Get Rid of a Wart at the Bottom of Your Foot

Plantar warts, medically known as verruca plantaris, are small, non-cancerous growths on the bottom of the foot. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which enters through a cut or abrasion on the sole of the foot and infects the surrounding skin.[1] Unlike more fleshy-looking warts that grow elsewhere, plantar warts tend to be flat, covered by a callous and fairly tender to the touch. Like all warts, they are infectious, and occur more commonly in those with weakened immune systems and in people who walk around barefoot in public showers and change rooms. Getting rid of a plantar wart can be challenging, especially if you prefer using home remedies, but there are a multitude of potentially effective methods.

Steps

Using Home Remedies

  1. Use a pumice stone. Because the source of pain in most plantar warts is the overlaying callous (thickened layer of skin), removing it with something abrasive may make the symptoms disappear.[2] A pumice stone is an inexpensive natural choice for removing dead and calloused skin, but keep in mind it won't entirely remove the plantar wart, most of which lays underneath the skin. Before using the pumice stone as an exfoliator, soak your foot in warm water for 15–20 minutes to soften up the callous.
    • People with diabetes or peripheral neuropathy should not use a pumice stone on their feet because they have reduced sensations and may damage surrounding tissue.
    • Most plantar warts aren't considered a medical concern and may not require treatment, especially if they're not painful — sometimes they disappear on their own.
  2. Apply a salicylic acid preparation. Another technique to remove the overlaying callous of a plantar wart is applying an over-the-counter salicylic acid preparation, which is widely available at pharmacies. Salicylic acid is a type of keratolytic, which means it dissolves the keratin (protein) of the callous and the wart;[3] however, keratolytics also destroy/irritate healthy skin, so take care when you apply the liquid, gel or ointment. Before application of the salicylic acid (up to two times per day), soak your foot and file down the callous with a pumice stone or emery boards so the medication can better penetrate into the wart. It can take several weeks to get rid of a plantar wart using salicylic acid, so patience is the key.
    • Salicylic acid products sometimes contain dichloroacetic (or trichloroacetic) acid.
    • Plantar warts tend to grow on the heels or balls of the feet, areas that experience the most pressure.
    • A common feature of plantar wart are small black pinpoints (commonly called wart seeds), which represent clotted blood in the small blood vessels surrounding the wart.
  3. Apply apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has anecdotal reports of numerous health benefits, and one of them is combating warts of all types.[4] Apple cider vinegar contains a high percentage of acetic acid, which has antiviral properties (kills HPV and other viruses). However, acetic acid also irritates healthy tissue, so be cautious with application. Try soaking a cotton ball in vinegar and applying it to the plantar wart, then cover it with a bandage overnight and replace the next day. It may take several days to notice significant improvement.
    • White vinegar is made of acetic acid also, but it doesn't seem to have the impact on warts that apple cider vinegar does.
    • Other natural compounds with antiviral properties that you can experiment with at home include tea tree oil, oregano oil and fresh garlic.
  4. Cover the wart with duct tape. There are many anecdotal reports that claim that applying regular duct tape to plantar warts (over the course of a week or so) is an effective treatment, although how it may work is still a mystery.[3] As such, due to its low cost, ease of application and lack of risk, it may be worth a try. Clean the bottom of your foot with rubbing alcohol and securely attach a piece of duct over the plantar wart. Leave it on for 24 hours at a time before replacing it with a fresh piece of tape and repeat this cycle for two to six weeks. This tape method can be used in conjunction with the application of natural antivirals mentioned above.
    • There is no scientific evidence or study backing up the use of duct tape to get rid of warts.
    • Some people have reported that other nonporous tape, such as electrical tape, works as well as duct tape for plantar warts.

Experimenting with Alternative Therapies

  1. Boost your immune system. Since plantar warts are a manifestation of a viral infection (HPV), it infers that your immune system wasn't strong enough (even temporarily) to fight it off. So focusing on ways to boost your immune system is a logical and sensical approach to naturally getting rid of plantar warts. As such, see a nutritionist, naturopath, practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine or chiropractor about ways to boost your immune system. Getting more sleep (or better quality sleep), eating more fresh fruit and veggies, cutting back on refined sugar (especially soda pop), reducing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking and practicing good hygiene are all proven ways to boost your immune response.[5]
    • Supplements that can boost immunity include vitamins C and D, zinc, echinacea and olive leaf extract.
  2. Consider homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy is a well-established approach to treating various symptoms and conditions in all ages of people based upon taking minute (very small) amounts of plant compounds that essentially work on a vibrational level.[6] You can schedule an appointment with a certified homeopath or purchase the appropriate over-the-counter homeopathic pills or ointments at a health supplement store.
    • Compounds commonly recommended for plantar warts include: thuja occidentalis pills, podophyllin ointment, natrum muriaticum pills and nitricum acidum pills.
  3. Smoke the wart out. Although it might sound strange, an old indigenous Chinese remedy involving treating plantar warts in a "smoke box" filled with smoke from burnt leaves of the Populus euphratica tree has been shown to be as effective as conventional medical therapy, such as cryotherapy.[7] The Populous euphratica is a type of poplar tree found in many parts of the world, particularly China and the Middle East. Burning its leaves creates smoke filled with antiviral compounds (salicylates).
    • Find or purchase Populus euphratica leaves, dry them out and light them on fire in a controlled environment. Let them burn for a few minutes and then cover them so the lack of oxygen snuffs out the flames. Carefully place your feet about six inches over the smoldering leaves and let the smoke infuse the bottom of your foot where the plantar wart is for at least 15 minutes.
    • Take care not to burn or blister the soles of your feet by making sure the flames are extinguished and you don't get too close to the embers.

