Causes of plantar warts
All types of warts, including plantar warts, are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). You can get it through close contact with infected people or through everyday life. The virus dies quickly from sunlight, but it feels great in high humidity. Therefore, HPV infection most often occurs in baths, saunas, swimming pools. The virus penetrates the body is facilitated by minor trauma and cracks in the skin, as well as reduced immunity.
With strong protective properties of the body, the virus can remain dormant for an indefinite period of time after infection. But if immunity is reduced, it begins to actively multiply, causing warts of various localizations on the skin. HPV subtypes 1, 2, 4, 27 and 57 are solely responsible for their appearance.
Several predisposing factors contribute to the appearance of such formations:
- shoes that are too tight or out of size,
- frequent wear of high heels,
- various deformities of the legs (including flat feet);
- various diseases of the joints of the feet (arthritis, arthropathy, etc. ).
Foot warts are more common in people with extremely dry skin and hyperkeratosis.
Thus, the causes of plantar warts are the same in all cases (HPV infection), but the predisposing factors are different. The number and size of elements in the skin depend on them and the state of immunity.
How do plantar warts appear
An ant on the foot looks like a round growth of skin. It can be of different sizes, but rarely exceeds two centimeters in diameter. It rises above the level of the skin no more than three millimeters, but at the same time goes deep inside with its root. The color may not differ from the surrounding skin or be darker or lighter. Often such formations are yellow or gray in color. Visually, when projected into the elements, black dots or lines are visible (they are also visible in the photo). This is how the capillaries look, in which blood clots have formed, due to the compression of the Horny vessels by masses.
Initially, the plantar wart has a smooth surface. But over time, it becomes hard, rough, dense. It is the corneal masses that give these warts their yellow color.
An important symptom of plantar warts is pain when compressed. Each step causes severe acute pain to the patient.
These warts are very similar to calluses. The resemblance to a cornice is particularly pronounced due to the severe pain of both formations. The main difference is that there is no skin pattern on the surface of the warts, while on the calluses it remains.
Diagnosis of plantar warts
A competent dermatologist will diagnose this disease based on only one clinical picture. In some cases, additional dermatoscopy is required. The absence of a skin pattern in the formation and the presence of capillaries with thrombi in its structure confirms this diagnosis.
Treatment of plantar warts
Plantar warts are more difficult to get rid of similar formations in other areas due to their deeper penetration into the skin. In the case of small and newly formed elements, necrotic external preparations may be used. Large and deep warts are surgically removed. At the same time, the old formations must first be softened with keratolytic agents.
External preparations for wart removal
In some cases, such formations may self-destruct. But because the plantar wart hurts so badly, patients do not want to wait and try to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Any treatment for plantar warts with necrotic effect is prescribed to remove small and superficial elements.
These products contain acids that coagulate skin proteins, causing necrosis. Refrigerant-containing drugs have a similar effect. But they cause necrotic effects through tissue freezing and not through chemical damage.
All of these drugs are applied to the formation. It is important to make sure that the substance does not fall into the surrounding tissues, as this will cause them to burn. After treatment, a wound will remain at the site of the former wart, which will be covered with a crust. After treatment, it will fall off on its own. You can do such treatment at home, but only according to the instructions of a doctor.
In this way it is possible to remove a plantar wart only small in size and with shallow penetration into the skin. For large items, you should choose other removal methods, as incomplete destruction of the wart tissue will definitely lead to its recurrence.
Surgical methods for the removal of plantar warts
There are several ways to remove a plantar wart in surgery. Gentle methods are preferred:
- laser removal,
- radio wave knife;
- cryodestruction;
- electrocautery.
All of these procedures are performed on outpatients. Patients can go home literally a few minutes after completion, they just need to treat the wound at home regularly.
The most effective and safest methods for removing plantar warts are resection with a laser or radio wave knife. When performed, the vessels clot immediately, which is a good prevention of bleeding and secondary infection. Complications when removing skin formations using these methods are extremely rare. The same cannot be said for cryopreservation and electrocoagulation, so these treatments have faded into the background and are rarely used.
If the warts are large or old (covered with a large amount of cherry masses), it is recommended to treat them with keratolytic agents for two weeks before the removal procedure. Salicylic or acid ointments and other medicines are prescribed for this purpose. Thus, it is possible to exfoliate part of the horned scales, to make the formations softer and more flexible. This will make it easier to remove the warts faster.
In rare cases, when there is a lot of evidence or doubts about their nature, the doctor may advise surgical resection with a scalpel. With this method of wart removal, the recovery period and the high risk of scarring are much longer, so it is used only under strict indications.
Characteristics of plantar warts in children
In children over the age of five, plantar fasciitis is very common, as they often run barefoot, get injured and do not always follow the rules of personal hygiene. Immune dysfunction due to regular contact with sick children (in kindergartens and schools), which leads to an increased chance of warts.
Treatment of such formations in a child is best started with external agents. You can try peeling off shallow elements using salicylic ointment, followed by pumice. Immunomodulatory drugs have been shown to be good. When applied regularly to warts, they can be removed in a few weeks.
If the elements are deep, apply necrotic agents or remove them with a laser or radio wave knife.
Prevention of plantar warts
It is absolutely impossible to protect yourself from the appearance of warts, but you can reduce the risk of them occurring. To do this, you must act in two directions: eliminate predisposing factors and stimulate the body's defenses.
To achieve the first goal, you need:
- follow the rules of personal hygiene (do not walk barefoot in public places, wash your feet daily and treat burns and injuries on time);
- choose comfortable shoes by size,
- in time for the prevention of foot deformities and the treatment of diseases of the joints.
A healthy lifestyle, playing sports, sclerosis, taking vitamin complexes and immunostimulants as prescribed by a doctor, will help keep the body's defenses at a good level.
In case of excessively dry skin and hyperkeratosis, it is recommended to do regular medical pedicures and exfoliation. In case of excessive sweating of the feet, you must use special agents to treat hyperhidrosis. By following all these rules, the risk of developing warts on the soles of the feet will be minimal.
Plantar warts are not dangerous diseases, but they cause a lot of pain due to pain when walking. Fortunately, there are many ways in modern medicine to get rid of it quickly and with minimal risk of new relapses. To do this, you should consult a dermatologist and strictly follow all his appointments and recommendations.