home Audience 1 How to treat warts on the feet: a description of self-removal techniques. Plantar wart: how to get rid of it at home. Causes of plantar warts Should a plantar wart be removed?

How to treat warts on the feet: a description of self-removal techniques. Plantar wart: how to get rid of it at home. Causes of plantar warts Should a plantar wart be removed?

Plantar warts are benign skin tumors of viral origin. They are detected in almost 10% of the world's population, mainly in young people. They do not pose a threat to life and have low oncopathogenicity.

However, to remove them, it is advisable to consult a doctor, giving preference to those recommended by official medicine and effective minimally invasive techniques. This tactic will minimize the risk of relapse and help prevent the development of complications.

What it is?

Plantar warts are benign epithelial tumors caused by human papillomavirus, of which more than 118 types have been identified. Each subtype may have a preference for certain areas of the body.

For example, plantar warts are more often caused by papillomavirus subtypes 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57, while anogenital warts are more often caused by viruses of subtypes 6 and 11. The papillomavirus is transmitted through direct skin contact, including from person to person, and can also may be acquired by walking barefoot on contaminated surfaces such as public restrooms, locker rooms, or dirty ground.
The virus can live for several months without a host, making it highly contagious. It attacks the skin during direct contact, penetrating through possible tiny cuts and abrasions in the stratum corneum (outer layer of skin). Once infected, warts may take several weeks or months to appear. Due to pressure on the foot and fingers, the wart can be pressed inward, and a stratum corneum can grow over it. Plantar warts can be painful if left untreated. Warts can spread through autoinoculation, infecting surrounding skin. In this way they can combine and form mosaic clusters.

As people age, they develop immunity, so the infection is more common in children than in adults.

Varieties

Medicine knows several types of skin growths called warts:

plantar (pinuses, “chicken butt”) - dense round growths on the bottom of the foot and toes;
filamentous - elastic thin growths that appear on the face and in the folds of the skin;
vulgar - small growths with a hemispherical hard surface, usually grow on the fingers and hands, but can appear on the knees and toes;
flat – protruding spots of a round shape, appear in adolescence;
senile warts (age-related keratomas) are dark spots covered with greasy scales that appear on the skin of people aged 40 years and older.
genital warts - elastic growths in the form of cones or cauliflower, affecting the mucous membranes of the intimate area and genitals;

Of all the listed types, only senile warts are caused by functional disorders in the skin.

What does a plantar wart look like: photo

The photo below shows how the disease manifests itself in people.

So, the symptoms are as follows:

When a plantar wart appears, it looks like a small callus, which over time begins to itch and hurt while walking.
After 10 - 20 days, this callus becomes rough on top, with black spots and keratinized skin around the edges.
The growth spreads into the skin, so when pressure is applied to it (while walking, rubbing with shoes), a pain appears that feels similar to a burning sensation.
Neoplasms can appear in a single copy and over time increase in size and number.

Although the causative agent of such skin formations is the same - HPV, it is easy to distinguish a wart from a papilloma by appearance and symptoms.

Diagnostics

Usually, to diagnose plantar growths, it is enough to contact a dermatologist and conduct a visual examination.

But sometimes you have to use additional methods:

To better examine the tumor, the dermatologist carefully scrapes off the upper keratinized scales. The presence of thrombosed capillaries confirms that it is a wart;
PCR diagnostics detects the presence of papilloma virus;
An ultrasound may be prescribed to determine the depth of the growth. His data will be needed to select a treatment method;
sometimes plantar growths resemble manifestations of syphilis. Then an examination for this disease is required.

Such extensive diagnostics are used only in complex cases.

Ways to remove plantar warts: top 5

The advent of modern methods for removing warts has replaced the traumatic scalpel.

Laser. A very common modern method. It acts in a targeted manner, eliminating the infected tissue without touching the healthy skin around the heel wart. At the moment, laser is the best mechanical means of getting rid of skin growths.
Cryotherapy. This method is widely used to treat many diseases. Liquid nitrogen freezes the affected tissue, which is subsequently renewed.
Electrocoagulation is based on eliminating formations by directing high-frequency currents at them. The process is quite painful, which requires local anesthesia.
Radio knife. Used for non-contact excision of large warts on the heel and other places. In parallel with the excision, the capillaries surrounding the wound are cauterized - this blocks the further spread of the virus through the bloodstream.
Surgery. Such intervention may be required if the warts on the legs have become very large and cause severe pain.

To get rid of tumors on the skin, various options are given - the only question is the availability of these methods in the patient’s area of residence.

Treatment at home

Procedures with folk remedies for warts on the feet are carried out before bed, with pre-steamed feet and for a long time. Protect your hands with latex gloves during manipulations from further spread of infection, disinfect all used devices and things to prevent infection of loved ones.

A list of folk methods considered effective for getting rid of warts on the feet:

Acetic acid can be used in different ways. It is recommended to steep the onion in acid for 2-3 hours, and then apply it overnight as a compress. You can drop acid with a pipette directly into the center of the formation. Traditional recipe: paste of flour and vinegar essence (70%).
Celandine juice is one of the best remedies. It is squeezed from the root area of the plant stem (orange juice); preferably recently dug. The juice is spread on the growths after steaming the foot in water with the addition of soda. The procedure should be carried out 2 times a day on a daily basis;
Aloe is used in the form of juice or compress, when a plant leaf cut longitudinally is applied to the warts and fixed with a bandage. The procedure is carried out before bed every day.
Garlic is used by daily rubbing the affected area or as a compress. In the latter case, squeezed garlic is applied to the steamed legs, and the foot is wrapped in a bandage. Treatment is carried out daily for 3-4 weeks.
Dandelion (juice) should be used when removing small young growths;
Rowan berry pulp is used in a similar way to dandelion.

The most common pharmaceutical remedy for plantar warts is salicylic acid. It is applied in a specific order. Every day, the feet are kept in warm water for 10 minutes and dried. The affected area is rubbed with a pumice stone to exfoliate dead tissue. After this, salicylic acid is applied and a bandage is applied to the foot. Using a pumice stone daily removes wart tissue that has been softened by the acid. The course of treatment is 3 months. To facilitate treatment, adhesive bandages with salicylic impregnation are sold - Galmanin, Mozolin, Urgokor. This bandage is applied for 2 days.

