How to Get Rid of Plantar Warts?

• Natural skin care is important to consider when looking at treatment options for plantar warts
• Natural skin remedies do exists for treating plantar warts, such as salicylic acid

While many types of warts are challenging to get rid of, the plantar warts are one of the most difficult varieties. Thankfully, these stubborn plantar warts cannot usually stand up against all of the different methods of treatment options currently available.

What is a Plantar Wart?

A plantar war is a growth that normally appears on your feet, usually on the soles. They are most common on the heels or balls of your feet because these are the areas which receive the most pressure from the rest of your body. They aren’t caused by the pressure, however. Like most warts, plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is the same virus that causes some types of cervical cancer and genital warts. The virus usually enters your body through small cuts or tears in your skin and then causes the wart to form.

The good news is plantar warts are not cause for medical concern. Even without treatment, the virus won’t spread nor will the wart be a source of cancer in the future. The bad news is most plantar warts can be painful and can interfere with comfortable mobility which is why trying to get rid of plantar warts is so important for most patients.

Home Remedies for Warts

If you don’t want to see a dermatologist or your physician about your plantar wart, you can find some types of over-the-counter removal products available. Look for products that contain salicylic acid because this is the most effective in removing the wart. You’ll need to follow the instructions carefully to avoid irritating other areas of your skin with the salicylic acid. Be prepared to wait for results though. This OTC treatment can take up to a month to produce results. You can also combine this method with the more unconventional treatment of using duct tape. Basically, your wart must be wrapped tightly in duct tape for six days. Remove the wrap, soak the affected area in water, then run the wart with an emery board or similar tool. Rewrap the wart and repeat for the next two months. A 2002 study found this unusual treatment to be more effective than freezing plantar warts.

Freezing plantar warts is also an option. You can find OTC applications or you can go to your doctor for the treatments which involve the application of liquid nitrogen to the wart. You’ll need repeated treatments in order for the dead skin tissue to die and be removed along with the wart. This type of treatment can be painful so be warned.

When plantar warts don’t respond to the treatments above, your physician may suggest more drastic treatments, including laser surgery or immunotherapy. Traditional surgery can also be used to physically remove the wart or to destroy it.

With immunotherapy, your physician attempts to get your immune system to attack the wart in an effort to destroy it from the inside. Certain medications, such as interferon, can be injected into the wart or antigens, such as the mumps antigen, can be used instead.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.