Planters Warts and Plantar Wart Removal

No, planters warts are not warts that appear on the skin of people who like to plant trees and shrubs, though they very well may. But not because they love gardening. 

Like any other kind of wart, the planters wart appears as the result of a person being infected by one of the human papillomavirus (hpv) viruses.  

Planters warts, or plantar warts ("Verruca plantaris") as they are more commonly known, are limited to the human foot, on the toes or soles of the feet, the weight-bearing areas.

Because of their location, they can be quite painful. Different methods of plantar wart removal are available to people suffering from planter warts. We’ll talk about some of these methods in this article.

Warts, in general, are harmless growths, or small benign tumors.

The pressure exerted on planters warts often causes the wart to be pushed deeper resulting in the formation of a layer of hard skin over it.

They have a small, bumpy, cauliflower-like appearance and are sometimes mistaken for corns or calluses. The foot’s fingerprint-like skin striations go around the planter wart, rather than over it, whereas these striations are not altered on calluses and continue uninterrupted over the skin.

The act of walking can sometimes become an ordeal for some people suffering from this skin disorder. Fortunately, plantar wart removal is fairly routine and there are many effective ways to remove planters warts.

The question “Are warts contagious?” is often asked by people who suffer from warts. Yes, all warts are contagious. The virus can move about the body, from one part to another, or from one person to another.

Common sense good skin care can increase the skin’s resistance to warts.

Healthy skin will make it harder for the virus to penetrate the skin and spread throughout the body. Any damage to the skin – the tiniest abrasions, cuts, cracks – can  facilitate the virus’s entry into the body. Furthermore, any of the hpv viruses can remain in a person’s body for years without warts appearing. The human body appears to become more resistant to this virus as it ages.

Though the plantar wart is contagious, it is limited, in the sense that this particular virus affects the feet only. That is no comfort for anyone suffering from planters warts. This is an extremely stubborn virus, surviving for months without a host. It thrives on moist surfaces such as areas in and around showers and swimming pools. Nearly 10% of Americans are infected. These warts can at times fuse, resulting in clusters, or mosaic warts.

Here are some plantar wart prevention tips: 

• Practice better skin basics (see Good Skin Care: 14 Ways to Improve Your Skin)
  
  
• Do not walk barefoot in public areas
  
  
• Do not share footwear, stockings, socks
  
  
• Avoid direct contact between planters warts and other parts of your body
  

And here are a few plantar wart removal options:

• Cryotherapy – liquid nitrogen used to freeze the wart
  
  
• Excision - local anesthetic and scalpel or curette (sharp spoon-like instrument) to cut out the wart
  
  
• Electrosurgery – wart cut out with curette and then surrounding tissue cauterized (burned) to ensure destruction of  infection.
  
  
• Chemical treatment –a caustic or acid (e.g., salicylic acid or trichloroacetic acid) applied to break down infected skin.
  
  
• Over-the-counter topical treatments –  some solutions contain concentrated salicylic acid.  
  
  
• Natural treatment with essential oils – safe and easy method.

Planters warts are more a pain, literally, than they are a health risk. Plantar wart removal can be performed in various ways. Some of these ways involve the services of a dermatologist or podiatrist, and often your primary care physician. These services may come at a cost, however, as removal of warts may not be covered by health insurance plans. You should check with your insurers.

You can also look into plantar wart removal at home. Do it yourself safely and save money.