
Medication
- Other acids. Your doctor shaves the surface of the wart and applies trichloroacetic acid with a wooden toothpick. ...
- Immune therapy. This method uses medications or solutions to stimulate your immune system to fight viral warts. ...
- Minor surgery. ...
- Laser treatment. ...
- Vaccine. ...
Procedures
The Best Treatment for Plantar Warts
- Prescription medication. Your doctor will recommend strong wart removal medications that are most effective in getting rid of warts as compared to over-the-counter ones.
- Freezing. Freezing a wart using cryotherapy is an effective option for getting rid of these unwanted growths. ...
- Immunotherapy. ...
Therapy
Surgical options include:
- Freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy). Freezing works by causing a blister to form around your wart. ...
- Electrocautery. This procedure uses an electrical current to burn off warts. ...
- Surgical excision. Your doctor might use special tools to cut off warts. ...
- Laser treatments. ...
Self-care
Most plantar warts are harmless and go away without treatment, though it may take a year or two. If your warts are painful or spreading, you may want to try treating them with over-the-counter (nonprescription) medications or home remedies.
Nutrition
Specialist To Consult
What is the most effective treatment for plantar warts?
How to get rid of a plantar wart without pain?
What is the best treatment to remove warts?
How long does it take to remove a plantar wart?

What is the fastest way to get rid of a plantar wart?
TreatmentFreezing medicine (cryotherapy). Cryotherapy is done in a clinic and involves applying liquid nitrogen to the wart, either with a spray or a cotton swab. ... Stronger peeling medicine (salicylic acid). Prescription-strength wart medications with salicylic acid work by removing a wart a layer at a time.
How long does it take to remove a plantar wart?
Over time, your wart will become crusty and whitish and start to look less well-established. Small pieces will flake off. And eventually — somewhere between one and six months, depending on the individual — the whole wart will come out.
Can you pull out a plantar wart?
Whatever you do, do not try to cut off a plantar wart yourself because you may injure yourself and cuts in your skin allow the warts to spread.
What does a planters wart look like when it comes out?
Plantar warts often look like circular spots of thick, callused skin. These spots will typically have tiny black dots on the surface, which are actually bits of dried blood. Plantar warts are usually flat and grow inwards as pressure from walking is applied to them. This often leads to pain.
How deep can plantar warts grow?
When first diagnosed, individuals often feel a “lump” on the bottom of the foot when standing, similar to having a stone in a shoe. If left untreated, plantar warts can grow up to 1 inch in circumference and may spread into clusters called mosaic warts.
How long does salicylic acid take to remove plantar warts?
Salicylic acid may take weeks to months to cure a wart. Here are some tips to follow for best results. Soak the wart in water before applying salicylic acid. This helps help loosen and soften the skin so the medicine can penetrate the skin more easily.
What is the root of a plantar wart?
Q: Do plantar warts have roots or seeds? A: There is a popular misconception that plantar warts have roots or seeds that can grow through the skin and attach to bone. The small red or black dots that have led to this idea are, in fact, clotted blood vessels, not roots.
Do plantar warts have a hole in the middle?
Unlike other warts, plantar warts grow into your skin, not out of it. You can tell you have a plantar wart if you notice what appears to be a small hole in the bottom of your foot that is surrounded by hardened skin.
How do podiatrists remove plantar warts?
Topical medications. Laser therapy. Cryotherapy, or freezing. Shaving the wart and applying a special acid.
Why are plantar warts so hard to get rid of?
Plantar warts are particularly hard to treat. The reason is that you may get rid of the wart, but the virus lies dormant beneath the skin. Weeks to months later, it can trigger another wart to grow. The goal of treatment is to destroy the wart and its virus while causing as little damage as possible to healthy skin.
Are warts HPV?
Warts are caused by an infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV). The virus causes an excess amount of keratin, a hard protein, to develop in the top skin layer (epidermis). The extra keratin produces the rough, hard texture of a wart.
Are all warts HPV?
Warts appear when a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) infects the top layer of the skin. There are several different kinds of warts including common warts, plantar (foot/mosaic) warts, and flat warts. All types of warts are caused by HPV.
Can I walk after plantar wart removal?
You'll know that healing is well on its way when walking on the affected foot becomes comfortable again. For some individuals, this may happen in as little as 2-3 weeks, but others may need to be on crutches longer. Other forms of pressure, such as that coming from a pen when writing, may also slow down recovery.
Are Plantars warts an STD?
Plantar warts are caused by an infection with HPV in the outer layer of skin on the soles of the feet. The warts develop when the virus enters through tiny cuts, breaks or weak spots on the bottom of the foot. If left untreated, warts can last from a few months to 2 years in children, and several years in in adults.
How do podiatrists remove plantar warts?
Topical medications. Laser therapy. Cryotherapy, or freezing. Shaving the wart and applying a special acid.
Do plantar warts have roots?
