If the patient with plantar warts do not respond to available treatment alternatives, physicians may recommend one or more of options given below:

Minor surgery

This technique is being employed to removing away the wart by using a needle named electrodesiccation and curettage. It is being considered as an effective treatment alternative. As all other surgeries the physician will anesthetize patient’ skin prior to surgery.

Laser surgery

This method is commonly used by physicians to remove warts. However the procedure is highly expensive and causes a lot of pain and usually takes a longer time period for full recovery.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy tries to control the natural rejection system of the patient’s body to get rid off the plantar warts. There are several ways to achieve this objective. Physician may inject patient’s warts with interferon. Interferon is a treatment which elevates patient’s immune system’s instinct to reject warts. On the other hand, as a different procedure, physicians may inject warts via an antigen which stimulates the patient’s immune system. From time to time physicians may use antigens. Main reason behind this is that, people are immunized against mumps.

Aldara (Imiquimod)

This is a topical medication. Physicians can prescribe Aldara depending on the patient’s health status. As a prescription medicine, imiquimod stimulates patient’s body to release proteins of the immune system. The main motivation behind this is to aid ward off warts. Application of this topical can be made directly to patient’s warts. This medication has a FDA approval. The registered use of imiquimod is

To treat perianal and genital warts. However, it also being used to treat plantar warts.

This medication is being used in combination with salicyclic acid. Pysicians simply paint this beetle juice onto the patient’s wart and cover it with a clear tape. Cantharidin does not cause any pain. However it may cause the wart off the skin.

Following this application the physician clip away the dead part of the wart within 1 week period of time. It does not have a FDA approval for treating plantar warts.

It is among one of the most common therapiesbein employed to treat plantar warts. Patients employ duct tape to cover the wart for a certain time period. Duration of the therapy may take from 1 to 2 months.

A clinical trial was conducted to seek the efficacy of duck tape in year 2002. The results of the study reflected a high clinical success rate for treating plantar warts. Since the children may find freezing scary and painful, duct tape is being highly employed for children with combination of salicyclic acid.

Cryotherapy is a frequently used therapy to treat plantar warts. Clinically it has a proven efficacy. However it may need multiple office visits to the physician every 2-4 weeks. Physicians may apply liquid nitrogen together with a spray canister or cotton tipped applicator.

Cryotherapy is not preferred among children population because of the pain incidence. Children may also be frightened because of the application. Pregnant and breast feeding woman also should not use this treatment.

These groups of medications are highly recommended by physicians based on their efficacy and safety data. The treatment is frequently preffered by risk aversed physicians. Salicylic acid has low indidence of side effects. Thus it has minumum pain and ris. The medication should be used between 2-3 months.

The available formulas contain occlusal, salacid and Compund W Wart Remover. The patch forms are available at pharmacies. To eradicate plantar warts, the patient will need 40% salicyclic acid solution or patch that peels off the infected area within a certain time period. The suggested use is to apply it OD or BID. It is important to remember that salicyclic acid should not be applied to healthy skin which may cause an irritation.

Preventing plantar warts is only a matter taking necessary precautions. The lower the risk of plantar warts the general population should take the below actions:

1. Always wash your feet after a direct exposure in public areas
2. Keep your feet clean and dry
3. Use antibacterial soap in your daily routine
4. Use foot powder to keep your feet dry
5. Stay away from possible direct contacts with warts
6. Do not wear the same shoes and socks everyday
7. Wear only clean socks
8. Use bleach to wash your socks just in case they were exposed to the virus.
9. Always wear shoes, slippers, sandals and flip flops while walking in pools, locker rooms and rest rooms. Do not allow warts to have a direct contact with your skin
10. Never pick at warts. This may cause a dispersion of the virus.

Please find the suggested to do list that should be remembered for treatment approaches:

• The first rule is: DO NOT LOOSE ANT TIME, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!
• Don’t try to treat yourself, refer to a physician
• Don’t simply count on OTC remedies, receive a confirmation from your doctor about your treatment
• Don’t forget: There is no 100% guarantee for treatment success.

Today there are various treatment alternatives for plantar warts. Please refer to your doctor, and ask his/her advice on the medications.

There are many people who don’t know the risk factors of plantar warts. Unfortunately people put themselves at risk for HPV caused plantar warts without even knowing it.

