Plantar warts (plantar warts) form due to infections on the sole of the foot, but are usually harmless. They can be prevented by good foot hygiene and treatment also turns out to be unproblematic.
What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are changes in the skin around the soles of the feet. The warts are caused by infection with certain types of the HPV virus. They usually affect people who have injuries, cracks or small skin lesions on the sole. Plantar warts occur either singly or in clusters and are most common in children and adolescents and people with weak immune systems.
Causes
The cause of plantar warts is human papillomavirus (HPV). If the skin is injured, the viruses can penetrate and trigger an infection. However, infection with the viruses does not always occur. Thus, the risk of getting plantar warts is mainly when the immune system is weakened or the viruses can penetrate through several small injuries. Then it often takes several weeks or months until the first plantar warts appear. Since the HPV viruses are not particularly contagious, the risk of transmission is also low. Plantar wart viruses are mainly found in warm, moist environments. For example, in shower rooms, changing rooms, swimming pools and saunas. Thus, the cause is often a visit to one of these places without appropriate protective measures. In addition, there must also be a point of entry. Small cuts or scratches are sufficient, as well as cracks or softened skin. Sweat also favors the development of plantar warts.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
In most cases, plantar warts are a relatively harmless disease that does not lead to special complications or to serious discomfort. It can therefore also be treated relatively easily. Those affected suffer primarily from warts. These can appear on different parts of the body and usually have a yellow or brownish color. Due to these warts, the aesthetics of the affected person are limited, so that the patients can also suffer from a reduced self-esteem and also from inferiority complexes. In children, plantar warts can lead to bullying or teasing. Plantar warts occur mainly in places where there is a high pressure load. They can also reach deep under the skin layers and are often associated with severe pain. The pain usually occurs in the form of pressure pain, but can also lead to rest pain at night and thus to sleep problems for the patient. In rare cases, plantar warts can also cause damage to the nerves, so that the patient suffers from sensory disturbances. Life expectancy is not reduced or otherwise affected by this disease.
Diagnosis and course
The diagnosis of plantar warts is made on the basis of various symptoms. Thus, the warts are recognized by flat skin lesions of yellowish or gray color in the area of the soles of the feet. They occur mainly on the toes, heels and balls of the feet and are hidden under the callus. Nevertheless, the warts can be clearly identified by small, dark spots. The dermatologist may perform further examinations to confirm his suspicion and make the exact diagnosis. For example, a scalpel is used to scrape off some of the cornea from the suspicious area to get a closer look at the spots. A skin sample is also usually taken before the final diagnosis is made. Plantar warts are unproblematic in their course of disease. They usually heal on their own and rarely multiply. However, if the warts cause pain, they must be treated to prevent nerve damage. This also prevents the infection of other people. However, therapy is extremely lengthy and requires a lot of patience from the person affected. In addition, completed treatment does not guarantee a cure.
Complications
Plantar warts, also called plantar warts, are highly keratinizing skin lesions on the sole of the foot. They develop when papilloma viruses are transmitted and are often found in children. With the onset of puberty, the symptom usually disappears on its own. Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to need medical help in eliminating this very stubborn type of wart.The risk of infection of plantar warts lurks mostly in changing areas, bathing establishments and in the sauna via infected skin flakes as well as via a smear infection. In most cases, plantar warts are relatively inconspicuous. Depending on the outgrowth, they can be cosmetically disturbing. In some cases, plantar warts may spread and form painful halos. If affected persons attempt self-treatment, purulent inflammations and scars may result. In the early stages, plantar warts can be easily removed by a physician. As the growth enlarges, the symptom becomes more complicated and surgical intervention is required. This not only causes scars, but can also lead to secondary bleeding and bruising. The use of home remedies may cause counter-reactions, especially when using garlic and celandine. Self-therapy is not recommended for children under four years of age, for people with a weakened immune system and impaired wound healing or circulatory disorders. Especially diabetics should have plantar warts medically treated since nerve damage and sensitivity disorders in the foot area threaten.
When should you go to the doctor?
Plantar warts usually do not require medical treatment. The growths can be treated, for example, with over-the-counter remedies from the pharmacy or various home remedies. However, it must be guaranteed that it is a plantar wart. The growth is manifested by its characteristic wedge-shaped appearance and yellowish-brown or gray color. Anyone who is unsure whether it is actually a plantar wart should consult a doctor. In any case, medical advice is sought if there is pain. The same applies if the wart opens or if inflammation occurs. In the case of numbness or paralysis, serious nerve damage may already be present. These must be immediately treated medically. Otherwise, medical clarification is necessary if there is an acute risk of infection. A doctor should be consulted in case of malpositions and other complaints. If several plantar warts are noticed quite suddenly, the cause of the infection should be determined in addition to medical treatment. This and a quick examination can reliably prevent further spread of the growths.
