Plantar Warts, Information, Best Natural Treatment

Scientific term for plantar warts: verruca plana(sgl) verrucae planae (pl).

Synonyms: foot warts, plantar verrucae, planters warts

Human papilloma virus or HPV causes various kinds of warts in the human body, some of which are painful like the Plantar Wart, some distressing like the Genital Wart while some are mere epidermal projections like the Common Wart, causing very little or no ache or pain at all. Besides, most of them are benign growths (non-cancerous) and so hardly affects anyone’s normal lifestyle. Nevertheless, as the following paragraphs will describe, some of these growths or tumors, to be more precise, need elimination or removal to help lead normal day-to-day life.

Plantar warts are small yellowish hyperkeratinic growths on the bottom of the soles of the feet, their 'plantar' side. These warts are distinguished by their location, and the small black dots on top of the warts representing blood vessels, and must be distinguished from clavi or corns, which look similar, and produce simlar symptoms. There are more than 100 different strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, which cause plantar verrucae.

As per the reports received from the APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association), almost anyone can contract HPV that causes Foot Warts, including kids (12 to 16 years of age). As these warts or growths occur on the sole, heel or the ball of the feet, walking becomes extremely painful for the affected person who has to hobble and shuffle every inch of space that he or she can cover. In fact, the mere thought of a promenade makes these people shudder from the fear of ‘walking on stones’.

Foot Warts usually occur when the virus invades the skin surface through small cuts or bruises in the underside of the feet. HPV may also be encountered through polluted surface areas like the public locker rooms (the virus can spread from the tiles) or swimming pools. For people having adequate immune system, these everyday encounters crate no problem. But for those in whom the immune system is weak, it may result in an infection that may end up causing some trouble. Of course, HPV can also spread and affect the feet from some other area of the body. This is referred to as ‘remote location seeding’. Sharing socks or shoes with someone who has an infection may cause plantar warts to pop up.

While most other HPV warts may be left alone to disintegrate on their own, Plantar Warts needs treatment to keep the affected person mobile. Although there are several OTC creams and ointments available to treat Plantar Warts, self-treatment of this disease condition should better be shunned as harsh chemicals contained in these are likely to damage the healthy tissues that surround the wart. Alternatively, mild salicylic acid or cantharidine applied repeatedly over the warts helps disintegrate the viral cells, allowing healthy cells to take their place. However, these procedures are routinely conducted in a podiatrist’s office, and even as an outpatient.

However, when these remedial measures prove ineffective, surgery seems to be the only answer. Curettage is a commonly practiced procedure that is carried out at the podiatrist's office, but the patient is put under anesthesia. In this, the isolated warts (the ones that are between 1-2 cm) are removed. In many cases, many small warts are located closely together, and if that is the case, this surgical process seems a good bet. Often Curettage surgery is combined with other treatments for best results.

Also effective is the laser therapy in removal of Foot Warts. CO2 Laser is usually applied to treat this condition which is performed in a podiatrist’s office or outpatient surgery facility where local anesthesia ensures a relatively painless operation. Apart from being quite effective, this method leaves minimum scarring and post-surgical complications.

Plantar warts are infectious legions. They spread very easily through touching, scratching or by coming in to contact with any skin which may have been shed by another plantar wart. They may often bleed, which is an obvious way of spreading lesions to others.

If you are worried you may contract plantar warts or other harmful bacteria, viruses or fungi, such as athletes foot, or you yourself are a carrier- a few simple preventive measures may be observed.