Plantar warts are common problems foot specialists often see in their offices. These warts are mostly found on the bottom of feet or toes, usually where a person bears the most weight. The human papillomavirus, or HPV, causes it, so it is contagious. Your foot specialist can diagnose and treat plantar warts. However, consider the guide below if you'd like to know more about treatment options and ways to avoid them. 

How to Treat Plantar Warts

HPV is a term relating to a group of viruses that affect the skin. It can cause warts to develop anywhere on the body, but warts on the feet are plantar warts. Anyone can get it from cuts or weak areas on the outer layer of skin on the soles of feet.

It can take several months for HPV to produce plantar warts. Sometimes, they disappear without medical intervention, but painful or persistent warts will need treatment from a foot specialist or podiatrist. Using salicylic acid, they can remove the wart. The acid is applied as a gel that can slowly dissolve skin layers on the affected area. The surface of the wart will peel off the foot.

The podiatrist could also treat plantar warts using cryotherapy. During this process, the doctor will freeze the warts using liquid nitrogen to form a blister over the affected area. After a week, the wart may be removed. A foot specialist may need to remove an extreme case of plantar warts with surgery. A very effective treatment is removal with the use of the CO2 laser.

How to Prevent Them

Plantar warts are contagious, so the best way to prevent them is to minimize contact with surfaces that could contain the virus. For instance, you could get warts by walking barefoot on floors in communal changing rooms or bathrooms and sharing towels, socks, and shoes. 

It's best to cover your feet in shared spaces where people are likely to walk barefoot and not share footwear. If you have a wart, you can prevent them from spreading by changing your socks and shoes daily. Keep the plantar wart covered and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading HPV to others. 

If you suspect you have a plantar wart, Dr. Eric D. Trattner can help you. Based in Cleveland, OH, this foot specialist provides comprehensive foot care to patients of all ages. He has years of training to deal with everything from nail fungus to heel and arch pain. This podiatrist also practices advanced foot care using minimally invasive surgical procedures and Laser treatment. Call (440) 333-5350 to request a free consultation or visit his website for more details about his services.