Plantar wart
A plantar wart is a benign formation on the sole or toes. Plantar warts are found in about 34% of cases of non-cancerous skin neoplasms. Dermatology deals with the diagnosis and further treatment of such neoplasms. Trying to cure a wart, it is extremely undesirable to use folk methods and try to get rid of it yourself, since the plantar wart has a root going deep into the skin and incomplete removal of it can lead to secondary growth of the wart or, conversely, severely injured surrounding tissues can cause the appearance of neoplasms in other parts of the body.
The content of the article:
Causes of plantar warts
Manifestations of plantar warts
Diagnosis of plantar warts
Treatment of plantar warts
Prevention of plantar warts
Plantar wart
Causes of plantar warts
Warts, papillomas and other types of warts (plantar, common, filamentous, flat) are formed due to infection of the human body with the papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is transmitted among humans by contact (through infected cells). The most favorable environment for virus transmission will be a warm and humid environment. Therefore, people often get infected with HPV in baths, saunas, swimming pools and gyms. If the body’s immunity is strong enough, then HPV can remain in a latent state and not give any clinical manifestations. The failure of the immune system activates the virus and the above formations begin to appear on the skin.
The appearance and development of plantar warts are promoted by factors such as excessive dryness or sweating (hyperhidrosis) of the skin of the feet; uncomfortable, squeezing and rubbing shoes; various deformities of the foot (deforming osteoarthritis, arthritis of the joints, flat feet); diseases that violate the trophic tissues of the foot (atherosclerosis, varicose veins of the lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, etc.), damage to the surface of the foot.
Manifestations of plantar warts
Often, the plantar wart has a rounded or oval shape in diameter of about 1-2 cm and protrudes 1-3 mm above the skin. The color of the skin covering of the plantar wart usually remains unchanged, but sometimes it can be pink or light brown.
At first, the surface of the wart is smooth, but later the neoplasm is covered with layers of keratinized epidermis, the surface becomes rough and changes its hue to gray-yellow. In the center, on the surface of the plantar wart, crater-like depressions are sometimes noted. Black-brown dots, which can often be observed on the surface of the wart, are caused by thrombosis of the surface capillaries.
Plantar wart in most cases is a single character. The formation of similar warts may indicate that the virus has reached high activity. Multiple warts give the affected area of the skin a mosaic pattern, which is why they are called “mosaic warts”.
Plantar warts can disappear on their own. On the skin of the foot under such conditions, they disappear without a trace. However, since warts are often injured, they rarely disappear on their own. Even if the neoplasm itself does not cause painful sensations, it can still cause significant discomfort to the patient and often even sharp pain caused by pressure or friction of the wart on the sole.
Diagnosis of plantar warts
Plantar wart outwardly often resembles a thickened stratum corneum of the skin (hyperkeratosis) or a corn. Only a highly qualified dermatologist can distinguish a wart from calluses and hyperkeratosis. To do this, the doctor performs a dermatoscopy. In order to examine the formation better, the dermatologist pre-scrapes the top layer of keratinized skin. The absence of a skin pattern on the surface of the formation and the revealed symptoms of petechiae (“thrombosed capillaries”) speak in favor of the neoplasm. Positive results for HPV and PCR diagnostics confirm the fact that the patient is infected.
In order to determine the depth of the root of the germinating plantar wart, the patient is prescribed ultrasound of skin formations. However, if there is a suspicion of the substandard nature of the wart, then the patient should consult a dermatologist. If a disease and deformity of the foot are detected, in this case it is necessary to consult a podiatrist.
Plantar wart is considered separately from keratodermia of the palms and soles in Reiter’s syndrome. The smaller size and shape (flat, not conical) of the formation, petechiae or the so-called symptom of “thrombosed capillaries”, as well as the absence of inflammatory changes around the keratinized layers of the epidermis, make it possible to distinguish plantar wart and keratodermia.
Plantar warts also have some common features with palmar-plantar syphilis. Syphilis has a multiple character, a specific annular or arcuate arrangement, they are painless and have a positive RPR analysis for syphilis.
Treatment of plantar warts
Removal of plantar warts is complicated due to its germination deep into the dermis, unlike other types of neoplasms. For example, electrocoagulation for this reason is not always suitable for wart removal. The use of electrocoagulation is possible only when the plantar wart is not deep. In this case, electrocoagulation will provide a trace-free healing.
Cryodestruction of a wart gives positive results, which directly depend on the qualification of a specialist, because an excessively deep impact on the neoplasm can lead to scarring, and too superficial an impact can lead to the reappearance of a wart. The blister that appeared after treatment with liquid nitrogen at the site of the wart, it is forbidden to injure until it heals (healing takes about a week).
Laser removal gives the best cosmetic result, as this method makes it possible to adjust the depth of exposure. Laser removal of warts is performed painlessly and quickly, and healing lasts about several days.
The radio wave method, in which the neoplasm is cut out with a radionog, can also be used when removing a plantar wart. At the same time, cauterization of blood vessels occurs, which prevents the virus from entering the blood from the neoplasm.
Surgical removal is suitable for plantar warts reaching large sizes. The procedure is performed using a conventional scalpel and the use of a local anesthetic. There is a possibility of complications — this is the appearance of a scar.
Prevention of plantar warts
The primary prevention of the occurrence of plantar warts is that HPV infection should be prevented. It is worth paying special attention to the mandatory wearing of personal shoes in places such as showers, swimming pools and baths. A significant role in the prevention of plantar wart formation for people suffering from foot diseases is played by proper and regular foot skin care: peeling and treatment of feet with emollients, as well as regular pedicure.
Patients suffering from deformity of the feet should use orthoses, unloading sectors, orthopedic insoles. If the feet sweat a lot, it is necessary to use deodorizing and drying agents and choose shoes made of natural materials. If the skin of the feet is too dry and there are cracks on it, then in this case it is necessary to use creams that can nourish and moisturize the skin of the feet. You should also regularly do therapeutic foot baths.
Secondary prevention of the occurrence of plantar warts is that the patient, along with the removal of the wart, is also prescribed antiviral drugs and immunocorrectors.
