A plantar wart or spine is one of the most unsightly types of skin growths. This formation is found in 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 spines do not pose a particular danger in terms of oncogenicity, but they can be extremely painful and cause great 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 in our article.
Why do thorns appear?
Warts on the foot are benign neoplasms of a viral nature. The cause of its appearance is infection with HPV (papillomavirus). The pathogen is transmitted from person to person by contact or comes into contact with the skin when it comes in 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 especially high in public places: bathrooms, saunas, gyms, swimming pools. The virus easily enters the body through small abrasions or scratches on the skin.
A strong immune system suppresses the multiplication of the virus and puts it in a dormant state. But as soon as the body's defenses are weakened, the pathogen is activated and begins to multiply rapidly. Recent diseases, stress, violation of the rules of personal hygiene become provoking factors that weaken the immune defense. The following factors contribute to the formation of plantar warts:
- excessive sweating of the feet;
- wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes;
- microtrauma of the skin (abrasions, scratches, wounds, abrasions);
- frequent contact with water and detergents that cause dry skin;
- chronic diseases associated with impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, varicose veins);
- foot deformities (flat feet, small joint arthritis, osteoarthritis);
- constant formation of calluses, corns.
Plantar warts can be found by wearing the shoes of an infected person or by visiting a pedicure salon where tools are poorly disinfected. A plantar wart in a child often forms after visiting a swimming pool, summer camp, public shower, where the baby may mistakenly put on someone else's shoes, walk barefoot on a dirty surface, or use the wearer's personal belongings. infection (towel, washcloth, etc. ). Parents should teach their baby to observe the rules of personal hygiene as soon as possible and explain why it is impossible to use other people's things.
What does a plantar wart look like?
The incubation period, during which the papilloma virus multiplies, is quite long - from 1, 5 to 4 months. First, the pathogen affects the basal layer of the epidermis, then it spreads upwards, which leads to the formation of characteristic growths on the skin.
Initially, a wart on the foot of a child or adult looks like a shiny plaque of a round shape and small diameter (up to 2 cm). Soon its surface becomes rough, covered with a dense stratum corneum, it rises above the surface of the skin. The color of the column changes from flesh to yellowish gray. A crater-shaped depression appears in the center of the neoplasm. On closer examination, black dots are seen on the surface of the wart. These are thrombosed capillaries that rise 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 favorite place for the spines is the area of the foot that is subject to the greatest pressure. The root of the neoplasm penetrates deep into the dermis, irritates the nerve endings, therefore such warts cause painful sensations when walking. The growths in plants are single and multiple. Usually a large maternal wart first appears on the foot. If the virus is very active, small daughter formations 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 due to the constant pressure of the shoe.
How to get rid of warts on the foot if such formations are painful and cause serious discomfort? First of all, you should contact a dermatologist for examination and treatment. Plantar warts are not easy to treat as they grow deep into the dermis. To avoid reappearance of the spines, the root of the neoplasm must be completely removed. This can be done in different ways: with medication and surgical.
Plantar warts: treatment
There are several methods to treat plantar warts. At home, pharmaceuticals can be used to treat warts on the foot. The doctor should select the therapy regimen, since a positive effect can only be achieved with the correct and competent approach.
Drug therapy
For the treatment of plantar warts at home, a variety of methods are used, from destruction by aggressive chemicals (acids, alkalis) to freezing pathological tissues with special means. To exclude relapses, it is necessary not only to eliminate growth, but also to suppress the activity of the virus.
Complex treatment is based on the following groups of drugs:
- Antiviral and immunomodulating agents.A cream that activates local immunity and inhibits the multiplication of the virus has a good therapeutic effect. It should be applied twice a day under a bandage. For the same purpose, a cream is used that stimulates the production of interferon.
- Keratolytic agents.Salicylic acid or trichloroacetic acid preparations are designed to soften and exfoliate the rough stratum corneum of the wart. The removal of dead scales makes it possible to reach the base of the wart and facilitate the penetration of cauterizing or necrotizing solutions to its root. This is the only way to prevent the reappearance of new formations and get rid of the thorns forever.
- Necrotizing drugs.To combat plantar warts, it is recommended to buy acid- or alkali-based solutions 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 suffers necrosis and dies. When using such drugs, precautions should be taken, otherwise you may get a chemical burn on healthy skin. Treatment of a plantar wart in a child with necrotic agents is allowed only after consultation with a dermatologist.
- Cryopreparations. . . The principle of action of such funds is based on freezing the wart tissues. Under the influence of ultra-low temperatures, the fluid inside pathological cells freezes and breaks them from the inside. As a result, the wart disappears in 7 to 10 days. The best freeze effect products are produced in aerosol cans equipped with a special applicator for their application.
