Plantar wart: causes and treatment at home

A plantar wart is a benign growth that develops on the foot, sole, or other parts of the lower extremities. The disease affects people of any age, children, women, men and even pregnant women. The pathological condition has a slow progression and significantly complicates the patient’s quality of life. To eliminate growths on the surface of the skin, various medications are used in the form of ointments and patches, as well as folk remedies. If it is necessary to quickly get rid of a tumor in a hospital setting, hardware technologies are used that eliminate the problem in a few sessions.

Causes of the disease

The causes of neoplasms on the legs are not fully understood, but it is noted that most often the causative agent of the pathology is the human papillomavirus. It penetrates the body and leads to pathological changes in tissues. Due to the thinness of the skin in the foot area, this area of ​​the body undergoes changes most often.

Infection with the virus occurs from a sick person to a healthy person through contact and household contact. For a long time it remains in the body in a latent form and under certain circumstances is activated. Factors that provoke the development of a viral pathogen in children and adults include the following:

• regular hypothermia of the body;
• frequent stress and nervous tension;
• excessive physical activity on a regular basis;
• weakening of the body’s immune forces due to a lack of vitamins and minerals;
• frequent foot injuries and the presence of small scratches or cracks;
• violation of tissue regeneration;
• Constantly wearing uncomfortable and ill-fitting shoes.

Weakened immunity is the main reason for the development of plantar warts in pregnant women and children.

One of the common reasons is neglect of the rules of personal hygiene, as a result of which pathogenic microorganisms develop on the surface of the skin, causing the appearance of a growth.

Main symptoms

After the human papillomavirus has been introduced into the body, it can remain in an incubation period for up to six months, during which time the person does not feel any changes. The influence of several factors leads to the gradual growth of the tumor. It is at this moment that the first symptoms of pathology appear:

• the affected areas look like small bumps with discolored skin;
• the skin around the tumor may turn red;
• in some cases, swelling is observed at the site of the growth;
• if the tumor has a long root, there is pain when pressing and while walking;
• when growths appear between the fingers, kissing warts form, which are constantly in contact with each other, which leads to injury;
• internal and subcutaneous types of pathology rarely provoke pain and usually have a flat shape.

The localization of growths is different. They can appear on the big toe or little toe, on the foot and between the toes. The intensity of the pain syndrome largely depends on the location of the formation. Children have a hard time enduring the pathology, because due to excessive activity they subject the growth to regular injury.

The most painful are genital warts, which most often form in the area of ​​the external genitalia, but often appear on the legs. They are small in size and pointed in shape, are constantly injured and bleed.

Drug therapy

Pharmacies today offer many medications for treating growths at home. The most popular are various ointments and patches:

1. Salicylic ointment is considered the simplest and most effective remedy; it has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. Available in pharmacies without a prescription, approved for use in adults and children over 12 years of age. The disadvantage of this remedy will be the duration of therapy within 2-3 weeks.
2. Oxolinic ointment acts directly on viruses and eliminates the problem within 10-14 days of regular use. Prescribed for adults and children over 14 years of age.
3. Special patches for long-term use are glued to the wart area and left for 7-10 days. They should be used continuously until the growth disappears, constantly changing the patch to a new one as needed. The most common product will be Salipod based on salicylic acid, which is approved for use by adult men, women and children over 7 years of age. Indicated not only for warts, but also for large, rough calluses.

The disadvantage of such products will be the ban on their use for women during pregnancy. It is not recommended to use any of the medications without first consulting a specialist.

How to get rid of warts on the leg in other ways

In addition to folk recipes and pharmaceutical drugs, there are other effective means of combating neoplasms.

Dry ice

You can remove a wart by simply pressing a piece of dry ice onto it. You need to hold it for as long as you can tolerate - this method is not painless. You also need to be careful not to damage the healthy skin of the leg around the tumor.

The method does not work the first time - it will need to be repeated 3-5 times a day, every 2-3 hours.

Home Remedies

You can remove a wart yourself using alternative medicine recipes. They are relatively safe and in many cases approved for use during pregnancy and for young children.

At home, recipes based on natural ingredients are most often used. Their disadvantage will be a long treatment period and the appearance of scars after removal.

Bath with soda and soap

Regular use of the procedure will help soften the skin of the feet, which will facilitate the effects of other products. To prepare such a bath you need:

1. Heat 2 liters of water to a comfortable temperature.
2. Add 30 g of soda and the same amount of liquid tar soap.
3. Dissolve the ingredients and soak your feet for 20 minutes.

The number of procedures is at least 3 per week. The recipe can be used for women during pregnancy, men and children over 2 years of age. The only contraindication will be an allergic reaction to any of the components of the composition.

Steaming with lemon juice

An effective recipe that helps soften the skin and prevent the appearance of new warts is prepared as follows:

1. Prepare 2 liters of hot water, cool to a comfortable temperature.
2. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon using a juicer and add to water.
3. The time of the home procedure is 15-25 minutes.

The manipulations should be repeated at least 2 times a week. The product is approved for use in children, adults and women during pregnancy.

Celandine

Medicines based on medicinal plants have long been used to eliminate growths on any part of the body:

1. Only freshly cut grass should be used.
2. Grind it and squeeze out the juice using gauze.
3. Treat the affected areas with the resulting product 2-3 times a day until the growth disappears.

When working with juice, you should follow safety precautions and avoid getting it on healthy skin. The medicine should not be used for children and adolescents under 18 years of age, women during pregnancy and patients with individual intolerance to the plant.

