A plantar wart or spine is one of the most uncomfortable types of skin growths. Such a formation is located on the supporting part of the foot or toes. It consists of overgrown epithelial cells and has a deep root that extends deep into the dermis.
The spine does not pose a particular risk in terms of oncogenicity, but it can be extremely painful and cause significant discomfort when walking. Such growths are difficult to treat and are characterized by a tendency to relapse. How to get rid of a plantar wart, what methods are considered the most effective and safe? Find out more about this in our article.
Why do spines appear?
Warts on the foot are benign neoplasms of a viral nature. The cause of their occurrence is an infection with HPV (papillomavirus). The pathogen is transmitted from person to person through contact or gets on the skin through contact with an infected surface. It feels great in a warm and humid environment where it can be stored for a long time. The risk of infection is particularly high in public places - baths, saunas, fitness studios, swimming pools. The virus easily enters the body through small abrasions or scratches on the skin.
A strong immune system suppresses the replication of the virus and puts it in a latent state. But as soon as the body's defenses weaken, the pathogen is activated and begins to multiply rapidly. Recent illnesses, stress, violations of personal hygiene standards become provoking factors that weaken the immune system. The following factors contribute to the formation of plantar warts:
- excessive sweating of the feet;
- wear tight, uncomfortable shoes;
- Microtrauma of the skin (abrasions, scratches, wounds, abrasions);
- frequent contact with water and detergents that cause dry skin;
- chronic diseases related to circulatory disorders of the lower extremities (diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis, varicose veins);
- Foot deformities (flat feet, arthritis of small joints, osteoarthritis);
- constant formation of calluses, corns.
Plantar warts can appear from wearing an infected person's shoes or visiting a pedicure salon where tools are poorly disinfected. A plantar wart in a child often forms after visiting a swimming pool, summer camp, or public shower where the baby accidentally puts on someone else's shoes, walks barefoot on a dirty surface, or uses the person carrying the infection's personal belongings (towel, Washcloths etc. ). Parents should teach their baby to observe norms of personal hygiene as early as possible and explain why it is impossible to use other people's belongings.
What does a plantar wart look like?
The incubation period during which the papillomavirus multiplies is quite long - from 1, 5 to 4 months. First, the pathogen attacks the basal layer of the epidermis, then spreads upwards, which leads to the formation of characteristic growths on the skin.
A wart on the foot of a child or adult initially looks like a shiny plate with a round shape and a small diameter (up to 2 cm). Soon its surface becomes rough, covered with a dense stratum corneum that rises above the surface of the skin. The color of the spine changes from fleshy to yellowish-gray. A crater-shaped depression appears in the center of the neoplasm. On closer inspection, black dots are visible on the wart surface. These are thrombosed capillaries that come to the surface. The presence of this feature allows you to distinguish a plantar wart from corns or calluses. A photo of a plantar wart gives a complete picture of what this formation looks like on the skin.
A popular place for the localization of the spine is the area of the foot that is exposed to the greatest pressure. The root of the neoplasm penetrates deeply into the dermis, irritates the nerve endings, therefore such warts cause painful sensations when walking. The growths on the soles are simple and multiple. Usually a large maternal wart appears on the foot first. If the virus is highly active, small daughter formations will soon form next to it. Sometimes the spine disappears on its own, but more often the constant injury leads to its growth and the appearance of severe pain from the constant pressure of the shoe.
How to get rid of warts on the foot, if such formations are painful and cause severe discomfort? First of all, you need to contact a dermatologist for examination and treatment. Plantar warts are not easy to treat because they grow deep into the dermis. In order to avoid the re-emergence of the spines, the root of the neoplasm must be completely removed. This can be done in different ways - medically and surgically.
Plantar warts: treatment
There are several methods of dealing with plantar warts. At home, pharmacy products can be used to treat warts on the foot. The doctor should choose the therapy regimen, since only with the correct and competent approach can a positive effect be achieved.
Drug therapy
For the treatment of plantar warts at home, various methods are used - from destruction by aggressive chemicals (acids, alkalis) to freezing pathological tissue with special means. To rule out relapses, it is necessary not only to remove the growth, but also to suppress the activity of the virus.
The complex treatment is based on the following groups of drugs:
- Antiviral and immunomodulatory agents.A cream that activates local immunity and inhibits the multiplication of the virus has a good therapeutic effect. It must be applied under a bandage twice a day. A cream that stimulates the production of interferon is used for the same purpose.
- Keratolytic Agents.Preparations based on salicylic or trichloroacetic acid are intended to soften and peel off the rough horny layer of the wart. Removing dead scales allows you to get to the base of the wart and facilitate the penetration of cauterizing or necrotizing solutions into its root. This is the only way to avoid the reappearance of new formations and get rid of the spines forever.
- Necrotizing drugs.To combat plantar warts, it is advisable to buy solutions based on acids or alkalis with a mummifying effect in the pharmacy. Penetrating the structure of the neoplasm, aggressive substances burn the infected tissue, as a result of which the wart becomes necrotic and dies. When using such drugs, precautions should be taken, otherwise you may burn healthy skin. Treatment of a plantar wart in a child with necrotic agents is allowed only after consulting a dermatologist.