Forecast

The appearance of a plantar wart is not a reason to panic. Many people encounter them. And the prognosis for this disease in most cases is favorable, since the majority of patients succeed in removing plantar warts. You can completely get rid of even multiple and long-existing uncomfortable growths on the feet.

A high risk of relapse and the appearance of multiple growing secondary warty rashes is observed only in people with immunodeficiency conditions. Therefore, they are prescribed complex treatment, including, along with removal of the formation, the use of immunomodulatory and antiviral agents, ozone therapy and even hypnotherapy. This allows you to effectively prevent relapses of the disease.

In addition, more than 30% of plantar warts disappear on their own within a few months, even without the use of radical removal methods. Such spontaneous resolution is usually observed in patients with a sufficiently strong immune response and the absence of underlying dermatological disorders on the feet.

Prevention

The need for treatment of plantar warts is obvious, but do not forget about preventive measures:

Avoid tight, uncomfortable shoes.
Mandatory adherence to personal hygiene rules.
Treatment of the slightest damage to the skin of the foot (wounds and abrasions).
The use of individual special shoes in public places, such as a swimming pool, bathhouse, sauna, etc.
Maintain pH levels with foot moisturizers.
Taking vitamins.

Since the main cause of this disease is a virus, the main preventive measures are aimed at maintaining immunity. Therefore, the main recommendations are a healthy lifestyle and personal hygiene.

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Warts are quite widespread and affect the skin of people of different ages and both sexes with approximately the same frequency. These formations on the surface of the skin are rather ugly externally bulges, painted in various colors and shades - from natural flesh to black. Warts, as a rule, do not pose any serious danger, but their appearance disfigures the surface of the skin. It is for reasons of aesthetics that many people want to get rid of unsightly formations on the body. Warts can be located on any part of the body, including the genitals, in folds of skin or on the soles of the feet.

Characteristics of plantar warts

Plantar warts(verruca plantaris) are one of the varieties of simple warts that are located on the plantar part of the foot.

The plantar wart is classified as a separate subtype of simple warts based on its location and callosity. In fact, such a wart is a neoplasm of epithelial cells on the surface of the skin with a benign course. The tumor nature of a plantar wart is determined by the fact that it consists of overgrown cells of the epidermis and the papillary layer of the skin. The course of a plantar wart is exclusively benign, that is, cancerous degeneration is not observed.

Synonyms of the term

The plantar wart has another synonymous name: horny wart - verruca cornea, in addition to this you can often hear a very common “folk” name - spiny. The term “plantar” reflects the location of this type of wart.

Type and manifestations of plantar warts

Plantar warts have a characteristic appearance: gray, pale, yellow, brownish-brown or normal skin color, rounded in shape, and inside the circle there are layers of keratinized epithelium or depressions with growths on the surface in the form of small papillomas. The recesses of the plantar wart have the appearance of a crater. The surface of the wart itself is rough to the touch with a porous (spongy) structure. A similar wart structure develops as the disease progresses, and at the beginning of its appearance, the formations look like a small shiny ball on the skin. When the top layer of the wart is cut away, small, rounded black “grains” become visible, which are clogged blood vessels containing blood clots. The wart can protrude 1-3 mm above the surface or be flush with the skin.

Plantar warts can be single or numerous. Next to a large wart, several small ones can form, that is, self-infection and spread of the virus occurs. Several warts can merge into one and form a so-called mosaic structure.

Warts can be extremely painful, especially when walking, often itch, and also cause discomfort when wearing any shoes.

Features of plantar warts in children

In children, these manifestations are almost always painful when walking. The wart itself remains flat and is sometimes surrounded around the perimeter by an area of dead skin, which will allow this formation to be differentiated from calluses. In the center of the plantar wart, dark dots may appear, which are blood vessels clogged with blood clots.

What is it necessary to distinguish plantar warts from?

The diagnosis of a plantar wart is made based on examination. Plantar warts must be distinguished from calluses, Reiter's syndrome and syphilides. The main differences between warts and similar formations are presented in the table.

Human papillomavirus is the cause of the development of plantar warts

Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus. To date, about 70 types of human papillomavirus have been identified. The human papillomavirus affects the skin, most often the arms and legs, but can lead to the formation of warts on the head under the hair or on the mucous membranes of the genitourinary organs and gastrointestinal tract (mainly in the mouth, larynx, and intestines). The human papillomavirus affects strictly defined parts of the body, depending on the type. For example, plantar warts develop under the influence of human papillomavirus types 1, 2 and 4, simple warts - 1, 2, 4 and 7. Moreover, type 1 papillomavirus leads to the development of deep plantar warts, type 2 - to mosaic warts, type 4 - to small formations . Spines make up about a third of all warts.

The human papillomavirus is not inherited. However, features of the individual functioning of the immune system are genetically transmitted from parents to children, which may predetermine the greater sensitivity of some people to human papillomaviruses. It is known that women who are carriers of the human papillomavirus give birth to children with warts on the neck in the area of the projection of the larynx.

Routes of infection with human papillomavirus
Infection with the human papillomavirus occurs through contact with a carrier - a person or animal. The virus can remain in the skin in an inactive state for quite a long time and become activated when a malfunction of the immune system develops. The virus enters the bloodstream, that is, infection, when there are scratches, cuts or other microtraumas on the surface of the skin.

Who is at risk of infection?

A high risk of infection with the human papillomavirus is observed in people who, due to their professional activities, can often injure their skin. These potentially hazardous occupations in relation to the human papillomavirus include the following:

Meat processing plant employees

Fish processing plant employees

Builders

People who frequently shave their legs, arms and other body parts

People often become infected with the human papillomavirus when visiting swimming pools, since the wet surfaces of tiles and concrete easily injure the skin. Through these microtraumas, the human papillomavirus enters the blood.

Also at risk for infection with the human papillomavirus are people with weakened immune systems. This risk group includes patients with the following pathological conditions:

Cancer patients

Persons with transplanted organs and tissues of donor origin

Patients undergoing treatment with special drugs that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants)

People who are allergic to anything

People who started having sex early

Preventing infection with plantar warts

Virus carriage. Conditions of the body that contribute to the manifestation of the disease

Thus, the likelihood of the appearance of plantar warts increases significantly under the following conditions of the human body:

Stress or trauma

Vegetoneurosis

Acrocyanosis

Reduced resistance (resistance to infections)

Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) of the soles

Koebner phenomenon - rapid spread

Removal – when should it be done?

