Plantar wart or spine is one of the most unpleasant types of skin growths. Such a formation is located on the supporting part of the foot or toes. It consists of overgrown epithelial cells and has a deep root extending into the depths of the dermis.
Thorns do not pose a particular danger in terms of oncogenicity, but can be extremely painful and cause significant discomfort when walking. Such growths are difficult to treat and are characterized by a tendency to recur. How to get rid of plantar warts, which methods are considered the most effective and safe? Learn about it from our article.
Why do spikes appear?
Foot warts are benign neoplasms of a viral nature. The reason for their appearance is an infection with HPV (papilloma virus). The pathogen is transmitted from person to person through contact or comes into contact with the skin upon 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 - baths, saunas, gyms, swimming pools. The virus easily enters the body through small abrasions or scratches on the skin.
A strong immune system suppresses the virus's reproduction and puts it in a latent state. But as soon as the body's defenses weaken, the pathogen is activated and begins to multiply rapidly. Recent illnesses, stress, and violations of personal hygiene standards are becoming provoking factors that weaken the immune system. The following factors contribute to the formation of plantar warts:
- excessive sweating of the feet;
- wearing tight, uncomfortable shoes;
- microtraumas of the skin (abrasions, scratches, wounds, abrasions);
- frequent contact with water and preparations that provoke dry skin;
- chronic diseases associated with impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities (diabetes, atherosclerosis, varicose veins);
- foot deformities (flat feet, arthritis of small joints, osteoarthritis);
- constant formation of calluses, calluses.
Plantar warts can be met by wearing the shoes of an infected person or visiting a pedicure salon where the instruments 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 personal belongings of the carrier (towel, towel, etc. ). . ). Parents should teach their baby to follow personal hygiene standards as early 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 underlying layer of the epidermis, then spreads upward, leading to the formation of characteristic growths on the skin.
Initially, a wart on the leg of a child or adult looks like a shiny plaque with a round shape and small diameter (up to 2 cm). Soon its surface becomes rough, covered with a dense stratum corneum, rising above the surface of the skin. The color of the spine changes from flesh to yellowish gray. A crater-shaped depression appears at the center of the tumor. Upon closer inspection, blackheads are visible on the surface of the wart. These are thrombosed capillaries that come to the surface. Having this feature allows you to distinguish a plantar wart from corn or corns. A picture of a plantar wart gives a complete picture of what this formation looks like on the skin.
A favorite place to locate the thorns is the area of the foot that is under the most pressure. The root of the neoplasm goes deep into the dermis, irritating the nerve endings, which is why such warts cause painful sensations when walking. The outgrowths of the soles are single and multiple. Usually a large maternal wart first appears on the leg. If the virus is highly active, small daughter formations soon form next to it. Sometimes the spine disappears on its own, but more often the permanent 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 legs, if such formations are painful and cause severe discomfort? First of all, you need to contact a dermatologist for an examination and treatment. Plantar warts are not easy to deal with as they grow deep in the dermis. To avoid the reappearance of thorns, the root of the tumor must be completely removed. This can be done in different ways - medically and surgically.
Plantar warts: treatment
There are several methods to deal with plantar warts. At home, pharmaceutical products can be used to treat warts on the foot. The doctor must choose the scheme of therapy, as a positive effect can be achieved only with the right and competent approach.
Drug therapy
Various methods are used to treat plantar warts at home - from destruction by aggressive chemicals (acids, bases) to freezing of pathological tissues with special means. To rule out recurrence, it is necessary not only to eliminate the growth, but also to suppress the activity of the virus.
The complex treatment is based on the following groups of drugs:
- Antiviral and immunomodulatory agents.A cream that activates local immunity and inhibits the replication of the virus has a good therapeutic effect. It should be applied twice a day under a bandage. A cream that stimulates interferon production is used for the same purpose.
- Keratolytic agents.Preparations based on salicylic or trichloroacetic acid are designed to soften and exfoliate the rough stratum corneum of the wart. Removing dead scales allows you 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 avoid the reappearance of new formations and get rid of the thorns forever.
- Necrotizing drugs.To combat plantar warts, it is recommended to buy solutions based on acids or bases with a mummifying effect in the pharmacy. Penetrating into the structure of the neoplasm, aggressive substances burn the infected tissue, as a result of which the wart undergoes necrosis and dies. When using such drugs, precautions must be taken, otherwise you can get chemical burns on healthy skin. Treatment of 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 tissues of the wart. Under the influence of ultra-low temperatures, the fluid inside the pathological cells freezes and breaks them inside. As a result, the wart dies within 7-10 days. The best products with a freezing effect are produced in aerosol cans equipped with a special applicator for application.