- Cryopreparations. . . The principle of action of such funds is based on freezing the wart tissue. Under the influence of extremely low temperatures, the fluid in the pathological cells freezes and breaks them open from the inside. As a result, the wart will die off within 7-10 days. The best products with a freezing effect are made in aerosol cans equipped with a special applicator for application.
The procedure should be started after consulting a dermatologist. Only a specialist can properly assess the situation and advise how to get rid of a plantar wart at home. Self-medication often leads to short-term effects and repeated relapses as the virus cannot be stopped from spreading.
Plantar warts in a child
Treatment of warts on a child's foot is done using gentle methods. Children's skin is delicate and thin, so aggressive products can cause irritation or burns. It is best to use drugs with a keratolytic effect, which soften and peel off scales of the horn. This method of treatment is not quick - it takes 2-3 weeks to remove the wart.
It is necessary to start using keratolytic drugs in the initial stages of neoplasm formation. In this case, it is possible to prevent the build-up from occurring again. If the spine has grown deep, then you need to resort to hardware treatment methods that will give the desired result and guarantee freedom from relapse.
If the plantar wart does not cause much concern, then you can treat it with folk remedies - acetic acid solution, lemon juice, garlic tincture. An acidic environment has a destructive effect on the virus, stopping it from multiplying and preventing growths from growing.
surgery
The classic operation with a scalpel is rarely used. Such an intervention is permissible only when removing large growths that other methods cannot get rid of. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon will remove the wart and thoroughly clean the wound, attempting to completely remove the deep root. The disadvantages of the method include pain, the risk of wound infection and the subsequent development of complications, a long period of recovery during which a person is limited in mobility.
It is better to remove plantar warts using hardware techniques that are less traumatic and safe. The doctor will refer you to the procedure after a preliminary examination and determination of possible contraindications. The main treatment options are:
Electrocoagulation
The essence of the method is to cauterize the tissue of the structure with a high frequency electric current. The procedure is carried out under local anesthesia, as it is accompanied by painful sensations. This option is only suitable for removing medium-sized thorns with shallow germination deep into the dermis. If large formations are burned, the risk of scarring and repeated relapses cannot be excluded.
The rehabilitation period after electrocoagulation lasts quite a long time and requires treatment of the wound with antiseptic solutions, excluding infection. During the recovery process, the patient is restricted in his movement, as the load on the foot causes painful sensations.
Cryodestruction
This is one of the most popular and inexpensive ways to treat plantar warts. The procedure only takes a few minutes and consists of treating the neoplasm with liquid nitrogen. Ultra-low temperature ensures an immediate freezing effect. The frozen liquid tears open the cells of the pathological neoplasm from the inside - as a result, the wart suffers necrosis and dies within 10 days.
During the session, the doctor presses the applicator with the refrigerant onto the neoplasm for a few seconds, thus protecting the surrounding healthy tissue. The effectiveness of the procedure is evidenced by the lightening of the skin in the treatment area. Soon a blister will form on the site of the wart, which should not be touched or pierced. It is recommended to cover it with a plaster to avoid injury. After a few days, the blister dries up and a crust forms in its place. After falling off, renewed, healthy skin remains on the wart site.
The procedure should only be performed by an experienced technician. Too long exposure time causes deep tissue damage, followed by the formation of a scar, and too superficial exposure does not destroy the root of the wart, leading to the appearance of new growths.
Laser removal
The modern procedure provides the best aesthetic result, allows the depth of the exposure to be controlled and eliminates the risk of complications. Laser radiation evaporates the wart tissue layer by layer, coagulates the blood vessels and disinfects the surgical field at the same time. Such an effect eliminates the risk of bleeding and infection, guarantees the absence of relapses, since it prevents the spread of virus particles. Various types of lasers are used to remove warts - erbium, acid, or pulsed.
The laser procedure is safe, effective and painless and does not require a long recovery period. A small wound remains at the site of the removed wart, which is closed with a plaster. After the procedure, the patient can go home immediately and lead a normal life. Rehabilitation time is very short - full healing only takes a few days.
Distance with a radio knife
The essence of the latest technology is the use of radio waves, which allows you to remove plantar warts in the fastest and safest way. Powerful thermal radiation burns the deposits without direct contact with the surrounding tissue. The fluid in the cells of the neoplasm evaporates immediately, which leads to the destruction of the wart. At the same time, healthy skin is not damaged, and the doctor adjusts the depth and duration of the action during the procedure. At the same time, high-frequency radio waves disinfect the surgical field and burn the blood vessels, eliminating the risk of bleeding.
Which method to choose for the treatment of plantar warts is decided by the patient in cooperation with the attending physician. Before the appointment of the procedure, the dermatologist finds out possible contraindications.
A list of restrictions on using hardware methods:
- inflammatory processes on the skin in the area of treatment;
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Infectious and respiratory diseases (ARVI, ARI);
- Hypertension;
- Worsening herpes virus infection;
- Pregnancy.
The question of the use of apparatus methods in relation to the child is discussed with the doctor. Some procedures have age restrictions, so you should read up on all the nuances of the proposed methods in advance and make sure that it does not harm the baby's health.