That is, if a wart interferes with and disrupts the normal functioning of parts of the body or represents a serious cosmetic defect, then, of course, it is worth removing the formation.
Plantar warts must be removed because they are subject to mechanical stress due to their location on the foot, which leads to overgrowth. The growth of plantar warts can be very extensive if a single formation is not treated in time. In children, plantar warts, as a rule, go away on their own within 1-1.5 years, so they do not require treatment. If a child's plantar wart begins to grow or bleed, then it must be removed.

An interesting feature of plantar warts is the difficulty of their removal compared to other types of similar formations localized on other parts of the body. Surgical removal of plantar warts leaves large, long-lasting scars and does not guarantee a complete cure. After warts are removed by surgical methods, they often develop again in the same place after some time (usually after several years).

Removal methods

All modern methods used to treat plantar warts can be divided into three large groups

Destructive (destructive) methods

Methods of treatment with caustic acids

Chemical treatment methods

The treatment method must be chosen individually, guided by the characteristics of a particular plantar wart. The location of the wart, its size and the degree of growth should be taken into account. The basic principle when deciding on wart removal and the method of intervention is contained in the old medical rule: “Do no harm!” In some cases, it is generally better to leave the wart without treatment, since it is localized in a place on the foot that bears a large load. In this situation, removal of the plantar wart will provoke the formation of an extensive scar with subsequent recurrence of formation in the central part of the scar. If it is not possible to remove a plantar wart, it should be regularly treated with special means to prevent it from increasing in size and to prevent the formation of growths.
Destructive methods of treating warts include the following::

Exposure to liquid nitrogen

Exposure to laser radiation

Surgical removal

Destructive methods are used to remove persistent plantar warts. All methods of exposure are accompanied by pain for a short period of time.
The following caustic acids can be used to remove plantar warts::

Acetic acid

Cantaradin

Caustic acids are great for removing small plantar warts. Acids can leave scars, and when used, cause a local chemical burn, which leads to the death of the plantar wart itself.
Chemicals that can be used to treat plantar warts:

Bleomycin

Tritenoin

Glutaraldehyde

Cimetidine

Retinoids

Side effects that develop after removal by various methods

Side effects may develop after plantar wart removal. There are four main side effects that are caused by different plantar wart removal methods. So, let's look at the main side effects that occur when removing plantar warts:

Scarring

Bubbles

Allergic reaction

Pigmentation disorders such as intensification or discoloration

X-ray radiation for the treatment of plantar warts is considered ineffective, since it increases the susceptibility of tissues to relapses and subsequent re-infections.

Pregnant women can only use topical treatments to remove plantar warts and should avoid chemotherapy

A characteristic feature of the development of blisters as a side effect after treatment of a plantar wart is their location in the shape of a concentric circle (the so-called “witch’s circle”).

Unfortunately, today none of the methods guarantees a complete cure of plantar warts, which is explained by their viral origin. Therefore, there are no objective methods to prevent the recurrence of plantar warts. To understand whether the wart has been completely removed, you should examine the pattern on the surface of the skin where the wart was located before treatment. So, if the normal lines of the skin pattern are restored, then the cure is complete and the likelihood of relapse is negligible, and if the pattern is absent, then additional intervention is necessary to completely remove the plantar wart.

When the first signs of a plantar wart appear, consult a specialist to determine the optimal method for removing the formation and preventing their number from increasing (proliferation). In order not to suffer for a long time with the removal of plantar warts, follow the rules of personal hygiene and apply possible preventive measures. Remember that it is always easier to prevent any pathology than to cure it later.

Ugly formations on the body have troubled humanity since ancient times. A foot wart is a skin disease caused by a virus. People with skin defects were avoided for fear of infection, and when they noticed a tumor on the sole or other part of the body, they tried to remove it as quickly as possible. What people don’t do to their plantar warts is to make them disappear forever. Until now, dermatologists are looking for the most effective and painless method of combating the disease.

What is a wart

The human papillomavirus provokes a benign or cancerous DNA mutation in skin cells. The body is covered with papillomas, condylomas, papules. More than a hundred types of HPV have been studied. A wart is a skin growth that signals the presence of the first or third types of papilloma virus in the body. Neoplasms are potentially non-carcinogenic, but extremely infectious due to the survivability of the pathogen in the external environment.

What does a wart on the leg look like?

The plantar neoplasm has a round shape with clear edges measuring a couple of millimeters or centimeters. Black dots of clogged capillaries are visible in the center. On the foot they look like old dry calluses that have grown into the skin. The pain from a plantar lump occurs not under direct pressure, but when compressed. Characteristically, there are no papillary lines on the foot.

Causes of plantar warts

Cases of HPV disease increase during unprotected sexual intercourse. The virus penetrates through microcracks in the mucous membranes of the genital organs. For some, HPV passes through “transit”, while others are less fortunate - the virus lingers in the body without making itself known for a long time. Dermatologists do not rule out that the appearance of papillomas on the surface of the feet is facilitated by immune disorders and previous infectious diseases.

Walking barefoot in public places: bathhouse, swimming pool, body care salons, shared bathrooms, on the beach, trying on shoes on bare feet are the most common causes of plantar warts. The virus is viable outside its carrier and “lurks in wait for the victim” on towels, tiles, washcloths, furniture, guest slippers, etc. The infection is attracted by dense, stretched areas of skin on the plantar surfaces and palms, where the papilloma virus enters through minor injuries.

Warts on the feet of children

Children are restless and often get injured. Parents may not be aware of the presence of HPV in the child’s body, acquired through cuts and abrasions. When the immune system weakens, the virus becomes active and papilloma appears on the leg. Painful methods of dealing with warts on the legs of children are often contraindicated and poorly tolerated. Often, a child’s body copes with this foot skin disease on its own.

