A shoulder or spine wart is one of the most uncomfortable 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 that extends to the depths of the dermis.
Spines do not pose a particular risk in terms of oncogenicity, but they can be extremely painful and cause considerable discomfort while walking. Such increases are difficult to treat and are characterized by a reversal trend. How to get rid of a plantar wart, which methods are considered the most effective and safe? Find out about this in our article.
Why do bumps appear?
Warts on the legs are benign neoplasms of a viral nature. The cause of their occurrence is infection with HPV (papilloma virus). The pathogen is transmitted from person to person through contact, or gets on the skin when it comes in contact with an infected surface. It feels good 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 scratches or scratches on the skin.
A strong immune system suppresses the multiplication of the virus 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, violations of personal hygiene standards become provocative factors that weaken the immune defense. The following factors contribute to the formation of plantar warts:
- excessive sweating of the feet;
- wearing tight, uncomfortable shoes;
- skin microtrauma (scratches, abrasions, wounds, abrasions);
- frequent contact with water and detergents that provoke dry skin;
- chronic diseases associated with impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, varicose veins);
- foot deformities (flat feet, arthritis of small joints, osteoarthritis);
- continuous formation of calluses, corns.
Plantar warts can be encountered by wearing the shoes of an infected person or by visiting a pedicure salon where tools are poorly disinfected. A toe wart in a child often forms after visiting a swimming pool, summer camp, public bath, where the baby can mistakenly put on someone else's shoes, walk barefoot on a soiled surface, or use the personal belongings of the infection carrier (towels, sink, 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 spreads upwards, leading to the formation of characteristic growths on the skin.
Initially, a wart on the feet of a child or adult looks like a shiny round-shaped, small-diameter plate (up to 2 cm). Soon its surface becomes rough, covered with a dense layer of cornea, rising above the surface of the skin. The color of the spine varies from flesh to yellow-gray. A crater-shaped depression appears in the center of the neoplasm. On close examination, black spots are visible on the surface of the wart. These are thrombotic capillaries that come to the surface. The presence of this feature allows you to distinguish a toe wart from corns or calluses. A photo of a toe wart gives a complete picture of what this formation looks like on the skin.
A preferred site for spinal localization is the foot area that is subjected to the most pressure. The root of the neoplasm goes deep into the dermis, irritates the nerve endings, therefore, such warts cause painful sensations when walking. Heel growths are single and multiple. Usually, a large native wart first appears on the foot. If the virus is very active, then small girl formations soon form. Sometimes the spine disappears on its own, but more often the constant damage 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 feet if such formations are painful and cause strong discomfort? First of all, you should contact a dermatologist for examination and treatment. Plantar warts are not easy to treat as they grow deep in the dermis. To avoid the recurrence of the spines, the root of the neoplasm must be completely removed. This can be done in different ways - medicinal and surgical.
Plantar warts: treatment
There are several methods of treating plantar warts. At home, pharmacy products can be used to treat warts on the feet. The physician should choose the therapy regimen, as 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 the destruction by aggressive chemicals (acids, alkalis) to the freezing of pathological tissues with special tools. To rule out relapses, it is necessary not only to remove 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 prevents the virus from multiplying has a good therapeutic effect. It should be applied twice a day under the bandage. For the same purpose, a cream is used that stimulates the production of interferon.
- Keratolytic agents.Preparations based on salicylic or trichloroacetic acid are created to soften and exfoliate the rough umbilical cord layer. Removing dead scales allows you to reach the base of the lesion and facilitate the penetration of cauterizing or necrotizing solutions into its root. This is the only way to avoid the reappearance of new formations and get rid of ridges forever.
- Necrotizing drugs.To fight plantar warts, it is recommended to buy solutions based on acids or alkalis with 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 medicines, precautions must 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.
