Plantar warts may be painful and unsightly, but they are nothing more than common growths on the feet that affect about 10 percent of adults and between 10 and 20 percent of children and teens.
At Advanced Care Foot and Ankle in Corona and Ontario, California, our highly skilled staff of podiatric physicians provide state-of-the-art care for a wide variety of foot and ankle concerns including plantar warts. We partner with our patients to provide personalized treatment options customized to their goals and needs.
Plantar warts result from an infection that occurs when a virus enters the body through a cut in the skin. It causes bumps to grow on the feet as extra layers of skin form.
Anyone can get them but children, teenagers, and seniors are more likely to be affected. Those with an autoimmune disease or weakened immune system are also at higher risk. Walking barefoot in public places like locker rooms and swimming pools increases the odds as well.
Plantar warts typically form between, on, or near the toes, on the balls of the feet, and the heels. They cause discolored growths and rough skin that can range from yellow or dark pink to purple, brown, or gray. Frequently they have a dark spot that is a collection of clotted blood vessels.
These warts can cause tenderness or pain which in turn may result in sufferers changing their posture and movement to avoid discomfort. However, these modifications can stress the joints and muscles in the ankles and feet and create other orthopedic issues.
Plantar warts can also cause feelings of self-consciousness and embarrassment and affect the willingness to go barefoot or wear certain shoes.
Diagnosis is often made during an office visit that includes a discussion about symptoms and an examination of the feet. If there is uncertainty about the type of growth, a small amount of tissue may be removed and sent to a laboratory for a definitive result.
Plantar warts frequently go away on their own if left untreated but it can take one to two years for this to occur. In the meantime, they can be painful, bleed, spread to additional areas of the body, and lead to other orthopedic problems.
Most people prefer to resolve the issue more quickly. Some successfully get rid of them on their own using duct tape, apple cider vinegar, or treatment with salicylic acid purchased off the shelf at the store.
Others fail to fully remove the wart or the wart recurs. If this happens, professional treatment can help.
Prescription-strength salicylic acid kills the skin one layer at a time which causes it to peel away. This ultimately leads to healthy skin underneath.
If large or multiple warts are involved, cryotherapy is often the way to go. This treatment freezes the warts which results in the skin peeling away and the warts sloughing off.
If you're suffering from the pain and embarrassment of plantar warts, we can help. Click to book an appointment or call the Corona office at 951-735-8806 or the Ontario office at 909-983-5710 today.