Types of warts on the feet

Warts are a collection of skin formations caused by papilloma. Depending on the external manifestation and impact on human health, the following types of warts are classified:

vulgar (ordinary) - round keratinized blisters;
flat – a rash in the form of spots raised above the skin;
filamentous (acrochords) – elongated with “ragged” edges, formed in the folds of the body;
genital warts - resembling a rooster's comb;
senile (keratomas) – occurring in older people, not associated with HPV.

Wart formations are localized throughout the body, on internal organs, and in the oral cavity. Warts on the feet are called plantar warts and are a type of common wart. One of the types includes well-shaped ones, which are a depression pressed into the skin, characterized by rapid growth. The appearance of subungual growths slightly raises the nail plate.

Treatment of plantar warts

It is dangerous to neglect treatment of plantar warts. New growths on the feet are constantly injured. They are removed to stop the appearance of new growths and infections. There is no way to completely cure HPV. Treatment boils down to turning the disease into “sleep mode.” Medicinal, surgical, immunomodulatory removal of plantar warts is available using alternative medicine.

The disadvantage of treating plantar growths is their location: the large stratum corneum of the epidermis makes it difficult to deliver active substances to the depths of the formation on the foot. In preparation for therapy, the top layer of the growth is soaked and exfoliated. Traditionally, treatment for foot warts begins with the use of salicylic acid. The wart on the foot is steamed daily for three months in a bath, disinfected, then the softened top layer is peeled off with pumice, salicylic acid is applied, and a patch is applied.

Pharmacy chains advise how to get rid of warts on the leg using medications containing celandine, phenol, and trichloroacetic acid. The drugs cause tissue necrosis, relieving the patient of the deficiency, but leave a mark on the healing of a deep wart wound. Each disease is individual to varying degrees, so before choosing a method for removing a wart on the sole of the foot, you should seek the opinion of a doctor.

Ointment

Depending on the method of exposure, there are necrotizing, antiviral, and herbal ointments. In the first case, the acid or alkali in the ointment base cauterizes the painful growth and leaves a scar. At home, to treat feet, you can use liquid solutions: “Solcoderm” with acetic, nitric, oxalic, and lactic acids and “Superchistotel” with potassium and sodium hydroxides. To avoid burns, the surface of the neoplasm is treated strictly.

Antiviral ointment for warts on the foot is used to treat the growth itself and the area around it to reduce the growth of infection. Oxolinic, tebrophenic, fluorouracil, interferon ointments are used. Plant components only affect skin formation. The “Mountain Celandine” balm with an applicator and kolhamin ointment are known for their effectiveness in treating feet.

Modern removal methods

The advent of modern methods for removing warts has replaced the traumatic scalpel. Similar to a surgeon's knife, an electrocoagulator burns out a tumor on the foot with an electric current. After the removal procedure with laser or radio waves, a depression remains on the foot. Healing takes several weeks. Exposure to liquid nitrogen is considered a very painful treatment and requires multiple treatments. In 2014, British dermatologists published material about the latest method of therapy using antigen injections. It will help patients who are resistant to existing treatments.

Folk remedies

Garlic is known for its antibiotic properties. The upper coarsened layer of the new growth on the sole is cut off and a thin clove of garlic is applied.
You can make an “anti-wart dough”. It is mixed from finely grated garlic, vinegar, wheat flour, laid on the surface of the new growth and sealed with a band-aid. After a few days, the dough is removed along with the growth.
Apply an onion infused in vinegar to the foot, or you can rub the growth with vinegar, then apply a fresh onion.
You can fill the formation with the juice of medicinal plants: celandine, Kalanchoe, calendula, milkweed, dandelion, golden mustache, or apply a cut of apple, rowan, fig, potato, horseradish, cabbage. The procedure is carried out daily and lasts from several weeks to months until the growth disappears.
You can apply wood ash diluted in water until creamy.
The growth is sprinkled with powdered chalk and wrapped with a bandage. The compress should not be wet.
Birch and willow bark, containing salicyl, have proven themselves well in treatment. The bark is applied to the foot, softened in advance with boiling water.
Hot foot baths with sea salt, soda, laundry soap, tea tree oil or spruce decoction help in the treatment of foot disease. Medications can be mixed or alternated.
Applications of wormwood decoction are used. Brew 3 tablespoons of dry wormwood herb in a glass of boiling water and leave for at least 2 hours.

Video: Removing warts on the foot

Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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A plantar wart is a skin tumor formed due to the activity of the human papillomavirus. Most often it appears on the heels and balls of the toes, i.e., on the places that are the supporting points of the foot. When walking, pressure is applied to the warts, which can cause them to turn into calluses.

Visually, these neoplasms look like bulges. Their colors can vary from natural flesh to abnormal black. In the photo, plantar warts are shown in different versions.

The virus is transmitted by contact between healthy and sick people or through objects contaminated with it. Fertile ground for the virus to multiply is a warm, humid environment, typical of such common areas as a shower room, gym, swimming pool.

As the skin of a healthy person comes into contact with an infected surface, the virus enters the body through cuts and scrapes on the extremities. It is noteworthy that the incubation period of HPV has a wide range - it ranges from several weeks to several months. Its end is marked by the appearance of one or more warts. People with weakened immune systems and children of early and teenage age are especially susceptible to the effects of a harmful virus.

Warts on the sole of a child

The causes of plantar warts in children may include the following:

direct contact with an HPV carrier;
visiting public places with high humidity;
using the personal belongings of an infected person; most often, children become infected through toys.

Treatment of plantar warts in a child can be difficult due to their growth in groups and masses, which is due to the concentration of viral foci. The lack of timely and correct treatment of tumors threatens their growth inward.

You can recognize a wart on the sole of a child by a number of signs. These are neoplasms up to 1 centimeter in size, matching the color of healthy skin and having no skin pattern. It happens that the growths differ from the surrounding skin in a light brown or yellowish color.

By the absence of a skin pattern and the growth surrounded by black dots, it is judged that the child’s body is affected by HPV.

Often, warts disappear from the foot on their own, without any treatment, but this can take up to 2 years. Indications for immediate removal of the growth are its growth or bleeding.

Before insisting on surgery, a specialist must differentiate a plantar wart from calluses, syphilides and Reiter's syndrome.

The method of removing the growth is selected in each individual case and taking into account the location of the tumor, its size and degree of growth. Warts are often eliminated through treatment with caustic acids, chemicals, or destruction.