The procedure should be started after consulting a dermatologist. Only a specialist can correctly assess the situation and advise how to get rid of a plantar wart at home. Self-medication often produces a short-term effect and repeated relapses, since it is not possible to stop the spread of the virus.
Plantar warts in a child
Treatment of warts on a child's foot is done with gentle methods. Children's skin is delicate and fine, so aggressive products can cause irritation or burns. It is best to use drugs with keratolytic action, which soften and exfoliate the horny scales. This method of treatment is not quick: it will take 2 to 3 weeks to remove the wart.
It is necessary to start the use of keratolytics in the initial stages of neoplasm formation. In this case, it is possible to prevent the reappearance of the accumulation. If the spine has grown deeply, you will need to resort to hardware treatment methods that will provide the desired result and ensure the absence of relapse.
If the plantar wart does not cause much concern, you can treat it with folk remedies: acetic acid solution, lemon juice, garlic tincture. An acidic environment has a destructive effect on the virus, stops its reproduction and prevents the growth of growths.
Surgery
The classical operation with the use of a scalpel is rarely used. Such an intervention is permissible only when large growths are removed, which cannot be removed by other methods. The surgery is performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon removes the wart and thoroughly cleans the wound, trying 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 recovery period, during which a person has limited mobility.
It is best to remove plantar warts using hardware techniques that are less traumatic and safe. Referral to the procedure is given by the physician after a preliminary examination and identification of possible contraindications. The main treatment options are:
Electrocoagulation
The essence of the method is to cauterize the accumulation tissue with a high-frequency electrical current. The procedure is performed with the use of local anesthesia, as it is accompanied by painful sensations. This option is only suitable for removing medium-sized spines, with little germination deep in the dermis. If large formations are cauterized, the risk of scar formation and repeated relapses is not excluded.
The rehabilitation period after electrocoagulation is quite time consuming, requires treatment of the wound with antiseptic solutions, excluding infection. During the recovery process, the movement of the patient is limited, since the load on the foot causes painful sensations.
Cryodestruction
This is one of the most popular and affordable methods of treating plantar warts. The procedure takes only a few minutes and consists of treating the neoplasm with liquid nitrogen. The ultra-low temperature provides an instant freezing effect. The frozen fluid breaks the cells of the pathological neoplasm from the inside; as a result, the wart becomes necrotic and dies within 10 days.
During the session, the doctor presses the applicator with the coolant on the neoplasm for a few seconds, previously protecting the surrounding healthy tissue. The effectiveness of the procedure is evidenced by the whitening of the skin in the treatment area. Soon, a blister forms at the site of the wart, which should not be touched or pierced. It is recommended to cover it with a cast to avoid injury. After a few days, the blister will dry up and a scab will form in its place. After it falls off, the renewed and healthy skin remains at the wart site.
The procedure should only be performed by an experienced technician. Excessive exposure time causes deep tissue damage, followed by scar formation, and too shallow exposure does not destroy the wart root, which will lead to new growths.
Laser removal
The modern procedure provides the best aesthetic result, allows you to control the depth of exposure and eliminates the risk of complications. The laser radiation evaporates the wart tissue layer by layer, simultaneously coagulating the blood vessels and disinfecting the operative field. Such an effect eliminates the risk of bleeding, infection, guarantees the absence of relapses, since it prevents the spread of viral particles. Different 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. At the site of the removed wart, a small wound remains, which is sealed with a plaster cast. After the procedure, the patient can immediately go home and lead a normal life. The rehabilitation period is very short: complete healing takes only a few days.
Withdrawal with a radio knife
The essence of the last technique is the use of radio waves, which allows you to remove plantar warts in the fastest and safest way. The powerful heat radiation burns the buildup without direct contact with the surrounding tissues. The fluid in the cells of the neoplasm evaporates instantly, causing the destruction of the wart. At the same time, healthy skin is not damaged; During the procedure, the doctor adjusts the depth and duration of the exposure. At the same time, the high-frequency radio waves disinfect the surgical field and cauterize the blood vessels, eliminating the risk of bleeding.
Which method to choose to treat plantar warts, the patient decides together with the attending physician. Before the appointment of the procedure, the dermatologist discovers possible contraindications.
A list of restrictions on the use of any hardware method:
- inflammatory processes on the skin in the treatment area;
- diabetes;
- infectious, respiratory diseases (ARVI, ARI);
- hypertension;
- exacerbation of herpesvirus infection;
- the 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 need to know in advance all the nuances of the proposed methods and make sure that there is no harm to the health of the baby.