DEAR DR. GOTT: I am seeing a dermatologist for plantar warts on the tops and bottoms of my feet. He is using a combination of acid and freezing. This is painful, and I have difficulties walking, even two weeks after treatments that are every three weeks. Is there anything else I can do?
DEAR READER: Plantar warts are benign growths caused by the human papillomavirus (of which there are more than 100 types), which enters the body through cuts or breaks in the skin. These lesions present as small, hard bumps and are most commonly found on pressure points on the heels or balls of the feet.
The virus can spread from person to person simply through touching or scratching. Because each person’s immune system responds differently, some people may not be troubled by warts, while others, such as you, are extremely hampered by them.
Treatment is not necessary in all cases. When intervention is appropriate because of pain or lesions, a physician may choose cryotherapy (freezing). With this treatment, liquid nitrogen is applied directly to the warts, sometimes a blister forms, and the dead tissue sloughs off in a week or more. This therapy can cause pain, so for this reason it isn’t commonly used for young children. Other options include prescription cream, laser surgery, immunotherapy and cutting away of the warts.
On the home front, over-the-counter salicylic-acid solution or patches, duct tape and cryotherapy products are available. There are a number of brands available, but if the medication or patch is used, it should be a 40 percent salicylic-acid solution. Duct-tape therapy involves covering the wart for about a week, then soaking the area in warm water. This is followed by gently rubbing the lesion with a pumice stone or emery board. The process may require repeating once or twice before it is entirely gone. Cryotherapy products are also available without prescription; however, they don’t appear to be as effective as the freezing process done in a physician’s office.
There are preventive steps people can take to reduce their risk of getting plantar warts. Initially, keep your feet clean and dry, since warts thrive in a damp, warm environment. Wear flip-flops or another form of foot coverage when around public swimming pools or in locker rooms. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching any warts. Avoid direct contact with another person’s feet or hands if they have warts. If you use an emery board or pumice stone to file off lesions, do not use that same equipment on your fingernails.
To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Compelling Home Remedies.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.
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