What Causes Plantar Warts and How Can I Get Rid of Them?

Plantar warts commonly affect children and teens, but adults are just as susceptible. Without treatment, these small, round growths can affect mobility and your quality of life.

At Foot and Ankle Excellence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, experienced podiatrist Bruni Leka, DPM, provides high-quality care for plantar warts. This blog explains what plantar warts are and highlights several easy, effective ways to get rid of them.

What are plantar warts?

Plantar warts are small, hard growths that form on weight-bearing areas, like the heels and balls of the feet. They’re caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and form when the virus enters your body through small cuts or breaks in your skin.

Plantar warts can last for months or years. Treatment can relieve pain, prevent the growth from recurring, and bolster your immune system.

When to see a podiatrist about plantar warts

Make an appointment with Dr. Leka if you have plantar warts and they’re painful or affect your mobility. That’s especially true if you have an underlying health problem, like diabetes or poor circulation. These issues increase the risk of potentially severe side effects, like infection.

Getting rid of plantar warts: 4 common treatments

We offer several types of wart treatment at Foot and Ankle Excellence. After a podiatry exam and discussion of your symptoms, Dr. Leka could recommend:

Prescription wart medication

Prescription wart medication typically contains cantharidin, a chemical that causes blistering. Once applied to a plantar wart, a blister forms underneath it,  cutting off the blood supply and causing the wart to die.

After using the medication for a week, you return to our office and Dr. Leka removes the dead wart during a quick, outpatient procedure.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is the quickest, most effective way to treat several plantar warts. During this procedure, Dr. Leka uses a substance like liquid nitrogen or argon gas to freeze the wart with extreme cold. Freezing the wart causes it to die, and ultimately, fall off.

Laser treatment

This treatment uses targeted light energy, or lasers, to heat the blood vessels that feed a wart with oxygen and nutrients. Heating the blood vessels damages them, cutting off the blood supply to the wart and causing it to die and fall off.

Surgery

Dr. Leka might recommend outpatient surgery if you have several large plantar warts that don’t respond to conservative treatments like cryotherapy and medication. 

During wart surgery, Dr. Leka numbs the bottom of your foot with a topical anesthetic and uses a scalpel to cut around the wart and pull it out. Afterward, he stitches up the wound, bandages your foot, and provides care instructions.

Contact us about plantar wart treatment today!

Plantar warts can be painful and annoying, but treatment can ease discomfort and restore your mobility. To receive plantar wart treatment, contact Foot and Ankle Excellence today. Call our office at 215-608-6104 or use the online booking feature.