Plantar warts (plantar warts) are benign neoplasms caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).They occur mainly in young people and do not pose a particular danger, since their degree of oncogenicity is too low.
But still, to remove growths, it is better to consult a dermatologist.Modern instrumental methods of excision of warts are much more effective than ordinary yellowing and even surgical intervention, but they are used exclusively according to the prescription of the attending physician.
This therapy reduces the risk of recurrence of the pathological process to a minimum, and also prevents further rooting and proliferation of skin tumors on the feet.
reasons
A wart is a skin growth that is benign in nature.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 is activated 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 defense 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 found in the body of an infected person;
- nature of contact (direct/indirect);
- immune status of the HPV carrier.
People with a weak immune system are most susceptible to papillomatosis.But other factors can also affect the formation of plantar warts:
- constant stress;
- overworked;
- non-compliance with hygiene rules;
- body exhaustion;
- 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 predisposing to the formation of spikes include:
- increased sweating of the feet;
- frequent contact with household chemicals (even if the washed laundry is well rinsed);
- injuries leading to violation of the integrity of the skin of the feet;
- corns, corns;
- diseases of the endocrine and cardiovascular system;
- 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 fat.
Once inside 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 on the stratum corneum of the epithelium.Thus, the skin becomes rough and keratinized, which forms a wart.
Symptoms
The incubation period is different for each person.The average 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 HPV type that causes plantar warts does not penetrate into 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 borders and is oval or round in shape.The size of the growth varies from 1-2 cm in diameter.The spine has a rod 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 1-3 cm. In this case, the neoplasm can have a normal color or a light brown or pink tint.
At the initial stage of formation of a skin growth, its surface is smooth, but with "maturation" it becomes rougher, as a result of which it becomes rough.Its color turns 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 phenomenon.They appear as a result of the process of thrombosis of surface capillaries occurring in the tissues of the neoplasm.
In most cases, plantar warts are single formations.However, in some situations, the formation of daughter spikes 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 localized, which is why they are also called "mosaic warts".
Sometimes the spine can go away on its own without the need for treatment.At the same time, a person leaves no trace of the place where he is located.However, this is not common because the foot is a place where the tumor often injures.As a result, his self-destruction becomes almost impossible.On the contrary, it can constantly become inflamed, bleed and cause pain.
What plantar warts look like: photo
To find out what the spike on the foot of an adult looks like, you can look at the presented photo of a plantar wart.
Diagnosis
In most cases, it is not necessary to perform any diagnostic procedures for the diagnosis of plantar warts - 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 of removing a skin tumor, a laboratory examination of a scraping taken from the surface of the spine may be necessary.
How to treat plantar warts: basic principles
Topical treatment is often sufficient to treat plantar warts.However, if the virus is too active and daughter tumors appear, the doctor can prescribe systemic therapy based on the use of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.They help suppress the activity of the papillomavirus 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 shaft.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 still better to seek help from a dermatologist, undergo an examination and subsequent treatment.
The most effective and commonly used methods of treating plantar warts include:
- Chemical destruction.With the help of special drugs, skin tumors are burned, which leads to the complete destruction of their tissue structure.The treatment of thorns with folk remedies is based on the cauterizing property of certain herbs and medicines.
- Use of cytostatic drugs for local application.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, in which the necessary drug is filled, the growth is frozen (the temperature of exposure 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 off the warts with a special medical device - a Volkmann spoon.It is possible to simply cut the spikes with a simple 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 that helps get rid of skin growths in just 1 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.
- Radiowave removal of plantar warts.The manipulation is carried out using ultrasound 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 means 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 drugs, 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 ointments - most often doctors recommend sticking corns 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 inflammation and the risk of secondary infection is too high, the patient may need to use antibacterial or anti-inflammatory drugs.In this case, however, a special place is devoted to local treatment.
Laser removal of plantar warts
Today, one of the most popular and highly effective instrumental methods for removing plantar warts is laser coagulation.There are several types of carbon dioxide laser that are used to destroy skin tumors.Thanks to this, a separate type of laser is used for each type of formation, which helps to completely cut out the wart and prevent its recurrence in the treated area.
The principle of operation of the laser beam is simple.Due to the high temperatures, the fluids evaporate from the tissues of the plantar wart, which leads to 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 disadvantage 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 removing thorns.He will also recommend how to prepare for the procedure and tell you what measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of a plantar wart.
Pharmacy finished products
If the plantar wart is not yet deeply rooted and hardened, it can also be removed with ready-made solutions and ointments that are freely available in pharmacies.Each product contains a base or an acid, so you must strictly follow the instructions for use of the selected drug.
A good remedy for pimples 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 the fight against various types of warts, including plantar warts.But it is not recommended to use them as independent means - in most cases, they must be combined with pharmaceutical drugs.
Here are the most effective recipes:
- Jaundice juice.Perhaps this is one of the most popular and effective folk remedies for the treatment of 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 lightly cut, then smeared with garlic juice and wrapped with a bandage.Do the procedure daily.The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.
- Acetic acid.To prepare the medicine, you need to insist the onion in acetic acid for 2-3 hours, then make a compress and secure it with a bandage.Leave overnight.
- Oatmeal from rowan berries.
However, the most effective means of combating warts are not drugs, nor the above recipes of traditional medicine, nor even modern instrumental methods for their removal, but a strong immune system.Cases of spontaneous disappearance of leg skin tumors have been observed in people whose immune status has undergone positive changes.
You can strengthen the immune system in many ways: sports, walks in the fresh air, proper nutrition, giving up bad habits and finally special drugs - immunomodulators.However, a stable and strong immune system is the key to the absolute health of the whole organism.
Prevention
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 only own towels and personal hygiene products;
- wear comfortable shoes;
- fight against sweating of the feet;
- treat any wounds, cracks and even minor scratches on the feet.
For secondary prevention of plantar warts, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system with the help of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs.It is necessary immediately after the procedure to remove a skin tumor to start taking drugs prescribed by a doctor, which in itself is a stress for the body.
The therapeutic course must be completed to the end, because its interruption will reduce all efforts made to zero, so even a qualified specialist will not be able to eliminate the risk of re-formation of plantar warts.