Onion and vinegar

It will be an effective way to eliminate growth if used correctly. To prepare this product you need:

1. Chop a large onion into rings and place in a saucepan.
2. Add 100 ml of regular table vinegar.
3. Leave for 3 hours.
4. Select an onion ring and attach it with a plaster to the site of the tumor.
5. Leave it on all night.

Repeat the procedure every evening until the growth disappears. Before attaching the bow, you should protect the healthy skin around the wart with oil or baby cream.

The prescription is not used to treat children under 7 years of age. Allowed for use by adults and even women during pregnancy.

Flour and vinegar

The recipe is considered effective and helps get rid of the growth in 1 procedure. To prepare it, you need:

1. Take a small amount of any flour.
2. Add a little table vinegar.
3. Stir to form a thick dough.
4. Separate a piece and apply it to the wart, secure with a bandage.
5. Leave it on all night.

In the morning the growth will come off along with the cake. If necessary, you can repeat the procedure the next day. The recipe is contraindicated for children under 7 years of age and patients with sensitive skin. It is not prohibited to use the medicine during pregnancy.

Acetylsalicylic acid

This product is considered very effective for eliminating growths of various sizes and locations. You can buy it at the pharmacy in the form of tablets or a solution of salicylic acid. The product is prepared as follows:

1. The solution is used in its pure form as compresses.
2. Moisten a cotton pad and apply it to the tumor for 30 minutes.
3. Repeat the procedure morning and evening until the growth disappears.
4. The tablets should be pre-crushed in an amount of 5 pieces.
5. Add a small amount of water until a thick paste forms, lubricate the growth and leave overnight.

Repeat similar procedures until the growth disappears. The product is not used for the treatment of children under 12 years of age, pregnant women and patients with individual intolerance to pharmaceutical drugs or a tendency to an allergic reaction.

Garlic

Garlic is considered the best and safest method for removing growths in children, adults and pregnant women. To prepare the product you need:

1. Peel the garlic clove and cut in half.
2. Apply to the site of formation overnight, pre-fixing it with a band-aid.
3. Repeat until complete recovery.

Usually a week of regular use is enough to get rid of the pathology. The only contraindication for using the recipe will be individual intolerance to the product.

Potato

Green potato juice has long been used to treat skin tags. It is used as follows:

1. Wash the potatoes and chop them together with the peel.
2. Using gauze, squeeze out the juice.
3. Lubricate problem areas with the resulting product several times a day.
4. Continue therapy until the pathological formation disappears.

The recipe is considered safe for use in children, adults and pregnant women. Side effects from its use are extremely rare.

Aloe juice

The juice of the medicinal plant helps to gently remove the growth and is approved for use in children, women during pregnancy and men. To prepare such a remedy, you need:

1. Cut off a few large and fleshy leaves.
2. Grind and squeeze out the juice using gauze.
3. Soak a cotton pad in the resulting product and apply it to the affected area overnight.

Repeat the procedure until the tumor is completely eliminated. A contraindication to the use of the recipe will be an allergic reaction to the medicinal plant.

Apple vinegar

For treatment, you should purchase only a high-quality natural product and use it as follows:

1. Every day in the morning and evening, drip 1 drop of the product onto the growth.
2. Repeat until it falls off on its own.

It is allowed to get rid of several growths on the feet in a similar way. It is better not to use such a product for children. Adults and women during pregnancy are allowed to use vinegar. If symptoms of an allergic reaction appear, you must stop using the composition.

Treatment with salicylic acid and iodine

There are many reliable recipes for eliminating growths at home. A bottle of salicylic acid is easy to purchase at any pharmacy. The product has a drying property, disinfects well and relieves inflammation.

To remove a plantar wart, a 5-10% solution of the substance is used. Before the procedure, it is advisable to steam your feet in a bath with the addition of soda or laundry soap. Hot water softens the stratum corneum and opens the pores for better penetration of the medicine.

1. It is better to carry out the treatment before bedtime.
2. Dry your feet with a towel and apply acid to the entire surface of the wart, without touching healthy skin.
3. Cover the top with a bandage folded in several layers and secure the bandage.
4. In the morning, remove, wash your foot and apply cream.
5. Treatment must be repeated daily until the defect disappears. Sometimes this takes 1-2 months.

You can use the Salipod patch. It contains sulfur and salicylic acid. Thanks to this, it provides an antiseptic effect and is successfully used to eliminate various skin formations.

Other methods

Quite often it is impossible to get rid of growths using home remedies. In this case, other methods are used. Procedures are carried out only in a hospital setting and after a thorough examination of the patient. These methods include:

Such methods are used only as prescribed by a specialist for the treatment of adults. During pregnancy, the decision on the use of methods is made by the doctor and only in the absence of absolute contraindications in the form of a threat of miscarriage or severe stages of gestosis.

If a plantar wart quickly increases in size, bleeds, or changes in color and shape, it is recommended to immediately consult a specialist. Self-medication is strictly prohibited.

What to do if a wart hurts

If the wart has been damaged, the area of ​​skin should be treated with hydrogen peroxide and bandaged or covered with a plaster. The next step should be to contact a dermatologist to assess the extent of the damage and determine further actions. The doctor may prescribe some treatment or recommend removal of the wart.

If the wart begins to hurt for no apparent reason, while other symptoms of a malignant formation are present, you should consult a dermatologist or oncologist as soon as possible. The doctor will conduct the necessary studies and, depending on their results, determine further treatment.

Delay in this case is unacceptable, because Melanoma (skin cancer) develops at a very fast pace and, if you contact a doctor late, is practically untreatable. Therefore, if alarming symptoms are detected, you should seek medical help as soon as possible.