- Salt preparations. . . The principle of operation of such funds is based on the freezing of wart tissue. Under the influence of ultra low temperatures, the fluid inside the pathological cells freezes and breaks them from the 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 consulting a dermatologist. Only a specialist can accurately assess the situation and advise how to get rid of a plantar wart at home. Self-medication often leads to a short-term effect and recurrent relapses, as it is not possible to stop the spread of the virus.
Plantar warts in a child
Treatment of warts on a child's feet is carried out by gentle methods. Children’s skin is delicate and thin, so aggressive products can provoke irritation or burning. It is best to use keratolytic drugs, which soften and exfoliate horny scales. This method of treatment is not fast - it will take 2-3 weeks to remove the wart.
It is necessary to start using keratolytics in the initial stages of neoplasm formation. In this case, it is possible to avoid the recurrence of the accumulation. If the spine is deeply enlarged, you will need to use hardware treatment methods that provide the desired result and guarantee the absence of recurrences.
If the plantar wart does not cause much discomfort, you can treat it with folk remedies - acetic acid solution, lemon juice, garlic solution. An acidic environment has a destructive effect on the virus, stops its reproduction and prevents the growth of growths.
Surgery
Classic scalpel surgery is rarely used. Such an intervention is permissible only when large growths are removed, which cannot be eliminated by other methods. Surgery is performed using local anesthesia. The surgeon removes the wart and thoroughly cleanses 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 a person is restricted in mobility.
It is better to remove plantar warts using hardware techniques that are less traumatic and safe. Referral to the procedure is made 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 accumulated tissue with a high-frequency electric 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 shallow germination deep in the dermis. If large formations are cauterized, the risk of scar formation and recurrent recurrences is not ruled out.
The rehabilitation period after electrocoagulation lasts a long time, requires treatment of the wound with antiseptic solutions, excluding 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 for treating plantar warts. The procedure lasts only a few minutes and consists of treating the neoplasm with liquid nitrogen. Ultra low temperature provides instant freezing effect. Frozen fluid ruptures pathological neoplasm cells from within - as a result, the wart undergoes necrosis and dies within 10 days.
During the session, the doctor presses the applicator with the coolant on the neoplasm for a few seconds, protecting the surrounding healthy tissue from the front. 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 with a plaster to avoid damage. After a few days, the bubble will dry out and a crust will form in its place. Once it falls off, the renewed and healthy skin remains at the site of the wart.
The procedure should only be performed by an experienced technician. Excessive exposure time causes deep tissue damage, followed by the formation of a scar, and excessive superficial exposure does not destroy the wart root, which will lead to the appearance of new growths.
Laser removal
Modern procedure gives the best aesthetic result, allows you to control the depth of exposure, eliminates the risk of complications. Laser radiation evaporates the layer of wart tissue layer, simultaneously coagulating the blood vessels and disinfecting the area of operation. Such an effect eliminates the risk of bleeding, infection, guarantees the absence of recurrences, 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. At the site of the removed wart, a small wound remains, which is closed with a plaster. After the procedure, the patient can go home immediately and lead a normal life. The rehabilitation period is very short - complete recovery takes only a few days.
Removing with a radio knife
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. Strong heat radiation burns the building without direct contact with the surrounding tissues. The fluid in the neoplasm cells evaporates immediately, causing the destruction of the lesion. 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, high-frequency radio waves disinfect the surgical field and cauterize the blood vessels, which eliminates the risk of bleeding.
Which method of treating plantar warts to choose, the patient decides together with the attending physician. Before appointing the procedure, the dermatologist discovers possible contraindications.
A list of restrictions on the use of each hardware method:
- inflammatory processes in the skin in the field of treatment;
- diabetes;
- infectious, respiratory diseases (ARVI, ARI);
- hypertension;
- exacerbation of herpesvirus infection;
- pregnant
The issue of using apparatus methods in relation to the child is discussed with the physician. Some procedures have age restrictions, so you should learn in advance all the nuances of the proposed methods and make sure there is no harm to the baby's health.