| Wart |
|
|
Warts
are caused by a virus similar to the chicken pox virus. They come
in several varieties and when they occur on the bottom of the feet
they are called plantar warts. The picture to the left demonstrates
a common verruca plantaris (plantar wart). Note how the skin lines
go around the wart. |
|
The wart pictured to the right
is called a mosaic wart. It is similar to the one above except
that the skin distribution pattern is different.
|
|
 |
Sometimes they look like
this. All plantar warts are caused by the same virus. |
|
|
 Sometimes
other lesions are confused for warts.
The lesion to the left is a porokeratosis. It
is different from a wart. On the right you can see what a porokeratosis
looks like after it has been debrided. Poro's and warts are treated
similarly.
|
|
| There are many ways to treat warts.
Unfortunately, all the different treatments have similar statistical
cure rates. The most common methods used to treat warts are : |
| |
Chemo
|
Topical acid applied at regular intervals after debridement
(removal of surface layers). |
|
Cryo
|
Freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen or other cryo
substance. This creates a controlled frostbite to kill the wart.
|
|
Aldara
|
This
new topical cream (imiquimod) is aproved by the FDA for treating
external genital warts. There is an increasing number of studies
showing this as an effective treatment for plantar warts. |
|
Excision
|
Surgical removal of the wart. |
|
|
Remember, the cure rates are statistically
similar. That means that you have just as much
chance of a cure by using any of the listed treatment options.
Laser surgery has not proven to be statistically superior...only
more costly.
Dr. Sol recommends excision only
after failure of at least one of the other methods.
|
|
|
Dr. Sol is Board Certified in Foot & Ankle
Surgery by The American Board of Podiatric Surgery.
|
|
Call us at (719)635-7700
with your questions about
|
|
plantar warts.
|