A common misconception is that plantar warts have seeds or roots that grow through the skin and can attach to the bone. The wart may appear to have a root or seeds, but these are in fact small clusters of the wart just beneath the top layer of the skin. The wart cannot live in any tissue except the skin.
What Are The Signs and Symptoms of A Plantar Wart?
Plantar warts most commonly form on pressure points, such as the heel or ball of your foot. You may have any of the following: 1. A flat, gray, bro...
How Is A Plantar Wart Treated by A Healthcare Provider?
1. Keratolytic therapy is when acid medicine is used to thin the wart. The medicine causes the outer layer of the skin to loosen and shed. Your hea...
How Can I Treat My Plantar Wart at Home?
Use home treatments as directed. Keep your wart and skin clean and dry between treatments. 1. Salicylic acid is an over-the-counter peeling agent t...
How Can I Prevent Another Plantar Wart?
1. Do not touch your wart, or someone else's wart. If you do touch your wart, wash your hands. 2. Do not walk barefoot in public places. Wear showe...
When Should I Contact My Healthcare Provider?
1. Your wart returns or does not go away after treatment. 2. Your wart grows larger or begins to spread or cluster. 3. You have bleeding or increas...
How can I prevent another plantar wart?
Do not touch your wart, or someone else's wart. If you do touch your wart, wash your hands.
How to remove warts from feet?
Salicylic acid is an over-the-counter peeling agent that comes as a liquid. Soak your foot in warm water for up to 20 minutes. Apply a small amount of salicylic acid directly to your wart. Avoid getting it on other skin areas, because it may irritate healthy skin. Let it dry, and cover the wart as directed. After several hours, use a pumice stone or nail file to gently remove dead skin. Use 2 times each day for as long as directed.
What are the signs and symptoms of a plantar wart?
Plantar warts most commonly form on pressure points, such as the heel or ball of your foot. You may have any of the following:
How to remove dead skin from warts?
After several hours, use a pumice stone or nail file to gently remove dead skin. Use 2 times each day for as long as directed. A plaster patch is also available over-the-counter. Cut the patch to the size of your wart. Apply the sticky side to the wart. After 1 to 2 days, peel the patch off and apply a fresh patch.
What is the best way to freeze warts?
Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze your wart. Liquid nitrogen is available over-the-counter but may also be applied at your healthcare provider's office. Liquid nitrogen may cause mild pain for a short time. Use only as directed.
How to get rid of warts on skin?
Surgery to remove the ward may be needed. Your healthcare provider will numb your skin, remove the wart, and use electricity to burn the area to help prevent it from returning.
What are the dots on my wart?
You may have any of the following: A flat, gray, brown, or flesh-colored growth. Black dots in the center of your wart. One wart or a cluster of them. A small wart that grows in size. Pain or tenderness when you walk or stand.
How to get rid of plantar warts?
Start your plantar wart removal treatment as early as possible. Wear waterproof shoes in humid public areas, such a locker rooms , saunas, swimming pools, showers etc. Keep your personal belongings, socks, towels and clothes, of the floor of locker rooms or pool areas. Keep your feet clean and dry.
How long does it take for a plantar wart to develop?
The usual incubation period between implantation of the HPV and development of plantar wart is 1 to 6 months; however, longer intervals have been reported as well. Here is a list of common risk factors that may increase your chances of developing a plantar wart: Injury of the soles of the feet. Scratches, scrapes, cuts and blisters on feet.
How to treat a plantar wart with plaster?
Garlic. Garlic has a high antibiotic value that could help you treat your viral infection. Simply cut a fresh, organic clove of garlic in slices and attach one slice to your plantar wart with plaster. Just make sure the garlic is not in contact with healthy skin! Leave the plaster on your wart overnight.
What is cryotherapy for warts?
Cryotherapy procedure is a freezing method which removes plantar warts with cryogenic nitrogen being at very low temperature. Low condition applied to the affected area not only remove wart but also activate local immunity, for better and faster recovery.
How to heal a wart on your foot?
Don’t share socks and footwear with other people. Use a foot powder if you are excessively sweating in the foot area. Moisturize your skin with coconut oil in evenings before going to bed to any heal cuts and scratches on your skin. Don’t touch your already existing wart with bare hands.
What is the best medicine for plantar warts?
Celandine juice is a well-known traditional remedy used for the treatment of various skin conditions, including plantar warts. Celandine juice carries antibacterial and antifungal attributes that are strong enough to suppress your papillomavirus infection.
What is a cluster of warts called?
A cluster of warts is referred to as the mosaic wart plaque.
How long does it take for plantar warts to go away?
Just leave it alone. Like other warts, most plantar warts eventually go away on their own. It might just take a year or two. If your plantar warts are painful or spreading to other areas of your feet, waiting is not an option. You need immediate relief.
How to get rid of plantar warts?
Plantar Wart Freezing. Freezing a wart using cryotherapy is an effective wart removal option. Liquid nitrogen is applied to the plantar wart with a spray or cotton swab. This destroys the tissue and causes a small blister to form over the spot. In a week or so, the dead skin will be gone.
