plantar wart causes and treatments

Like all other types of warts, plantar warts are caused by the HPV virus. They are also known as mosaic warts and often tend to grow in groups on the bottom of the feet. They can also result in a lot of discomfort and pain and therefore people often want to treat them as soon as possible. The pressure of standing on your feet the whole day causes the plantar warts to grow deeply into the skin, causing a great amount of pain for the patient. So what causes plantar warts and how can we effectively treat them?

Causes of Plantar Warts

People that develop Plantar warts usually got them from direct contact to HPV. Almost all types of HPV that cause plantar warts can be found in a warm, moist environment, such as swimming pools, public showers, saunas, and even the changing rooms of your local gym. Walking barefoot in these areas can increase the chance that you will get a wart. Direct contact (person to person contact) can also lead to this uncomfortable skin condition.

Your chances of getting plantar warts also increase if the immune system is weak or your feet are cracked and dry and have small cuts or wounds on them. The more you have been exposed to the virus, the more likely you are to develop plantar warts. However, not everyone is as susceptible to mosaic warts of as other people. Although the medical community does not know why some people are more resistant to HPV, the immune system is known to play a role in the early stages of infection.

Getting rid of plantar warts

Cryotherapy, also known as the freezing off plantar warts with the use of liquid nitrogen, can permanently remove warts. Doctors apply liquid nitrogen to the warts by applying the nitrogen directly to your skin or using a moistened cotton swab. It is less painful and less complicated than other available treatment options to remove plantar warts. It is usually also the most effective way to remove warts; they seldom come back.

There are several methods of treatment an a number of remedies for those who want to remove plantar warts. Salicylic acid is the most used home therapy because it can remove warts in just a few weeks. The acid can be applied in the form of drops or it can also be applied as a patch or a band aid, use a pumice stone to remove dead skin cells of the treated area. This method is not very well suited for the treatment of plantar warts however, this is due to the fact that plantars tend to grow deep inside the foot. The acid based therapies are more suited for treating flat warts

If you choose to have your warts frozen off, you can be rid of them in as little time as a few days. This is also safer than a lot of home remedies, because the treatment will not affect the skin around the wart because it is only applied on the plantar wart itself. This remedy most suited for people that want to remove plantar warts quickly and effectively. Sadly, most people will still first try home treatments.