Plantar warts (plantar warts) are benign neoplasms caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).They occur mainly in young people and do not present any particular danger because their degree of oncogenicity is too low.
But nevertheless, to remove growths, it is better to consult a dermatologist.Modern instrumental methods of excision of warts are much more effective than banal celandine and even surgical intervention, but they are used exclusively as prescribed by the attending physician.
This therapy minimizes the risk of relapse of the pathological process, and also prevents the rooting and proliferation of skin tumors on the soles of the feet.
Causes
A wart is a benign skin growth.The appearance of the spine is caused by the penetration of the papilloma virus into the human body, of which there are about 100 varieties.
After entering the human body, HPV may not reveal itself for a long time, being in a “dormant” state.But as soon as favorable conditions are created for it, it becomes active and immediately begins to multiply, affecting first the soft tissues, and then the layers of the dermis, which sooner or later leads to the formation of warts.
The “dormant” state of HPV is due to:
- strong immunity;
- phagocytosis (a specific protective reaction that is activated when pathological agents enter the human body).
The risk of HPV infection depends on:
- the state in which the virus is in the body of an infected person;
- nature of contact (direct/indirect);
- immunity status of the HPV carrier.
People with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to papillomatosis.But other factors can also influence the formation of plantar warts:
- constant stress;
- overwork;
- non-compliance with hygiene rules;
- exhaustion of the body;
- uncomfortable or tight shoes;
- wounds, scratches, ulcers on the surface of the skin of the feet.
HPV can enter the human body through:
- using towels or other objects belonging to a carrier of the virus;
- handshake.
Predisposing factors for thorn formation include:
- increased sweating of the feet;
- frequent contact with household chemicals (even if the washed laundry has been rinsed well);
- injuries leading to disruption of the integrity of the skin of the legs;
- calluses, corns;
- diseases of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems;
- use non-sterile nail care tools;
- visit public baths, saunas, swimming pools, beaches.
Human skin is made up of several layers, which are:
- epidermis;
- dermis;
- subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Once in the human body, the papilloma virus infects the basal layer of the epidermis (skin) and begins to actively multiply.The cells affected by the papillomavirus gradually rise through all layers of the epidermis, finally localizing on the stratum corneum of the epithelium.Thus, the skin becomes rough and keratinized, which forms a wart.
Symptoms
The incubation period lasts differently for each person.On average, this varies from several weeks to six months.During this time, the number of virus-infected cells increases rapidly.But since the DNA gene of the HPV type responsible for plantar warts does not penetrate the cell nuclei, the risk of developing an oncological process is almost completely eliminated.
A plantar wart is a hard skin growth that has clear boundaries and an oval or round shape.The size of the growth ranges from 1 to 2 cm in diameter.The spine has a shaft that penetrates deep into the layers of the dermis, and it is this that causes discomfort and pain when walking.It protrudes above the surface of the skin by approximately 1 to 3 cm.In this case, the neoplasm may have a normal color or a light brown or pinkish tint.
At the initial stage of the formation of a skin growth, its surface is smooth, but as it “ripens” it becomes coarser, making it rough.Its color becomes gray-yellow and a crater-shaped depression may appear in the center.The appearance of brown dots on the surface of plantar warts is also considered a common phenomenon.They appear as a result of the process of thrombosis of superficial capillaries occurring in neoplasmic tissues.
In most cases, plantar warts are single growths.However, in some situations the formation of daughter spines is possible, which indicates excessive activity of the papillomavirus.A large number of neoplasms create a specific mosaic pattern in the area of the skin where they are located, which is why they are also called "mosaic warts."
Sometimes the spine can disappear on its own, without the need for treatment.At the same time, a person has no trace of where he was located.However, this is not common, as the foot is a place where the tumor is often injured.As a result, its self-destruction becomes almost impossible.On the contrary, it can constantly inflame, bleed and cause pain.
What do plantar warts look like: photo
To understand what the spine of an adult foot looks like, you can look at the presented photo of a plantar wart.
Diagnosis
In most cases, to diagnose plantar warts, it is not necessary to carry out diagnostic procedures: the diagnosis is based on a visual examination by a dermatologist of the areas of the foot affected by growths.
However, if it is necessary to choose a method for removing a skin tumor, laboratory tests on a scraping taken from the surface of the spine may be necessary.
How to treat plantar warts: basic principles
Local treatment is often sufficient to treat plantar warts.However, if the virus is too active and daughter tumors appear, the doctor may prescribe systemic treatment based on the use of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.They help suppress papillomavirus activity and strengthen the immune system, which, in turn, helps prevent deeper penetration of HPV and damage to healthy areas of the skin.
However, preference is always given to local treatment, which removes not only the upper part of the spine, but also its shaft.But it should be noted right away that the use of well-known folk remedies for warts is often not very effective, so it is still better to seek help from a dermatologist, undergo an examination and subsequent treatment.
The most effective and frequently used methods for treating plantar warts include:
- Chemical destruction.With the help of special drugs, skin tumors are cauterized, which leads to the complete destruction of their tissue structure.It is on the cauterizing property of certain herbs and remedies that the treatment of the spine using folk remedies is based.
- Use of cytostatic drugs for local use.Products based on 5-fluorouracil, as well as ointments, have the highest effect.