Treatment and therapy
Plantar warts are usually completely harmless. They disappear by themselves after some time and multiply only in rare cases. Nevertheless, various preparations can be used to remove the warts. Especially if nerve endings are pinched by the plantar warts, it is recommended to consult a doctor. He can suggest appropriate remedies with monochloroacetic acid or salicylic acid and keep an eye on the course of the disease. In addition, he can rule out other diseases. Another method is cold treatment. In this case, the plantar warts and their projections are iced with the help of preparations, which causes the affected tissue to die. The wart then falls off by itself. However, it is also possible that none of the over-the-counter remedies work. In this case, the doctor must apply a local treatment, such as Imiquimod. This stimulates the immune system to fight the HPV viruses. Laser ablation and so-called curettage can also be used. In the latter method, the doctor scrapes out the plantar wart using a surgical tool. In general, it is advisable to carry out the treatment in constant consultation with the doctor. This is especially true if the immune system is weakened or there is impaired wound healing. It is also advisable to consult a doctor in case of circulatory disorders. If children are affected by plantar warts, a doctor must be consulted in any case.
Outlook and prognosis
With consistent treatment, plantar warts have a good prognosis. Often, the healing path includes several weeks or months of disciplined therapy. The affected person can perform this independently and on his or her own responsibility. The horny layer is gradually rubbed with special medicines and then removed so that the wart recedes. The process is intensive and must be performed regularly. Often, if the treatment is incorrect, the highly contagious warts will spread further. Icing therapy has a better chance of healing. In cryotherapy, a doctor ices especially the stubborn or prolonged plantar warts.Subsequently, they can no longer develop and ultimately fall off. In many cases, the patient is subsequently considered symptom-free and can be discharged from treatment. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility of a recurrence of the skin tumors. Once the affected person is again affected by the papillomaviruses, new warts may develop. The prognosis is unchanged in case of a repeated occurrence. If secondary damage has already occurred as a result of the plantar warts, lifelong impairments may result. Although the plantar warts have healed and there are no symptoms, there is a possibility of malpositioning of the affected foot. This affects the skeletal system, muscles, tendons as well as nerve pathways in the foot.
Prevention
Plantar warts (plantar warts) can be effectively prevented. It is recommended to pay attention to good foot hygiene and to treat the feet regularly with caring creams. In addition, one should always wear bathing slippers in swimming pools and shower rooms. Furthermore, it helps to keep the feet dry at all times and not to let them soften. After a long shower, you should apply appropriate products to support the skin’s natural protective film. If plantar warts are already present, they should not be scratched to prevent the spread of viruses. Also, one should wash hands regularly if one has touched plantar warts.
Aftercare
Once the plantar wart is no longer visible or noticeable, it is the responsibility of the affected person to initiate the necessary aftercare treatments. Since the pathogen is already in the body, a new outbreak occurs more quickly. The once infected area must be cleaned regularly to prevent this. Commercially available soaps or disinfectants can be used for this purpose. To prevent the formation of new warts, these areas must also be kept dry. Damp areas encourage repeated infection. If warts are treated by a doctor, antibiotic creams/patches are often essential for aftercare, treating the affected areas for a longer period of time. Aftercare also includes consideration for other people. By covering the former inflammations, direct as well as indirect spreading of the viruses is prevented. If no further dermatological changes of this region are observed in the next months, the wart is completely healed. It no longer requires special attention. However, the preventive measures for infections must still be observed. If a new formation of warts is detected, a doctor should be consulted. Independent experimentation with wart exterminators from drugstores delays appropriate treatment. With timely therapy, long procedures are prevented.
This is what you can do yourself
Because plantar warts are generally considered harmless, they can also be treated yourself. Thus, various drugs for self-therapy are offered in the pharmacy, which are available over the counter. These include preparations containing salicylic acid. They are usually administered in the form of solutions for application or as a patch that is stuck onto the plantar wart. Salicylic acid has the effect of dissolving the cornea. Through this process, the area of skin to be treated can be removed step by step. Liquid preparations with salicylic acid are usually used for 6 to 12 weeks. Appropriate patches remain on the plantar wart for a few days. Another effective means of self-treatment of plantar warts is cold therapy. Thus, some producers offer preparations whose effect consists in icing the wart. At temperatures of up to -57 degrees Celsius, the treated tissue eventually dies, which only takes a few days. New layers of skin then form underneath. However, in most cases there is callus over the plantar wart. Therefore, for successful home cold treatment, it is recommended to remove the cornea before icing. In some people, two or three treatments may be required before the effect is felt. However, there should be a break of about two weeks between the treatments. It also makes sense to use monochloroacetic acid. Thus, monochloroacetic acid preparations also dissolve the cornea, but their application is necessary only once a week.