Today we know that plantar warts are expected to emerge on the feet of people with:

• An impaired  immune system
• Direct contact to unsanitary surfaces
• Multiple contacts to the HPV
• Scratched, injured, damaged or cut skin
• Age factor
• Direct contact to on yourself or someone else
• Roommates: Who are sharing  razors, towels and other personal materials with a person who has the disease condition.
• Being clothed with tight shoes which may result with sweaty feet
• Biting your nails or cuticles.
• Walking barefoot on moist surfaces like fitness center’s, swimming pool’s showers, locker rooms.
• Eczema

The virus has different effect on people; where some people are more vulnerable to the HPV while some are not susceptible. Children and teenagers tend to  carry a higher risk for  plantar warts then adult population.

The main cause of plantar warts is the HPV which is human papillomavirus. Direct contact with HPV may result with plantar warts. Today we know that there are more than hundred kinds of human papillomavirus. Different types of HPV cause different warts starting from the patient’s fingers, finger nails, hands to patient’s feet.

The disease may arise when human papillomavirus attack the body via little cuts or breaks in the skin on the bottom of the patient’s feet.

It is true that human papillomavirus may pass from a patient to another person if you have a direct contact. The patient may spread the HPV by his/her own foot simply because of a direct contact (skin shed) especially in public places, restrooms, changing rooms, showers etc.. The Human papillomavirus pass into the body by a break in the skin.  It may also enter the skin by cuts, hangnail, closely bitten nail, or scrape or scratches on the plantar area of the foot. However, since each patient has a different immune function, they react to HPV differently. This means; although people may have a direct contact with HPV, this doesn’t mean that they will develop plantar warts. This explains why members of a small family sharing the same house, shower may not spread warts. Swimmers carry a higher risk for plantar warts. Because their feet is not only softened and moist but also scratched and broken by rough swimming pool surfaces. Today we know that common warts are frequently seen among people who handle chicken, fish and meat. Although HPV is not epidemic, it develops in moist and warm conditions. Because of the virus certain skin cells may grow too fast and this cause a plantar wart.

Plantar warts should not be confused with calluses or corns. Differential diagnosis is crucial to ensure the proper treatment.

Please find below the common signs and symptoms of plantar warts:

• Flat appearance on the bottom of your foot.
• Presence only on the sole of the foot
• Thickened skin that usually appear like a callus because of its tough, thick tissue
• Small lesions that look like “cauliflower-esque” in appearance.
• Little, flat and hard increased skin lesion with flat growths and a rough surface within strict borders
• The color of the plantar wart is usually brown, gray or the skin color with single or more than one small black pinpoints.
• Skin bumps which breaks in the regular lines and raises in the skin of  the patient’s feet
• Extraordinary dark or light skin enclosing the lesion.
• Deep growth into the skin
• Displays a slow growth progression in that the wart starts off small and gets larger over time.
• Representing rough growths around or under toenails or fingernails
• Suffering from pain when walking or standing  and a pain when the sides of the wart are squeezed
• Feeling of a small rock in your shoe when standing on it
• Tiny black dots that are usually present on the surface of the wart.
• Patients’ plantar wart may begin little, and then, may grow larger.
• The dots are actually dried blood involved in the infected capillaries
• Patient may have 1 plantar wart or a group of plantar warts.
• Patient may generally have blood vessels which appear like small dark dots
• They create a mass which made up of a major oval or circle part enclosed by a build-up of skin layers.
• Fleshy, little, grainy bumps on the soles of  patient’s feet

How can I diagnose plantar warts?

The primary diagnosis is a physical examination of your feet. A physician can easily diagnose plantar warts. To ensure diagnosis he/she may request a test simply by paring down the lump with a scalpel. Because calluses and corns don’t have a blood supply and they won’t bleed while plantar warts will bleed indicate pinpoint bleedings from the blood vessels (dark dots). Another test to ensure diagnosis would be to take a sample from the patient’s foot tissue for laboratory analysis.

When should I seek medical advice for plantar warts?

Refer to you physicians if your condition is too painful, persistent, or you observe a change in color of your plantar warts. If your plantar warts happen again and if it conflicts with your daily routine, again you should see a doctor without loosing any time. Never try to treat plantar warts by yourself, always ask for a professional help. Having diabetes or a circulatory disorder is a sign that you need a professional help and advice.

The condition even may be more serious if the lesions on your feet indicate a cancerous tumor like melanomas and carcinomas. Thus, never take a chance.