert team of podiatrists at Canyon Oaks Foot and Ankle. We will be able to diagnose your condition and provide the best and quickest solution for plantar warts.

Schedule an appointment today!