Plantar warts are small, grainy masses that grow on the surface of the foot. They are caused by contracting the human papillomavirus (HPV) which is often contracted in childhood by sharing surfaces and direct contact. Often, this is in public areas like swimming pools and changing rooms when you walk with bare feet. Depending on the location of the wart, some can become very painful, while others may stay asymptomatic. We have multiple treatment options to help manage plantar warts for both adults and children.
Wart Treatment
As warts are caused by a virus and often contracted in childhood, they can be difficult to manage. We offer solutions for both kids and adults to safely treat plantar warts.
Treating plantar warts.
At HK Podiatry, we treat plantar warts using topical solutions applied to the surface of the wart. Prior to applying the solution best suited for you, we will remove the top layer of skin (often callus) so the solution can have maximum effects on the wart tissue. We mask the healthy skin around the wart for protection, and dress the area after the treatment, often using an offloading pad.
We see you the following week to check your progress and that the wart is reducing in size. We will continue treating the wart (as long as we are seeing results) until the wart has been eliminated. We treat all the warts present on your feet, whether it’s one or ten. If we do not see noticeable changes in the warts and their size, we can refer you for surgery.
The problem with pharmacy wart pads.
Acid-based ‘wart pads’ are available from the pharmacy, but we highly advise against using these. They usually come in a large size, so when applied to the wart, will damage the healthy surrounding skin as the acid does not differentiate between the viral tissue and healthy tissue. Often, the after-effects are even more painful than the initial wart and require time to heal.
Ready to have your warts cared for by experienced health professionals?
Book your appointment online or contact us today.