Modern methods of removing plantar warts

Plantar warts that are small in size and formed in a single copy are the easiest to treat (removing groups of large growths is often a labor-intensive undertaking).

Patients suffering from diabetes, people with weak immunity and with damaged nerves in the lower extremities, any treatment for warts should be carried out under strict medical supervision. For these categories of patients, specialists first offer the most painless techniques that do not have side effects and do not leave scars or scars.

In the presence of plantar warts, treatment can be carried out using the following methods:

1. Cryotherapy, that is, freezing or treating the growth with liquid nitrogen. Under the influence of this substance, a blister appears around the wart, and necrotic tissue peels off over the next 7 days. Some patients experience this procedure quite painfully. Blisters remaining after cryotherapy are no less uncomfortable, although they disappear on their own.

2. The use of cantharidin - a liquid substance made from Spanish fly and containing salicylic acid. The product is absolutely harmless, so it is suitable for treating plantar warts in children.

But for this procedure, it is worth noting the same pain and tendency to form blisters, which can appear a few hours or a day after the manipulation. The procedure ends with the application of a bandage and the doctor giving a recommendation regarding the application of a salicylic patch during the week following healing. Final healing of the treated area occurs in 5–10 days.

3. When removing plantar warts, a laser cauterizes the microscopic blood vessels running through the growths. After some time, the infected tissue dies, and the neoplasm itself falls off. Pulsed laser therapy may leave scars.

4. Excision of warts with a scalpel or electric needle is carried out after anesthesia of the treated area. This technique is used as a last resort due to the high risk of scar formation.

Video: how to use Wartner Cryo to remove plantar warts.

How to remove a wart from the sole at home

How to get rid of plantar warts using improvised means?

1. To treat children, you can use regular raw potatoes. It is cut into 2 halves and rubbed on the affected area (daily).

2. Green apples also have a high healing effect. The juice is squeezed out of the fruit and the growths are moistened with it. The first results will be noticeable after 10 procedures (manipulations should be carried out daily).

3. At home, plantar warts can also be removed by applying compresses of crushed wild garlic bulbs to them. Before the procedure, the skin surrounding the growth is lubricated with nourishing cream or Vaseline. The course of treatment lasts 7 days and ends with a hot foot bath and scraping the wart with a pumice stone.

4. This is how you use apple cider vinegar to remove warts. After generously soaking a cotton pad in vinegar, bandage it tightly to the tumor and mark it for 30 minutes. After time, the compress is removed, and the limb is placed in a hot bath prepared with the addition of chamomile infusion. It is obtained by brewing 5 tbsp. l. dry inflorescences of the plant in 1 liter of boiling water. The treatment course with 20-minute baths lasts 2 – 3 weeks. Each nightly procedure ends with lightly rubbing the wart with a pumice stone and rinsing it with running water.

How to remove or get rid of warts on the legs at home: folk and medical remedies

Often people turn to dermatologists with complaints of rough and hard growths that have arisen on the soles or toes. These could be calluses or warts.

To determine the type of disease, doctors examine painful lumps and, based on characteristic signs and test results, make an accurate diagnosis.

Let's talk about plantar warts, which are popularly called or "chicken butts", and how to remove a wart on the leg at home.

Read our article about how to remove warts on legs at home.

What it is?

Plantar warts– a type of common wart (vulgar):

These are round or oval plaques that protrude from the skin of the bottom of the feet.
Sometimes dense, inelastic nodules hide inward under pressure on the sole and toes.
Young warts have a smooth top, while mature ones have an uneven, rough, dense top. They stand out in color - gray-dirty or yellow.
Inside the seals there are black dots - thrombosed capillaries.
The appearance of warts is the result of infection with human papillomavirus.
The virus penetrates the skin through lesions and manifests itself as warts - non-cancerous tumors.
Individual plaques can merge into a mosaic cluster.

How and where can you get infected?

How does the infection enter the body? Infection happens:

when the skin of a healthy person and a patient come into contact;
while walking barefoot in public bathrooms, locker rooms, or on dirty ground.

The growths do not appear immediately. The virus may lie dormant for several weeks or months.

Treatment at home

Sometimes plaques disappear on their own, but they still need to be treated: so that they don’t get sick, disappear faster, don’t infect the skin of other people, and don’t degenerate into malignant formations.

Warts on the legs: treatment at home or in medical institutions? Modern methods of getting rid of nodules are varied.

Important! For diagnosis and recommendations for treatment, you should definitely contact a dermatologist.

How to get rid of warts on feet at home? Treatment from plantar papillomas Houses carried out with medications and folk remedies.

Medications

Let's get acquainted with some antiviral medications and the features of their use outside a medical institution.

Salicylic acid

The readily available drug is treated in the following order:

keep feet in warm water for 5-10 minutes, dry;
clean off dead cells with pumice, sandpaper or a blade, wash off, blot;
moisten the damage with an acid solution and dry;
apply the medicine again;
apply a synthetic film or rubberized fabric, strengthen it with a bandage or adhesive plaster.

Before the next treatment, carefully remove the white coating. Carry out the procedure once a day until the skin turns pink.

You can use products based on salicylic acid: salicylic ointment, Salipod patch, Collomak drug.

Important! After treating warts with instruments, it is prohibited to use them to care for healthy skin.

Ferezol solution

Apply with a wooden stick or toothpick so as not to burn healthy skin.

soften the wart in a hot bath with soda and soap;
cut off the hard layer of skin;
lubricate the skin around the growth with cream or Vaseline;
apply the drug - do not wet or lubricate the skin after the procedure for 24 hours.

You can repeat the procedure in a week.

Reference! Similar medications: verrucatsid, solcoderm, Vartek, condiline.

CryoPharma

A modern remedy instantly freezes the nodule and destroys it. The wart disappears in 10 days.

Can be reused after two weeks.

Ointment "Oxolinic"

It disrupts the functioning of the virus inside the wart.

Apply 2-3 times a day for a period of 2 weeks to 2 months.

Tablets "Groprinosin"

The antiviral drug is taken 3-4 times a day after meals for 5 days. If necessary, repeat the course.