Getting Medical Attention

  1. Consider cryotherapy. Cryotherapy (performed by your family physician, dermatologist or podiatrist) involves destroying warts by freezing them with liquid nitrogen, which is sprayed on directly or applied with a cotton swab.[8] The liquid nitrogen causes a blister to form over the wart, which turns black and falls off a few days later. Cryotherapy may require several sessions in order to get rid of a plantar wart and it's usually not used on young children due to the pain involved. As such, your doctor may have to numb the area before applying liquid nitrogen.
    • Cryotherapy, if done correctly, should leave no scarring. Normal skin grows and fills in the void left by the destroyed wart.
    • Never attempt to apply liquid nitrogen to your skin at home — only under the care or supervision of a doctor. However, there are various "freeze-off" compounds available over-the-counter that are more appropriate for home use.
  2. Consider a stronger peeling medicine. Prescription medications with salicylic acid work more effectively than over-the-counter products because they are stronger preparations. Your doctor or podiatrist will apply it to your plantar wart at her office initially, but she may suggest you take it home and use it regularly, which removes the layers of the wart little by little. Studies show that salicylic acid is more effective when it's combined with cryotherapy.[9]
    • Because prescription salicylic acid products are more powerful, be careful not to apply too much of it to the healthy skin surrounding the plantar wart, as it might lead to redness and irritation.
  3. Ask about other topical treatments. A very common topical preparation applied to plantar warts is cantharidin, a compound that comes from many species of blister beetles.[1] Cantharidin is a terpenoid — a poisonous blistering agent — that burns the wart off. It's often used in combination with salicylic acid compounds. Your doctor will apply the liquid combination of cantharidin and salicylic acid directly to the plantar wart and cover it with a bandage for a week or so. A blister forms, which eventually peels off, although multiple treatments may be needed to fully get rid of the wart.
    • Cantharidin is fatal if swallowed and not typically given to patients for home use.
    • The blisters or skin lesions formed by cantharidin typically heal without scarring.
  4. Try laser treatments. The advancement of new technologies have enabled doctors to use a variety of lasers in efforts to destroy plantar warts. For example, pulsed-dye laser treatment involves burning and destroying (or cauterizing) the tiny blood vessels that surround and nourish the wart, which causes it to die and eventually flake off.[9] Some lasers can also burn the wart off directly, although topical anesthesia is required.
    • Laser therapy tends to be expensive, although the evidence for its effectiveness on plantar warts is somewhat limited and not well proven.
    • Laser therapy can be painful and cause scarring on the foot.
  5. Talk to your doctor about surgery. If home remedies, alternative therapies and various medical treatments fail to get rid of your plantar wart, then talk to your doctor about removing it surgically. Wart removal is considered minor surgery and involves your doctor either cutting away the wart with a scalpel or destroying it by using an electrical or ultrasonic device (called electrodesiccation and curettage).[9] Desiccation is the destruction of the wart tissue and curettage is the scraping away of the dead tissue with a little metal curette. This procedure is painful, so topical anesthesia is given first.
    • Surgical wart removal techniques invariably leave a scar, and it's not unusual for warts to return in the scar tissue at a later time.
    • Cutting into the tissue around a plantar wart sometimes causes the wart to spread to other areas of the foot, particularly in people who are immune-compromised.

Tips

  • To avoid plantar warts, never wear someone's shoes or boots.
  • Risk factors for developing plantar warts include: frequent foot skin trauma, use of public showers and weakened immunity due to illness or medications.[10]
  • Warts are contagious, so avoid direct contact with them on other people or from other parts of your body.
  • Plantar warts occur in all age groups, but are most common among kids aged 12-16 years.[10]
  • Protect the bottoms of your feet from injury and wash your hands frequently.
  • Consider taking a very high dosage of Vitamin A, 30,000 U per day for one month or 5 weeks.
  • Don't pick at the skin around the wart, it will only make it worse use cream or something else.

Warning

  • Don't ignore growths or changes to the skin on your feet, as some may not be benign like plantar warts. Seek medical advice if you're concerned.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/warts/hic_Plantar_Warts
  2. ↑ http://www.emedicinehealth.com/plantar_warts/page4_em.htm
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.medicinenet.com/warts_common_warts/page4.htm
  4. ↑ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/03/21/apple-cider-vinegar-uses.aspx#_edn12
  5. ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
  6. ↑ http://www.homeopathycenter.org/learn-about-homeopathy
  7. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18377608
  8. ↑ http://www.emedicinehealth.com/plantar_warts/page5_em.htm
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-warts/basics/treatment/con-20025706
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/plantar_warts/article_em.htm
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Get_Rid_of_a_Wart_at_the_Bottom_of_Your_Foot&oldid=296383"