Plantar Warts

Plantar Wart Therapy In Algonquin, IL

Foot and Ankle Specialists aren’t just restricted to the inner workings of the feet. We also specialize in ailments that affect the skin in the foot and ankle area. Warts are an extremely prevalent condition around the world, affecting roughly 10% of the population at some point in their lives. This page aims to explore plantar warts, what causes them, and what your treatment options are.

What Are Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are raised, painful lesions on the bottom of the foot due to a viral infection acquired underneath the skin. Although warts can be seen throughout the body, they are very common on the bottom of the foot. These are generally due to HPV (human papillomavirus). Even a small, unnoticed break in the skin can allow for the virus to penetrate the foot. This then causes painful lesions that are very difficult to eradicate unless accurately diagnosed and treated by a podiatrist. Plantar warts can appear individually or within a cluster. The latter of which is called “mosaic warts.” They generally appear as callused lesions with black pin-point dots underneath which is a typical hallmark sign of a plantar wart. Skin lines also tend to traverse around the lesion and there is increased pain with squeezing of the lesion.

What Are The Causes?

There are various causes that can be attributed to the development and progression of plantar warts. Common causes can stem from the patient’s bony anatomy to faulty biomechanics that causes the joints to become arthritic over time. Depending on how you walk, the joint can be over-utilized and cause the underlying cartilage to become damaged. Additional injuries and trauma can be attributed to the progression of plantar warts as well. In addition to extrinsic factors, a patient may have systemic issues that can also affect the integrity of the joint. Inflammatory arthropathies such as psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout can be implicated in the development of hallux rigidus. In any case, it is crucial for your surgeon to determine the underlying cause of underlying arthritis before pursuing definitive treatment.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of plantar warts is generally clinical. Occasionally, lesions that are suspicious or do not fit the dermatological criteria of a plantar wart will be biopsied by your foot and ankle surgeon and sent to a pathology lab where a definitive diagnosis can be made.

What Are My Treatment Options?

Depending on the location and severity of plantar warts, there are a multitude of treatments that can be administered to eradicate the wart for good. Our podiatrists can determine the best course of treatment for your condition and symptoms.

Cryotherapy And Application Of Topical Salicylic Acid

Your podiatrist will shave the lesion down as much as possible before freezing it with liquid nitrogen in the office. You will then apply topical salicylic acid on the lesion daily and follow-up with your physician every 2 weeks until progress is made.

Surgical Excision With CO2 Laser Ablation

This procedure is performed in the operating room under anesthesia. The wart will be surgically excised and a CO2 laser will be utilized to ablate the viral cells under the skin to hopefully ensure that the wart does not return. There will be several weeks of wound care and weight-bearing restrictions post-surgery depending on the severity and location of the wart.

In-Office Microwave Treatment Wart Removal

The newest technology in our office, Swift Microwave Therapy, utilizes microwaves to heat the lesions quickly and stimulate an immune response that will eradicate the wart. The treatment takes 10 seconds total, causing little to no discomfort. It also does not require any home wound care or medication application. The procedure is done a total of 3 times spaced 4 weeks apart. Initial anecdotal evidence shows this procedure to be superior to others regarding the permanent removal of warts.

Plantar Warts Are Painful, Removing Them Can Be Painless!

One of our specialists will discuss all options with you and determine the best treatment course. The treatment course will be based on the severity and location of your plantar warts. With advances in technology and our state-of-the-art equipment, we offer treatment that makes removing plantar warts easy and painless. Call or book an appointment online with the Foot And Ankle Specialists Of Illinois today!