Plantar warts (plantar warts) are benign neoplasms caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).They appear mainly in young people and do not pose a particular risk, since their oncogenicity rate is very low.
However, to remove growths it is better to consult a dermatologist.Modern instrumental methods of removing warts are much more effective than banal celandine, even surgical intervention, but they are used exclusively as prescribed by the attending physician.
This therapy minimizes the risk of recurrence of the pathological process, as well as prevents the rooting and further spread 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 types.
After entering the human body, HPV may not be detected for a long time, being in a "dormant" state.But as soon as favorable conditions are created for it, it is activated and immediately begins to multiply, first affecting 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 (specific protective reaction that is activated when pathological agents penetrate the human body).
The risk of HPV infection depends on:
- the state in which the virus is present in the body of an infected person;
- nature of contact (direct/indirect);
- the immune status of the HPV carrier.
People with a weak immune system are more susceptible to papillomatosis.But other factors can also affect the formation of plantar warts:
- constant stress;
- excessive work;
- non-compliance with hygiene rules;
- body fatigue;
- 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 items belonging to a carrier of the virus;
- handshake
Factors that predispose to the formation of spines include:
- increased sweating of the feet;
- frequent contact with household chemicals (even if the washed clothes are rinsed well);
- injuries that lead to damage to the integrity of the skin of the feet;
- callus, corn;
- endocrine and cardiovascular system diseases;
- the use of non-sterile nail care tools;
- visiting public baths, saunas, swimming pools, beaches.
Human skin consists 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 multiply actively.Cells affected by the papillomavirus gradually rise through all layers of the epidermis, eventually locating in the corneum layer of the epithelium.Thus, the skin becomes rough and keratinized, which forms a wart.
Symptoms
The incubation period is different for each person.On average, it varies from a few weeks to six months.During this time, the number of cells infected with the virus increases rapidly.But since the DNA gene of the type of HPV that causes plantar warts does not penetrate into the nuclei of cells, the risk of developing an oncological process is almost completely eliminated.
A plantar wart is a firm skin growth that has clear borders and an oval or round shape.The growth size varies from 1-2 cm in diameter.The spine has a rod that goes deep into the layers of the dermis and it is this that causes discomfort and pain when walking.It extends over the surface of the skin approximately 1-3 cm.In this case, the neoplasia may have a normal color, or a light brown or pink shade.
At the initial stage of the formation of a skin growth, its surface is smooth, however, as it "ripens" it becomes thicker, as a result of which it becomes rough.Its color becomes gray-yellow, and a crater-like depression may appear in the center.The appearance of brown dots on the surface of plantar warts is also considered a common occurrence.They appear as a result of the process of thrombosis of superficial capillaries that occur in neoplastic tissues.
In most cases, plantar warts are single growths.However, in some situations, the formation of the spines of girls 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 the place where he is located.However, this is not common, as the leg is a place where the tumor often hurts.As a result, its self-destruction becomes almost impossible.On the contrary, it can become constantly inflamed, bleed and cause pain.
What do plantar warts look like: photo
To understand what a spine looks like on the foot of an adult, you can look at the presented photo of a plantar wart.
Diagnosing
In most cases, to diagnose plantar warts, it is not necessary to carry out any diagnostic procedure - the diagnosis is based on a visual examination by a dermatologist of the areas of the leg affected by the growths.
However, if there is a need to choose a method for removing a skin tumor, laboratory testing of a scraping taken from the surface of the spine may be necessary.
How to treat plantar warts: the basic principles
Topical treatment is often sufficient to treat plantar warts.However, if the virus is very active and daughter tumors appear, the doctor can prescribe systemic therapy based on the use of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.They help suppress papillomavirus activity and strengthen the immune system, which, in turn, helps prevent HPV from penetrating deeper and damaging healthy areas of the skin.
However, preference is still given to local treatment, which not only removes the upper part of the spine, but also removes its axis.But it should be noted right away that the use of well-known folk remedies for warts is often not very successful, so it is better, however, to seek help from a dermatologist, undergo an examination and follow-up treatment.
The most effective and commonly used methods for treating plantar warts include:
- Chemical destruction.With the help of special medications, skin tumors are cauterized, which leads to the complete destruction of their tissue structure.It is on the cauterization property of certain plants and medicines that the treatment of the spine with the help of folk remedies is based.
