Plantar Wart Removal Treatments Your Podiatrist Might Try

If you have a bumpy growth on the bottom of your foot, it could be a plantar wart. Plantar warts aren't always painful, but sometimes they can be depending on where they are located. They also have an appearance that is similar to other foot conditions such as a cancerous lesion, so it's a good idea to have your wart seen by a podiatrist even if it doesn't cause pain. Warts are caused by a virus and they can be difficult to get rid of. Here are some treatments a podiatrist might try.

Medications

Wart medications are usually applied in topical form, but they might also be injected. While you can buy over-the-counter wart remover, those preparations are not nearly as strong as what your podiatrist gives you. The medications work in different ways. Some cause a blister to form around the wart that causes the wart to loosen and fall away. Others cause layers of the wart to peel away until it's gone. The medications usually have to be applied multiple times and they may not be a good choice of treatment for all types of plantar warts.

Freezing

Liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze a wart so it slowly dies and falls off. These treatments may need to be repeated until all the wart is gone. If the wart is a deep one, this option might not be completely effective. Freezing can sometimes be painful in a sensitive area of your foot and your podiatrist may need to numb the area first. It will take a few days for the wart to fall off and you could be left with a small scar. Freezing is one of the more common treatments for plantar warts since it is usually effective and tolerated well.

Surgical Removal

Cutting out the wart is another way to get rid of it. However, your podiatrist has to consider the location of the wart because if it is in an area where you bear weight when you walk, the area could be painful after the surgery. Surgery can be done with an electrical instrument to minimize bleeding and it can often leave a scar. Another surgical option uses a laser to remove the wart. The laser might be directed at blood vessels to stop blood flow to the wart so it dies and shrivels off or the wart might be cut out with the laser.

Seeking treatment for a wart is important because they are so contagious. You could spread the virus to others in your family or if you touch the wart and touch another part of your body, it could cause warts to spread. Proper diagnosis of the growth and then removing it is a good way to deal with a plantar wart.

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