What is the best way to remove a wart?
There are many different types of wart removal surgery. Your provider will choose the best option for your case. Electrosurgery – Using an electric needle, your provider cuts out the infected wart tissue. Curettage – The plantar wart is dug out with a small spoon-like instrument.
What is the best way to diagnose plantar warts?
Usually, a foot examination is all that’s needed to diagnose plantar warts. Sometimes, your provider will need to trim a tiny portion of the skin to see if it bleeds — a clear signal that it’s a wart and not a callus.
What is the procedure to remove a plantar wart?
Laser surgery – Laser treatments burn the tiny blood vessels inside the plantar wart. Eventually, the infected tissue dies and the wart falls off. There is less potential for scarring than other surgeries.
Why do warts appear on my feet?
Then, it forms that ugly, rough bump. Since warts are caused by a viral infection, they are easily spread through contact. Anything that has had contact with a wart — your hand, a towel, a sock, the floor — can spread it. And when warts show up on your feet, they can be as painful as they are unsightly.
What are the warts on the bottom of your feet?
Warts on the bottom of your feet, known as plantar warts, are the most likely type to give you any other trouble or symptoms. Because of their location — the soles, heels, toes and balls of your feet — plantar warts send you a painful reminder of their presence with every single step.
How to get rid of plantar warts?
There are many different methods of getting rid of plantar warts. Salicylic acid – You can purchase salicylic acid over the counter for use at home. It’s a fairly effective treatment for warts with minimal side effects. It can take several weeks of daily use to remove warts completely, however.
What is the best way to cut out a plantar wart?
Cryotherapy – This is a medical term that refers to freezing off warts with liquid nitrogen. It is usually painful and more than one treatment may be required. Surgery – A surgeon can perform surgery to cut out a deep plantar wart.
What Causes a Deep Plantar Wart?
Plantar warts, like all warts, are caused by a virus, human papillomavirus, or HPV. Usually, the virus enters the body through a break in the skin. Sometimes all it takes is for the skin to be softened, the way it is when you get out of a hot tub or swimming pool. That’s why you can get warts on your feet from locker room floors where other people with warts on their feet have walked.
Why do plantar warts grow inward?
Because simple acts like standing and walking put pressure on a plantar wart, they often look flat, unlike warts on the hands or other parts of the body, which are usually bumpy. Because of the pressure applied to them, plantar warts often grow inward instead of outward.
How long does it take for a wart to go away?
It can take several weeks of daily use to remove warts completely, however. Cantharidin – This is a prescription medication, usually applied by a doctor. It can cause some pain and more than one treatment may be required. Cryotherapy – This is a medical term that refers to freezing off warts with liquid nitrogen.
Can you squeeze a plantar wart?
Both are usually flat with tough, thickened skin. Plantar warts may cause pain if you squeeze them, though, while calluses usually do not . You may also see tiny black specks in a wart, which are blood vessels.
Can you get warts on your feet from locker room floors?
That’s why you can get warts on your feet from locker room floors where other people with warts on their feet have walked. Of course, not everyone that is exposed to HPV gets warts. Your immune system may fight off the virus. Elderly people and those with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible HPV.
How to get rid of a wart that is not working?
If salicylic acid is not working for your warts, then you can try other available options. Cryotherapy is the use of liquid nitrogento freeze away the wart. The doctor sprays the affected area until the wart disappears. Surgical removal using electric currents and laserjets are also frequent. A doctor can also introduce the substance cantharidin to initiate a blister under the wart. The blister eventually pushes the wart to fall from the skin. Some doctors may use a surgical knife to cut out the wart.
How to remove warts from skin?
Wash your hands with warm soapy water after every contact with salicylic acid. Removing warts at home by using salicylic acid should be routine and straightforward. Repeat the procedure every night until warts disappear. The acid may cause the skin to discolor to a dark complexion, but that is normal.
What to do if salicylic acid is not working?
If salicylic acid is not working for your warts, then you can try other available options. Cryotherapy is the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze away the wart. The doctor sprays the affected area until the wart disappears. Surgical removal using electric currents and laserjets are also frequent.
Why does my wart swell?
This is because the virus in the skin is irritated by the applied treatment. The wart will occasionally swell up to twice its size or more depending on the type of treatment used.
What happens if you get a wart on your arm?
Your wart will start to turn black and look very dry. At this stage, the skin that contains the virus starts to die. Once the wart is completely black, your pain is almost completely gone except for some mild irritation in the surrounding area.
What to use to file warts?
When the skin becomes tender, file the skin wart surface using a rough surface object. The most common are nail files, pumice stones, or emery boards. The filing removes the dead rough skin and opens the warts outer surface. It is advisable to seclude the filing items. The virus can easily infect another person who uses it.
Where do plantar warts grow?
They manifest on your ankles and soles of your feet. Plantar warts grow inside the feet.