WARNER®

The gel, which is based on concentrated trichloroacetic acid, destroys the virus in infected areas of the skin, and the plaque tissue peels off. After stripping, the skin is completely restored.

Important! Before using medications, you must carefully study the instructions for use.

ethnoscience

How to remove a wart on the leg at home? We offer a selection of products advertised on forums.

Fir branches with cones

Fill a five-liter saucepan one-third full with spruce branches with cones and boil for 10 minutes.
Place the branches with cones in a basin, pour in some of the broth, dilute with water to a tolerable temperature.
Place your feet in the bath, move your feet along branches and cones, performing a kind of massage.
Add the broth as the water cools until it’s all gone.

Perform the procedure 3 times a week at intervals of one or two days. Disappears after 10-11 sessions.

Raw meat

Steam your foot in hot water and soda.
Cut off the soft surface of the growth.
Wipe dry, apply a piece of raw meat, bandage it, do not wet it.
Check after three or four days. Clean off the top layer. The wart should fall out with its roots.

If necessary, repeat treatment.

Nail polish, glue BF-6

Tea tree oil

Apply tea tree oil from warts. It is a very effective remedy against chicken jowl warts.

Sold in pharmacies, it comes in various concentrations. It's better to choose 100% oil, then dilute it with water or aloe vera.

To avoid causing skin irritation, treatment should be carried out as follows:

dilute 100% oil with water or aloe vera one to one, apply to the wart;
if there is no irritation, the concentration can be increased; if it appears, it can be reduced.

Lubricate the growths 2 times a day, apply gauze on top, and strengthen with a band-aid. The course of treatment is 2-4 weeks, sometimes 3-4 months.

Prevention

To resist the virus, you must:

strengthen immunity;
maintain foot hygiene;
fight dry and sweaty extremities;
wear loose shoes;
do not use other people’s slippers, towels, files, scissors;
avoid stress.

Remember: warts are a manifestation of a viral infection. Take them seriously.

What to do if a plantar wart appears

Among all the varieties of warts, plantar warts are perhaps the most unpleasant.

In addition to their very unsightly appearance, they also cause discomfort comparable to the feeling of stepping on a small pebble with your bare foot.

What can cause a plantar wart to grow, how to avoid its appearance or get rid of it quickly? Let's take a closer look.

Varieties

Medicine knows several types of skin growths called warts:

vulgar– small growths with a hemispherical hard surface, usually growing on the fingers and hands, but can appear on the knees and toes;
flat– protruding spots of a round shape, appear in adolescence;
plantar(spikes , « chicken butt") - dense round growths on the bottom of the foot and toes;
filiform– elastic thin growths that appear on the face and in the folds of the skin;
genital warts– elastic growths in the form of cones or cauliflower, affecting the mucous membranes of the intimate area and genitals;
senile Warts (age-related keratomas) are dark spots covered with greasy scales that appear on the skin of people aged 40 years and older.

Of all the listed types, only senile warts are caused by functional disorders in the skin.

All other growths are of viral origin.

Photo

Locations

A wart can appear on any part of the human body, including mucous membranes.

Internal organs were no exception. Papillomas (the same warts) are found on the bladder and in the ducts of the mammary glands.
These growths are least common on the back, on the outer side of the thighs and lower legs, shoulder and forearm, and scalp. All other areas in contact with objects of the surrounding world or people can equally become their target.
Very often, skin growths are localized on the face, neck, hands and legs. Here you can find vulgar, flat warts and spines. Plantar warts are named so because they appear on the foot. But there are cases when similar growths affect the fingers.
Skin folds have favorable conditions for the development of warts - warmth and moisture. Therefore, thin, thread-like growths can be found here.
Genital warts, in addition to the penis and vagina, can grow on the labia, perineum, around and inside the anus.

Causes of plantar warts

The causes of plantar and other types of warts have long been discovered by scientists.

This is the human papillomavirus (HPV).

It penetrates the skin cell, inserts its genome into its nucleus and causes it to change functions.

Outside the human body, the virus quickly dies. But heat and high humidity can prolong its viability.

Therefore, a common route of infection with plantar warts is the floor, benches and handrails in swimming pools, common showers, and baths.
At the same time, walking barefoot on the beaches does not threaten the appearance of plantar growths. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the virus dies instantly.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the likelihood of infection include the following:

foot skin injuries;
weakened immunity.

If the sole is protected by shoes, this does not at all exclude its injury.

Photo: wearing tight shoes made of artificial fabrics contributes to infection

On the contrary, tight, uncomfortable shoes cause coarsening of the skin of the feet and cause congestion.

Microcracks may appear on it, which take longer to heal under such conditions.
And if your feet also sweat a lot, then the conditions for the development of the virus are most favorable.

In this case, immunity can have its say.

It has been noticed that a healthy body, not weakened by diseases or other unfavorable factors, can resist the virus for a very long time and prevent the formation of growths.

Whereas someone who is struggling with other diseases or is under constant nervous tension gives up very quickly.

Are they dangerous?

For the most part, warts are harmless; they very rarely develop into malignant tumors.

But growths on the mucous membranes tend to provoke changes in the surrounding tissues, which can then turn into cancer. Therefore, if they are detected, it would be useful to visit a doctor, at least for your own peace of mind.
The main danger from plantar warts is pain when walking. If the wart gets bigger, the pain will increase.

It can go away on its own, but few people want to wait for it. Mostly, people quickly consult a doctor or try to remove it on their own.

Symptoms

The manifestations of plantar warts increase gradually.

Photo: this is what a plantar wart looks like

Initially, a small lump appears on the foot, which many people mistake for a callus or corn.
Then a rough area forms in its center.
The edges of the wart begin to rise slightly above the skin in the form of a roller formed by keratinized skin cells.
A person may experience itching because the hard growth puts pressure on the receptors of the surrounding skin, irritating them. Pain is associated with a thick layer of skin compaction. When walking, the wart, which grows quite deeply inward, compresses the nerve endings, so the pain when walking is sharp, stabbing.
Black dots can be seen among the thin growths in the center of the wart. These are small blood vessels that were located deep in the skin, but were crushed by the growing wart.

Should I go to the doctor?

In principle, you can deal with the thorn on your own at home, and if it doesn’t bother you, then just wait. Perhaps the growth will go away on its own.

