Plantar warts are a common and painful issue that affects people of all ages. At Foot and Ankle Center, LLC, in Marrero, Louisiana, board-certified podiatrists and foot and ankle surgeons, Catherine Hudson, DPM, Denise Elliott, DPM, and the team offer various outpatient treatments for plantar warts, including cryotherapy and wart removal with prescription-strength peeling medication. Call Foot and Ankle Center, LLC, to receive treatment for warts, or book your appointment online.
request an appointmentWhat are warts?
Warts are rough, round growths that form on weight-bearing areas of your feet, like the soles and balls. They occur when the human papillomavirus (HPV) enters your body through cuts or breaks in your skin.
What are the symptoms of warts?
Wart symptoms include:
- Tenderness when walking or standing
- One or more growths on the soles of heels of your feet
- Hard, thickened skin
- Rough, round growths with a black spot in the center
Warts may bleed, become painful, or change color as they grow.
Do warts require medical care?
Make an appointment at Foot and Ankle Center, LLC, if you have one or more warts and they don’t improve with over-the-counter treatments. That’s particularly true if you have diabetes or another medical condition that affects blood flow to your feet. Warts can increase your risk of more serious issues, like infection and gangrene.
How are warts diagnosed?
Your Foot and Ankle Center, LLC, provider reviews your medical records, asks about your symptoms, and examines your wart. They gently press on it checking for sensitivity and collect a small sample with a scalpel, checking for clotted blood vessels underneath.
If your provider suspects the growth is something other than a wart, they may take a biopsy sample and send it to a nearby lab for testing.
How are warts treated?
Foot and Ankle Center, LLC, offers several treatments for warts, including:
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze a wart, killing the virus responsible for its growth. A week or two after treatment, the wart peels away and falls off.
Prescription-strength peeling medication
If you have more than one wart, your provider may recommend treatment with salicylic acid. The prescription-strength medication causes your wart to peel away one layer of skin at a time. It also boosts your immune system’s ability to fight the infection.
Minor surgery
If your warts don’t respond to cryotherapy or prescription medication, the team may recommend minor surgery. Your podiatrist administers a local anesthetic and uses special tools to cut the wart away.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment uses special wavelengths of light energy to close the blood vessels feeding a wart. Over time, a lack of blood flow causes the wart to die and fall off.
Your provider can make personalized treatment recommendations.
Call Foot and Ankle Center, LLC, today to explore the treatments for plantar warts, or make your appointment online.