WARTS

What are warts? A wart is an infection caused by a virus, which can invade your skin through small cuts or breaks. Overtime, the wart develops into a hard, rough growth on the surface of the skin. It has a cauliflower like appearance. A wart is most commonly seen on the bottom of the foot, hence the name plantar wart. Children, teens, and people with allergies or weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to the warts virus.

Symptoms: Warts may appear spongy with tiny reddish brown or black spots. These warts then grow and enlarge or may occur alone with smaller warts cluster nearby. Warts are, often times, mistaken for corns or calluses. They can persist for years and recur in the same spot. If left untreated warts can spread to other parts of the foot or even to the other parts of the body such as the hands.

Evaluation: Dr. Honick will examine your wart carefully to determine that it is not a corn or a callus. A wart will usually feel painful when it is squeezed from side to side. To examine the wart further the hard skin layer around it needs to be trimmed. A wart will have tiny spots that bleed while a callus will not.

Treatment: Warts are treated in many ways depending on their size and location. Topical medications or surgical removal or both may be effective treatment. Topical medicines can include salicylic acid or immunoresponsive topical medicines. Warts may also be removed with curettage, which is removing the wart with a small spoon-shaped instrument called a curette. Warts may also be removed with a laser. A wart is vaporized using a focused controlled beam of light energy produced by the laser. A local anesthetic is used with this procedure.

Prevention: After Dr. Honick treats your wart, protect your feet from future infection by keeping them clean and dry. If you are thinking of using over-the-counter medications for warts ask Dr. Honick first. Some of these treatments can damage your skin. It may be dangerous if you have diabetes or poor circulation. Avoid going barefoot in public places like showers, gyms, and locker rooms. The wart virus may spread easily in moist settings like these. Wear thongs or sandals on your feet.

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