But in some situations it is better to consult a specialist.

Photo: examination and dermatoscopy of growths on the foot

This is especially necessary if:

the wart causes discomfort when walking;
hurts or manifests itself in other sensations;
the size of the growth exceeds 1 cm in diameter;
several daughter outgrowths appeared next to the first one;
you have doubts that it is a wart.

In all these cases, home methods may not be effective.

Diagnostics

Usually, to diagnose plantar growths, it is enough to contact a dermatologist and conduct a visual examination.

But sometimes you have to use additional methods:

To better examine the tumor, the dermatologist carefully scrapes off the upper keratinized scales. The presence of thrombosed capillaries confirms that it is a wart;
PCR diagnostics detects the presence of papilloma virus;
An ultrasound may be prescribed to determine the depth of the growth. His data will be needed to select a treatment method;
sometimes plantar growths resemble manifestations of syphilis. Then an examination for this disease is required.

Such extensive diagnostics are used only in complex cases.

Video: “Plantar wart - laser treatment”

Treatment

Treatment of plantar growths, like other warts, is best done comprehensively.

Of course, the main thing in it is removal.

Why do flat warts appear on the face?

How to remove a wart on a finger? Find out here.

But to prevent relapses, we must not forget about antiviral drugs.

You should also act in other directions: improve your diet with healthy foods and strengthen hygiene procedures.

Medication

Some pharmaceutical products are very good for removing growths on the foot.

There are several groups of such drugs:

antiviral. Effective only for young growths or in the treatment of children. They help to gently remove the wart without leaving scars;
necrotizing. These are Ferezol, Verrukacid, Solcoderm. Plus, they are short or even one-time use, and the effectiveness is quite high. To apply the products, use either the included applicators or cotton swabs or wooden swabs. Contact with healthy skin should be avoided;
keratolytic. They dissolve the coarsened hard layers of the growth and promote its gradual exfoliation. Usually these are products based on salicylic acid, but may also contain other acids and alkalis: Supercleaner, Collomak, Duofilm, Wartner pen applicator, Salicylic acid, Salicylic ointment;
drugs with cryotherapy effect. These are Cryopharma and Wartner Cryo - aerosols containing a freezing substance. Specially designed for vulgar and plantar warts.
plasters. You can use any intended for dry calluses. They gradually soften the growth, and when changing the patch, the upper scales are scraped off. You can wear them around the clock, changing them once a day. The most popular is Salipod, but others can be used.

Photo: using a callus patch

Removal methods

How to get rid of warts quickly?

Various medical institutions offering growth removal services will help with this.

There are many specialized clinics in Moscow that will help solve this problem.
But it is better to discuss the choice of method with your doctor, because not everyone is suitable for plantar growths.

Modern medicine uses the following techniques:

removal with liquid nitrogen. As a result of exposure to this substance, the wart instantly freezes and dies. This is evidenced by a change in its color (it becomes white-gray). But due to the difficulty of adjusting the depth of treatment, cryotherapy has an increased risk of relapse;

electrocoagulation. This is an effect of electric current, as a result of which the growth is completely burned out. It is not often used for plantar growths because the recovery period is painful, meaning it will be difficult to step on the foot for several days;
radio wave method. This is cutting out a growth under the influence of radio wave radiation (radio knife). This method eliminates the development of bleeding or infection. But when removing plantar warts, it is not very popular, despite positive reviews;
laser removal. It is based on the action of laser radiation that vaporizes wart cells. The growth is completely removed, the risk of relapse is minimal. This method is very popular due to the speed of the procedure, its painlessness and safety;
surgical method. It involves cutting out the growth with a scalpel. It is used only for large warts or large areas of damage. But when used against plantar growths, a person’s mobility will be limited for some time.

It is very important to make sure that there are no contraindications to removing warts in a certain way; sometimes additional research is required.

But all of them are the key to not only the success, but also the safety of the chosen procedure.

In children

In children starting from the age of 5, plantar warts are a common occurrence.

Of course, not all methods of their treatment used for adults can be used in this case.

It is better to use antiviral ointments from pharmaceutical drugs. They rarely cause side effects and are the safest.
The growth in a child can be removed using traditional methods. For children's skin, it is better to use the mildest products. If a burning sensation or severe redness occurs, it is better to cancel the procedure and choose another recipe.

Of the radical treatment methods for children, laser is the most suitable; it is fast and painless.

Folk remedies

Many folk recipes exist specifically for plantar warts. Here are some of them:

tie a piece of garlic to the wart overnight;

you can lubricate the spine with celandine juice 2 times a day, it helps very quickly, within a week;
baths with thyme are made every other day, a glass of dry herb is poured with 2 liters of boiling water and infused, feet are steamed in the broth for 30 minutes - an hour, 5-6 procedures are enough;

take an equal amount of copper sulfate and butter, mix and apply to the wart, cover the skin around it with a bandage, bandage it and leave it overnight, you may feel a slight burning sensation;
a very strong remedy - a cake made from vinegar mixed with flour, it is applied to the wart at night, protecting healthy skin.

All traditional methods will be more effective if you first steam the wart and peel off the top layer from it.

Prevention

If you know why warts appear, then you can derive simple rules that will help protect yourself from becoming infected with them:

Photo: Walking without shoes in the pool contributes to infection

do not walk barefoot in swimming pools, baths, saunas, showers, use personal rubber slippers;
Maintain good foot hygiene by changing your socks daily;
comfortable shoes that do not squeeze or rub the foot are the key to healthy feet;
Do not scratch or touch warts with unprotected hands to avoid spreading the infection to healthy areas.

Forecast

More than half of plantar warts that appear will go away on their own.

But not many can calmly wait for this moment due to discomfort.

These growths respond well to treatment.

But no method or recipe guarantees 100% absence of relapse.

This does not depend on the chosen method of wart removal, but on the state of the immune system and the activity of the virus.

A plantar wart is a benign growth that affects the soles of the feet. The cause of their occurrence is the papilloma virus, which entered the human body through cracks and wounds in the skin. Most often, plantar warts do not cause any discomfort and are not dangerous to health, so they do not require special treatment. But it also happens the other way around.

