a healthier life

Are Plantar warts Restricting Your Activities?

In the United States, 7% – 10% of the population has warts. In fact, warts are the most common of all skin infections. Plantar warts are non-cancerous growths that appear on the plantar surface of the foot — typically on the sole, the heel, or the ball of the foot. You will typically see small black dots in the wart which are actually blood vessel capillaries. These nourish the wart. As for size, plantar warts can start very small but occasionally grow to cover most of the sole of the foot.

Plantar warts often cause pain, especially when located over bony areas of the foot. They may not present as bumps because they have been forced to grow into your foot due to the pressure of walking. These warts are notoriously hard to treat.

So what’s the cause? . . Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This virus can enter your body via extremely small cuts or breaks in the skin on the bottom of your foot. You will find this very common virus in public showers, around pools, in locker rooms and even on city sidewalks. It may take up to 20 months to incubate before the first wart actually appears on your foot. So it is practically impossible to really know with certainty when or where your initial infection actually took place. But the good news is that in some cases, the HPV virus will die within 1 or 2 years, and your warts would then just disappear — albeit very gradually.

Once infected, there is no existing evidence that any current treatment can eliminate HPV infection nor inhibit its ability to spread. So because of (re)activation of latent virus present in healthy skin adjacent to the lesion, these warts can recur. Re-infection is also possible from any of the above-mentioned sources. Even though the warts are usually self-limiting, they should nevertheless be treated to lessen symptoms (including pain), to decrease duration of symptoms, and to reduce possibility of transmission. The HPV virus is very contagious. It can spread quickly to other parts of your body, or to other people.

Many natural and effective remedies are availble. For most, you will need time, patience, and careful attention. The traditional medical remedies include freezing, various types of surgery, or topical applications (usually acids) by physicians. Recent findings from one study seemed to indicate that the often-tried ‘duct tape cure’ might actually be more effective than many of the medical treatments. [However the adhesive in duct tape may be toxic to humans . . . your doctor could likely recommend a more suitable waterproof tape.]

Because contact with moist walking surfaces can spread HPV, these lesions can be prevented by not walking barefoot in public showers, around pools nor in gymnasium locker rooms. Also, do not share shoes or socks, and avoid direct contact with warts appearing elsewhere on your body and warts on other people. Keeping your shoes and socks dry and clean is essential to limiting recurrance and spread.

Any Cautions? Just a few. If left untreated, these warts may develop into pre-cancerous lesions — however, this is very rare. If your warts are really painful, if they get bigger, if they refuse to go away over time, then see a healthcare professional. Also, if you have diabetes or circulation problems, consult your doctor. He or she will help you determine the safest treatment option.

Conclusion : Anyone can be infected by the HVP virus that causes plantar warts. Treatment or removal is very important for many reasons. Notably they can be extremely painful if left untreated. And although they are normally self-limiting (2 years), plantar warts should still be treated in order to: lessen symptoms, decrease duration, and reduce their spread and transmission to others.