- Freezing a Plantar Wart with Liquid Nitrogen.This procedure is called cryodestruction.With the help of a special device into which the necessary medicine is introduced, the growth is frozen (the exposure temperature reaches -220 ° C) and its subsequent removal.The manipulation is carried out under local anesthesia and requires careful skin care once completed.
- Surgery.In this case, they resort to the process of scraping the warts with a special medical device - a Volkmann spoon.It is possible to simply excise the spines with a regular scalpel, but this procedure has long been outdated.
In addition to the manipulations described above, the removal of plantar warts is also carried out using modern instrumental techniques.Among them, the most popular are:
- Laser coagulation, which helps remove skin growths in just one session.
- Electrocoagulation.Using a special electric scalpel, the spine is carefully removed.After the procedure, wounds and small scars may remain, so it is not used as often as laser coagulation.
- Removal of plantar warts by radio waves.The manipulation is carried out through the use of ultrasound frequencies emitted by the drug.This procedure is as popular as cryodestruction or laser coagulation.
- Ozone therapy.
Instrumental removal of plantar warts can be supplemented with local therapy using drugs with an antiviral effect.This combination of agents helps to significantly reduce the risk of relapse of the pathological process, thereby significantly increasing the overall effectiveness of treatment.For this, the patient is prescribed ointments or subcutaneous injections of interferons, as well as applications.
Before using medications, treatment is necessary to soften the keratinized layer of the epidermis on the surface of the spine.For this purpose, keratolytics are used, which, however, do not eliminate the growth itself, therefore they are not suitable as an independent remedy for papillomatosis.You can use not only ointments - most often doctors recommend sticking calluses or bactericidal dressings.A few days are enough for the wart to soften, after which you can proceed directly to the main treatment.
Since the spine is prone to frequent inflammation and the risk of secondary infection is too high, the patient may need to use antibacterial or anti-inflammatory drugs.However, in this case, a special place is given to local treatment.
Laser removal of plantar warts
Today, one of the most popular and effective instrumental methods for removing plantar warts is laser coagulation.There are several types of carbon dioxide laser used to destroy skin tumors.Thanks to this, a separate type of laser is used for each type of growth, which allows the wart to be completely excised and prevents its reappearance in the treated area.
The principle of the action of the laser beam is simple.Due to high temperatures, fluids evaporate from the plantar wart tissues, leading to their necrosis.And although this process takes some time, laser coagulation makes it possible to remove unsightly and painful tumors in one procedure.The main advantage of this technique is not even its high efficiency, but the almost complete absence of contraindications and side effects.The downside is the high cost of the procedure, so not all patients will be able to afford it.
Only a qualified specialist - a dermatologist - can choose the optimal option for removing thorns.He will also recommend how to prepare for the procedure and also tell you what steps to take to prevent a plantar wart from recurring.
Ready-to-use products in pharmacies
If the plantar wart is not yet deeply rooted and hardened, it can also be removed using ready-made solutions and ointments, which are available free of charge at the pharmacy.Each product contains an alkali or acid, so you must strictly follow the instructions for use of the selected drug.
A good remedy for thorns is salicylic or boric acid, used in the form of ointments or applications.
Traditional medicine
The arsenal of traditional medicine also includes many very effective recipes to combat different types of warts, including plantar warts.But it is not advisable to use them as independent remedies: in most cases they must be combined with pharmaceutical drugs.
Here are the most effective recipes:
- Celandine juice.This is perhaps one of the most popular and effective folk remedies used to treat various types of skin growths.You just need to treat the growths with fresh juice 2-3 times a day until they disappear completely.
- Garlic juice.This remedy has a powerful antiviral, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect.Before using it to treat plantar warts, the growth must first be steamed and lightly cut, then lubricated with garlic juice and wrapped in a bandage.Perform the procedure daily.The duration of treatment is 2 to 3 weeks.
- Acetic acid.To prepare the remedy, you need to infuse the onion in acetic acid for 2-3 hours, then make a compress and fix it with a bandage.Leave all night.
- Porridge made from rowan berries.
However, the most effective remedy in the fight against warts is not medications, nor the above-mentioned recipes of traditional medicine, nor even modern instrumental methods of eliminating them, but a strong immune system.In people whose immune status has undergone positive changes, cases of spontaneous disappearance of skin tumors of the feet have been observed.
You can strengthen the immune system in several ways: playing sports, walking in the fresh air, proper nutrition, giving up bad habits and, finally, taking special drugs - immunomodulators.Regardless, a stable and strong immune system is the key to absolute health of the entire body.
Prevention
Primary prevention of plantar warts aims to prevent HPV infection.To do this you need:
- have individual shoes when visiting public swimming pools, baths and saunas;
- use only your own towels and personal hygiene products;
- wear comfortable shoes;
- fight sweaty feet;
- treat wounds, cracks and even minor scratches on legs.
For secondary prevention of plantar warts, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system using antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.It is necessary to start taking medications prescribed by a doctor immediately after the procedure to remove a skin tumor, which in itself is stressful for the body.
The therapeutic course must be completed to the end, since its interruption will reduce all the efforts made to zero, so even a qualified specialist will not be able to eliminate the risk of reformation of plantar warts.