- The 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.Using a special device in which the necessary drug is filled, the growth is raised (exposure temperature reaches -220 ° C) and its subsequent removal.The manipulation is performed under local anesthesia and requires careful skin care after completion.
- Surgical intervention.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 cut the spines with an ordinary scalpel, but this procedure has long been obsolete.
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 1 session.
- Electrocoagulation.Using a special electric scalpel, the spine is carefully removed.After the procedure, small scars and marks may remain, so it is not used as often as laser coagulation.
- Removal of plantar warts with radio waves.The manipulation is performed through the use of ultrasonic frequencies emitted by the drug.The procedure is as popular as cryodestruction or laser coagulation.
- Ozone therapy.
Instrumental removal of plantar warts can be supplemented with local therapy, using drugs that have an antiviral effect.This combination of agents helps to significantly reduce the risk of recurrence of the pathological process, significantly increasing the overall effectiveness of the treatment.For this, the patient is prescribed ointments or subcutaneous injections of interferons, as well as applications.
Before using the medication, a course of treatment is required to soften the keratinized layer of the epidermis on the surface of the spine.For this purpose, keratolytics are used, which, however, do not remove the growth itself, so they are not suitable as an independent drug for papillomatosis.You can use not only oils - more often doctors recommend sticking calluses or bactericidal plasters.A few days are enough to soften the wart, after which you can proceed directly to the main treatment.
Since the spine is prone to frequent inflammations and the risk of secondary infection is very 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 very effective instrumental methods for removing plantar warts is laser coagulation.There are several types of carbon dioxide lasers that are used to destroy skin tumors.Thanks to this, a special type of laser is used for each type of growth, which helps to completely remove the wart and prevent its reappearance in the treated area.
The principle of action of laser beams is simple.Due to high temperatures, fluids evaporate from plantar wart tissues, resulting in their necrosis.And although this process takes some time, laser coagulation allows you to remove unaesthetic and painful tumors in just 1 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 every patient will be able to afford it.
Only a qualified specialist - a dermatologist - can choose the optimal option for the removal of spines.He will also recommend how to prepare for the procedure and will also tell you what measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of a plantar wart.
Ready products for pharmacy
If the plantar wart is not yet deeply rooted and hardened, it can also be removed using ready-made solutions and ointments, freely available at the pharmacy.Each product contains an alkali or acid, so you must strictly follow the instructions for using the selected drug.
A good remedy for the back is salicylic or boric acid, used in the form of ointments or applications.
Traditional medicine
The arsenal of traditional medicine also has many recipes that are very effective in combating various types of warts, including plantar warts.But it is not advisable to use them as independent means - in most cases they must be combined with pharmaceutical drugs.
Here are the most effective recipes:
- Celandine juice.Perhaps this is one of the most popular and effective folk remedies used to treat various types of skin growths.You only need to treat the growths with fresh juice 2-3 times a day until they disappear completely.
- Garlic juice.This drug has a powerful antiviral, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect.Before using it to treat plantar warts, the growth should first be steamed and cut a little, then lubricated with garlic juice and wrapped with a bandage.Do the procedure every day.The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.
- Acetic acid.To prepare the medicine, you need to soak the onion in acetic acid for 2-3 hours, then make a compress and fix it with a bandage.Leave it overnight.
- Porridge made from rowan berries.
However, the most effective remedy in the fight against warts is not medicine, nor the above recipes of traditional medicine, nor even modern instrumental methods for their removal, but a strong immune system.In persons whose immune status has undergone positive changes, cases of spontaneous disappearance of skin tumors on the legs have been observed.
You can strengthen the immune system in many ways: sports, walking in the fresh air, proper nutrition, giving up bad habits and, finally, special medications - immunomodulators.Either way, a stable and strong immune system is the key to the absolute health of the whole body.
Preventing
Primary prevention of plantar warts is aimed at preventing HPV infection.To do this you need:
- wear individual shoes when visiting public pools, baths, saunas;
- use exclusively your own towels and personal hygiene products;
- wear comfortable shoes;
- fight sweaty feet;
- treat any wounds, cracks and even minor scratches on your feet.
For the 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 the 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 re-formation of plantar warts.