Signs:

the appearance of small fleshy growths on the sole of the foot;
a thickening on the skin that is hard to the touch, similar to a callus (a sign of a wart growing inward);
dark spots on the skin (blood vessel clots);
uneven skin on the sole of the foot;
pain, especially when walking.

Removal of plantar warts

Most of the medical methods used to combat warts are quite painful and involve skin damage. However, their use helps to eliminate this scourge in a relatively short time. A photo of a plantar wart shows how uncomfortable it can be when walking.

Cryotherapy (freezing) with liquid nitrogen

Conducted by a medical specialist. Liquid nitrogen is used as a freezing agent in the form of a spray or cotton applicator. After the procedure, the wart dies off in about a week. During cryotherapy, the patient experiences severe pain and blisters may appear on the skin, which will subsequently go away on their own.

Drugs for the treatment of plantar warts

The procedure involves the use of interferon or antigen. These drugs stimulate the patient's immune system, which in turn begins to reject warts. In the first hours, such a vaccination causes a painful state of the body, somewhat reminiscent of the flu.

Surgical intervention

To get rid of tumors on the skin, a so-called electric needle can be used. During the procedure, the wart is burned out. The procedure is associated with severe pain, so painkillers are used. A scar may form at the site of the wart.

Laser

The procedure involves cauterizing small blood vessels, which results in tissue death and the wart disappears. The procedure is also associated with severe pain and the risk of scarring.

Treatment of plantar warts at home

If you wish, you can try to get rid of the misfortune on your own. To do this, you can use both medications and traditional medicine recipes.

Ointment for treating warts

To quickly get rid of plantar warts, it is recommended to use oxolinic or salicylic ointment. Apply it to the wart and cover it with a bandage. It is advisable to carry out the procedure before going to bed and unwind the leg in the morning. Carefully remove the softened wart. Repeat until the growth disappears completely.

Salicylic acid

Preparations containing salicylic acid can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. They are made in the form of a patch or liquid.

The patch is applied to the affected area for 48 hours.
The liquid must be applied as a compress 2 times a day.

The wart will be destroyed gradually, in layers. Dead layers of skin must be removed every day. It takes several weeks to completely get rid of warts.

Cold

On sale you can find special creams and gels that have a freezing effect. True, this type of cryotherapy brings much less effect than procedures using liquid nitrogen. Consequently, treatment will take much longer.

Silver adhesive tape

Attached to the site of skin lesions. Dead tissue is removed with pumice or sandpaper.

Apple vinegar

A cotton swab, pre-moistened with vinegar, should be applied to the wart and secured with a bandage or adhesive plaster for about 20 minutes. Then remove dead tissue with a piece of pumice.

Flour with vinegar

the components should be mixed to a consistency reminiscent of thick dough;
A piece of the mixture should be applied to the wart and wait a few minutes for the dough to dry;
then put a sock on your foot and leave it like that overnight.

Those who have tried the remedy assure that to defeat warts it will take no more than three similar procedures.

Thyme infusion

To prepare it, you need to pour 1 glass of dry thyme with 2 liters of boiling water and leave for 2-3 hours. Do not throw away the herb after this; you can brew it again later. Strain the resulting infusion and use it before bed. The liquid must be heated and used to prepare foot baths. Steam your feet for about 1 hour. The course of treatment is 5-6 sessions, which should be carried out every other day.

Treatment with garlic

First you need to prepare a paste of 1-2 cloves of garlic.
Steam the area affected by the wart, and then cut off its tip with nail scissors. Don't worry if the wart starts to bleed a little - they say garlic will be even more effective this way.
After this, apply the garlic mixture to the steamed area and secure with a band-aid overnight.

In the morning, replace the old mixture with a freshly prepared one and secure it with a band-aid again until the evening. The course of treatment is 10-12 days.

Propolis

Pre-steam the skin for 30 minutes and attach a propolis cake to the affected area for 3-4 days.

Kalanchoe pinnate

Place a leaf of the plant on the wart and secure it. Keep overnight. Often only 3-4 procedures are enough. To achieve the greatest effect, the plant can first be chopped with a knife to a paste.

Ash

Mix a small amount of wood ash with water to form a thick black mass. Apply the resulting composition to the sore spot and secure with an adhesive plaster. Repeat the procedure for several days.

Banana peel

Do not rush to throw it away after you have eaten this fruit, but apply the inside to the wart and secure it for a while. It turns out that it contains substances that can successfully fight skin tumors.

Lemon peel infusion

finely chop the peel of two lemons and pour in 0.5 cups of table vinegar;
the container must be tightly closed and kept for 8 days, shaking the contents daily;
Gently apply the strained liquid to the affected area 3-4 times a day.

3 tbsp. spoons of dry crushed plant must be poured with 1 glass of boiling water and left for 2 hours. Strain the infusion and moisten the affected area of skin with it several times every day.

Raw meat

The affected area must be steamed in warm water, to which soap and soda are added. Then carefully remove the loose surface layer of the growth and put a small piece of raw meat in this place. You need to place a piece of oilcloth on top and secure it all with a bandage. Do not remove the bandage for 3-4 days, making sure that no water gets on the bandage. Then you need to keep your foot in soapy hot water and soda again. The wart should come off easily from the sole.

Celandine

In summer, treat the affected area of skin with the juice of this plant 5-6 times a day. The neoplasms will disappear after about 2 weeks. In winter, you can purchase the drug “Super Chistotel” at the pharmacy and use it according to the attached instructions.

Note! Celandine contains chemically aggressive substances, so after its use it is possible to form a keloid scar!

Copper sulfate

Prepare a mixture of butter (1 tablespoon) and copper sulfate. First, apply salicylic ointment to the selected area of skin, and then the resulting mixture. The procedure must be carried out once a day. The mixture must be kept on the affected area for 12 to 20 hours. Do not be alarmed if you feel a slight burning sensation at the site of application of the composition. This is fine. However, to comply with all precautions, you can cover the skin around the wart with an adhesive plaster, although experts say that copper sulfate does not harm healthy skin.

Note! If any of the above remedies helped your friend or neighbor, do not think that it will help you 100%. Remember that each organism has its own individual characteristics.

If home treatment does not help, and the warts continue to multiply and cause pain, it is best to consult a specialist doctor.