| 2633 Main Street, Suite 202 Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 |
315 Broad Street Florence, NJ 08518 | 5 Franklin Av Belleville, NJ 07109 |
Foot & Ankle Procedures & Services
Corns, Calluses, Warts
Warts:
Kids are highly susceptible to developing warts on the feet, due to increased exposure to the virus and underdeveloped immune systems. That being said, Adults can develop warts too!
What are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts are the result of a viral infection on the feet. The offending organisms in this case are strains of HPV, the human papillomavirus. You might have heard about HPV creating warts elsewhere. There are more than 100 kinds of HPV we currently know in the world, but only a few of them will cause warts on the feet. The rest are different. The virus tends to infiltrate through small cuts, sores, or any other weak spot along the bottom of the foot. It thrives in warm, damp areas, so walking barefoot through locker rooms and other wet, public areas can increase your risks. Symptoms of plantar warts include:
• Small, grainy growths on the bottom of the foot. These are most commonly seen around the base of the toes, the forefoot, and the heel. They will also tend to interrupt the normal lines and loops you see in your foot.
• Occasionally, a hard, thick callus over a definite spot on the skin. This is a sign that a wart might have grown inward.
• Small, dark pinpoints or flecks in the affected area. Some call these “seeds,” but they are tiny blood vessels within the skin that have become interrupted by warts and since clotted.
Plantar warts do not always cause pain. They might, however, if they are developed in a particularly sensitive part of the foot that endures pressure while walking.
What to Do About Plantar Warts
The good news is that plantar warts eventually go away on their own. The bad news is that it may take them up to 2 years to do so! If your plantar warts are not causing you any pains or problems whatsoever, then you could reasonably stick this time period out. This isn’t always the wisest move, however. As long as you have the warts, you risk spreading them to others. Your family would not like that to happen…nor would anyone at the gym! You also risk spreading them to your hands if you pick or scratch at the warts, so be sure to wash your hands constantly. If you want to get rid of your warts sooner (and really, that’s a sound course of action), home remedies are very likely not going to help you. None of them have much peer-reviewed, scientific bearing (even duct tape!). Feel free to try anything that’s not going to cause you injury or pain, but you likely won’t see results. Most warts can be adequately addressed in 1-3 appointments with chemical or liquid nitrogen treatments. However, this may be impractical if your child has multiple severe warts. In such cases, we can also provide a hospital-based procedure to excise the wart using anesthesia. Every case of plantar warts can be a little different, so we will be sure to discuss your full range of options when it comes to removal for yourself or a loved one.
Corns and Calluses:
Corns and calluses are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop when your skin tries to protect itself against friction and pressure. They most often develop on the feet and toes or hands and fingers. Corns and calluses can be unsightly.
If you’re healthy, you need treatment for corns and calluses only if they cause discomfort. For most people, simply eliminating the source of friction or pressure makes corns and calluses disappear.
If you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor blood flow to your feet, you’re at greater risk of complications from corns and calluses.
We at Lawrenceville Foot & Ankle Specialists are well equipped to help alleviate your discomfort. Call us today for a consultation.
Kids are highly susceptible to developing warts on the feet, due to increased exposure to the virus and underdeveloped immune systems. That being said, Adults can develop warts too!
What are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts are the result of a viral infection on the feet. The offending organisms in this case are strains of HPV, the human papillomavirus. You might have heard about HPV creating warts elsewhere. There are more than 100 kinds of HPV we currently know in the world, but only a few of them will cause warts on the feet. The rest are different. The virus tends to infiltrate through small cuts, sores, or any other weak spot along the bottom of the foot. It thrives in warm, damp areas, so walking barefoot through locker rooms and other wet, public areas can increase your risks. Symptoms of plantar warts include:
• Small, grainy growths on the bottom of the foot. These are most commonly seen around the base of the toes, the forefoot, and the heel. They will also tend to interrupt the normal lines and loops you see in your foot.
• Occasionally, a hard, thick callus over a definite spot on the skin. This is a sign that a wart might have grown inward.
• Small, dark pinpoints or flecks in the affected area. Some call these “seeds,” but they are tiny blood vessels within the skin that have become interrupted by warts and since clotted.
Plantar warts do not always cause pain. They might, however, if they are developed in a particularly sensitive part of the foot that endures pressure while walking.
What to Do About Plantar Warts
The good news is that plantar warts eventually go away on their own. The bad news is that it may take them up to 2 years to do so! If your plantar warts are not causing you any pains or problems whatsoever, then you could reasonably stick this time period out. This isn’t always the wisest move, however. As long as you have the warts, you risk spreading them to others. Your family would not like that to happen…nor would anyone at the gym! You also risk spreading them to your hands if you pick or scratch at the warts, so be sure to wash your hands constantly. If you want to get rid of your warts sooner (and really, that’s a sound course of action), home remedies are very likely not going to help you. None of them have much peer-reviewed, scientific bearing (even duct tape!). Feel free to try anything that’s not going to cause you injury or pain, but you likely won’t see results. Most warts can be adequately addressed in 1-3 appointments with chemical or liquid nitrogen treatments. However, this may be impractical if your child has multiple severe warts. In such cases, we can also provide a hospital-based procedure to excise the wart using anesthesia. Every case of plantar warts can be a little different, so we will be sure to discuss your full range of options when it comes to removal for yourself or a loved one.
Corns and Calluses:
Corns and calluses are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop when your skin tries to protect itself against friction and pressure. They most often develop on the feet and toes or hands and fingers. Corns and calluses can be unsightly.
If you’re healthy, you need treatment for corns and calluses only if they cause discomfort. For most people, simply eliminating the source of friction or pressure makes corns and calluses disappear.
If you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor blood flow to your feet, you’re at greater risk of complications from corns and calluses.
We at Lawrenceville Foot & Ankle Specialists are well equipped to help alleviate your discomfort. Call us today for a consultation.
