There are a number of different treatments that can be tried at home without the need for a doctor.The benign warts on the bottom of the foot can make walking uncomfortable, but experts think it's a good idea to start with over-the-counter remedies.A health care provider can help you figure out which treatment methods are best for you if that doesn't take care of the problem.
Step 1: Home remedies have limits.
It will take many months for treatments at home to be effective.It's best to seek the care of your doctor if you want your warts to disappear faster.When warts are treated by a doctor, permanent eradication may take a long time.It can take several months for plantar warts to disappear on their own and not leave a scar.It will be difficult to walk after the warts have healed.
Step 2: The wart on your foot needs to be prepared before treatment.
You can soften the wart by soaking your foot in warm water.The excess skin should be taken off with a nail file.You can transfer the virus to other areas of the body if you use this stone or file for anything else.The product will go deeper into the wart if the top layer of dead skin is removed.
Step 3: It's possible to try a salicylic acid treatment.
There are a variety of over-the-counter products that can be applied to the skin.Treatments can be liquid, gel or patches.Follow the instructions on the package.It can take several weeks for full results to appear.
Step 4: Try using duct tape.
For up to six days, duct tape should be placed over the top of the wart.On the seventh day, remove the tape, soak the foot for five minutes in warm water, and then use a pumice stone or nail file to buff off the top layers of the wart.The duct tape needs to be replaced for another six days.Use the nail file for only one purpose.It can take several weeks to see the results.Many have good results using this method, but it is not known why.
Step 5: Home freezing compounds can be investigated.
The process closes the blood supply to the wart.You can use over-the-counter medications at home to freeze the wart.You should follow the directions on the product.Some will consider freezing at home painful.Local anesthesia can be used to freeze the wart.
Step 6: Do you know if it is time for a doctor's care?
There are times when you may need to see a doctor.If the wart does not go away after treatment or if it returns quickly, you should visit your doctor.If the wart appears to cluster.It could be a mosaic wart.You may have more pain after treatment if the wart starts bleeding.The area becomes swollen or red.This shows that the area has become sick.If you have diabetes, you should be aware of peripheral and coronary arteries.If you suffer from any of these medical conditions, it is important that you get treated by a podiatrist, who will monitor your peripheral vascular supply to the feet.Poor blood supply increases the risk of infections and tissue death.
Step 7: Discuss stronger acid peels with your doctor.
Salicylic acids are peeling agents that reduce the size of the wart.If home treatments are not effective, your physician can use stronger acid peels.You may be asked to use salicylic acid between doctor treatments for these treatments.
Step 8: Discuss it with your doctor.
Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the wart tissue.After the treatment, a blister forms, heals, and then falls off, taking with it all or part of the wart.This option is not usually used on young children.Depending on the size of the area being treated, a local anesthetic may be used.Cryotherapy requires several sessions with your doctor.
Step 9: Discuss laser treatments with your doctor.
Wart removal can be done with two laser procedures.In the first, the laser cuts the growth away from the skin and in the other, it cauterizes the blood vessels that feed the wart.Laser surgery can be painful and may take a longer time to heal.It is done on an outpatient basis.
Step 10: Discuss the use of immunotherapy with your doctor
The doctor will inject the antigens into the wart.They inject toxins into the wart that stimulates your immune system to fight the virus.This treatment is only used for warts that are resistant to other treatments.
Step 11: Discuss surgical options if your wart doesn't respond to other treatments.
The wart can be cut away using a technique.The doctor uses electric needles to kill the tissue around the wart.The process can be painful and can result in scar tissue, however, it is effective and often has successful long-term results.Don't cut away a wart at home.When it isn't done with the proper tools and in a sterile environment, it can lead to bleeding and infections.
Step 12: Do you know if you are at risk of getting plantar warts?
The wart is a result of exposure.There are over 120 different strains of the human immunodeficiency virus.The virus can be caught through exposure to skin scales.Athletes who shower in common areas are at higher risk due to the increased number of people who use the area.During the summer months, swimmers are at increased risk if they use communal showers and tiled areas around the pool; however, this includes all individuals who use a gym area locker room, shower cubicles, or hot tub areas where people normally walk barefoot.Individuals with cracked or peeling skin on their feet are more likely to have a disease.Individuals whose feet remain moist or sweaty throughout the day will have an increased risk as the skin breaks down from overexposure to moisture increasing the risk the virus can gain entry to the body.People who have had plantar warts are more likely to have them again.Individuals who pick at a wart can spread the virus to other parts of the body.Individuals who have a compromised immune system from illnesses such as mononucleosis can be treated with cancer treatments.
Step 13: Look at the area where you think the wart is.
It should be a small area of skin that is hard and flat with a rough surface.Warts are caused by an infection and can start out looking like a callus.There are two ways in which the plantar wart can affect your foot.A single wart can grow into several solitary warts that are satellites of the original one.There is a group of warts without clear skin.They are not satellites of each other, but rather grow very closely together and look like a large wart.It is more difficult to treat mosaic warts.
Step 14: Evaluate secondary symptoms.
Is the area throbbing?When standing and being squeezed on the bottom of the feet, plantar warts can be very painful.There are black specks inside the skin.These are small blood vessels that are inside the wart.
Step 15: You should watch for spreading.
Warts can be spread on your own body.Three small plantar warts on the bottom of your foot can quickly spread to 10 satellite warts, making the situation more difficult to treat.It is easier to experience successful results when you find a wart early on.
Step 16: It's a good idea to prevent another infection of the foot.
You are more at risk for another infections after treatment and resolution.To begin with, wear flipflops or other waterproof shoes in public areas, showers, locker rooms, saunas, pools and hot tub.Clean and dry your feet.If your feet are sweaty, use a foot powder.If you want to prevent cracked and peeling skin, use coconut oil on your feet.After applying coconut oil to each foot, use a pair of clean socks.
Step 17: You should not spread your warts to others.
Don't pick at the wart you already have.It can be spread to other parts of your body.Do not wear shoes or socks that belong to other people.If you have warts, you should wear flipflops or other waterproof shoes in the shower at home.The public locker room and pool areas should be kept free of clothing, towels and socks.