The procedure should begin after consultation with a dermatologist. Only a specialist can properly assess the situation and advise how to get rid of plantar warts at home. Self-medication often leads to short-term effects and multiple relapses, as it is not possible to stop the spread of the virus.
Plantar warts in a child
The treatment of warts on a child's leg is performed with gentle methods. Children's skin is soft and thin, so aggressive products can provoke 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 fast - it will take 2-3 weeks to remove the wart.
It is necessary to start the use of keratolytics in the initial stages of tumor formation. In this case, it is possible to avoid the recurrence of the accumulation. If the spine has grown deep, you will need to resort to hardware methods of treatment that provide the desired result and ensure no recurrence.
If the plantar wart does not cause much concern, you can treat it with folk remedies - acetic acid solution, lemon juice, garlic tincture. The acidic environment has a destructive effect on the virus, stops its reproduction and prevents the growth of growths.
Surgery
The classic operation using a scalpel is rarely resorted to. Such intervention is permissible only when removing large growths that cannot be eliminated by other methods. The operation is performed with the help of local anesthesia. The surgeon cuts out the wart and thoroughly cleans the wound, trying to completely remove the deep root. Disadvantages of the method include pain, risk of wound infection and subsequent development of complications, a long recovery period during which the person is limited in mobility.
It is better to remove plantar warts using hardware techniques that are less traumatic and safe. The reference to the procedure is given by the doctor after a preliminary examination and identification of possible contraindications. The main treatment options are:
Electrocoagulation
The essence of the method is to cauterize the tissue of the accumulation with high-frequency electric current. The procedure is performed using local anesthesia, as it is accompanied by painful sensations. This option is only suitable for removing medium-sized thorns, with shallow germination in the depth of the dermis. If they cauterize large tumors, the risk of scarring and recurrences is not excluded.
The rehabilitation period after electrocoagulation takes quite a long time, requires treatment of the wound with antiseptic solutions, except for infection. During the recovery process, the patient is restricted in movement, as 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 tumor with liquid nitrogen. The ultra low temperature provides an immediate freezing effect. Frozen fluid ruptures the cells of the pathological neoplasm from the inside - as a result, the wart undergoes necrosis and dies within 10 days.
During the session, the doctor presses the refrigerant applicator against the neoplasm for a few seconds, first protecting the surrounding healthy tissue. The effectiveness of the procedure is proven by blanching the skin in the treatment area. Soon a blister forms at the site of the wart, which should not be touched or punctured. It is advisable to cover it with plaster to avoid injury. After a few days, the blister will dry and a crust will form in its place. Once it falls off, renewed, healthy skin remains at the site of the wart.
The procedure should only be performed by an experienced technician. Excessive exposure time causes damage to deep tissues, followed by scarring, and too superficial exposure does not destroy the wart root, which will lead to the appearance of tumors.
Laser removal
The modern procedure gives the best aesthetic result, allows you to control the depth of exposure, eliminates the risk of complications. The laser radiation evaporates the wart tissue layer by layer, simultaneously coagulating the blood vessels and disinfecting the operating field. Such an effect eliminates the risk of bleeding, infection, ensures the absence of recurrence, as 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. A small wound remains at the site of the removed wart, which is sealed with plaster. 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.
Radio knife removal
The essence of the latest 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 accumulation without direct contact with the surrounding tissues. The fluid in the cells of the neoplasm evaporates instantly, leading to 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 exposure. At the same time, high-frequency radio waves disinfect the surgical field and cauterize blood vessels, which eliminates the risk of bleeding.
Which method to deal with plantar warts to choose, the patient decides together with the attending physician. Before prescribing the procedure, the dermatologist finds possible contraindications.
List of restrictions on the use of hardware methods:
- inflammatory processes of the skin in the treatment area;
- diabetes;
- infectious, respiratory diseases (ARVI, ARI);
- hypertension;
- exacerbation of herpesvirus infection;
- pregnancy.
The question of the use of hardware methods in relation to the child is discussed with the doctor. Some procedures have age restrictions, so you need to understand in advance all the nuances of the proposed methods and make sure that there is no harm to the health of the baby.