Warts and veruccas are one of the most common skin complaints, and although they can occur in any age group, they are most common in children and adolescents. They can vary in size, shape and color and are caused by the same virus that causes cervical cancer – the human papilloma virus. Warts are contagious and can be spread from person to person, but they are not dangerous and are generally not painful.

Warts will disappear on their own eventually but many people wish to take steps to remove them for cosmetic or practical reasons. There is a variety of different options for plantar wart treatment, most of which can be done in the comfort of your own home. Many are simple and cheap and will not require you to visit either the doctor or a specialist clinic at the hospital.

Why plantar warts need to be treated

Plantar warts are the name for warts which grow on the soles of the feet. Whereas normal warts on other parts of the body grow outwards and have a cone like shape, warts on the soles of the feet cannot grow outwards due to the constant pressure of the body’s weight on the feet. When these warts start to grow inward, they can be very painful and cause considerable distress. There are many methods on the market for treating these warts however and most are suitable for use in both adults and children.

Salicylic Acid

One of the longest used preparations for treating warts on the soles of the feet is salicylic acid. It works by burning away the tissue of the wart and then gradually over time the wart will disappear completely. The acid is applied to the wart daily and in between treatments the wart should be covered to keep the acid from getting onto healthy skin or clothing and damaging it. Products containing salicylic acid are widely available from pharmacies and are applied to the skin using an easy to use dropper. If used correctly and accurately, there are very few side effects when using salicylic acid products. When warts are undergoing treatment with salicylic acid, it is important to keep them covered and ensure that they are not spread to other people. If using facilities such as a gym or swimming pool or anywhere with communal showers and changing, use flip flops to keep your feet away from the floor and minimize the risk of passing on the warts to other users.

Surgical Removal

Usually, a doctor will recommend using an over the counter treatment before trying surgery on the warts. If the over the counter preparations do not have a good effect on warts, the doctor may recommend trying surgical removal. With this method, the doctor will apply a local anesthetic to the area affected by the wart and then cut it out using a scalpel. This method may leave scarring and after the anesthetic wears off may be quite painful, although scars may not be a huge issue when dealing with scars on the soles of the feet. Removing the warts surgically will solve the problems of the warts but will not cure the virus which causes them, so there is always the risk that the warts will come back.

Lasers

Laser treatment is sometimes used when other treatments have not been successful or when warts have formed a cluster which makes them difficult to treat using other methods. This method is far less proven than other plantar wart treatment methods and may be painful and cause scarring.