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Most warts are harmless, yet they can also be painful. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), plantar warts occur most often in children and young adults between the ages of 12 and 16. Incidence is also higher in people who share common bathing areas, such as dormitory students and gym members. With recent advancements in podiatric technology, stubborn warts can now successfully be treated with pulse dye laser therapy. The pulse dye laser brings new hope for the removal of a wide range of warts that are resistant to traditional therapy. What are Plantar Warts? Anyone can contract the virus that causes plantar warts, which are non-cancerous skin growths on the soles of your feet. Warts are one of several soft tissue conditions of the foot that can often be painful. They are caused by a virus that typically invades the skin through small cuts or abrasions, appearing anywhere on the skin. Those on the sole of your feet are properly called plantar warts. Most warts are harmless and are often mistaken for corns or calluses - which are layers of dead skin that build up to protect an area which is being continuously irritated. A wart, however, is a viral infection and tends to be hard and flat, with a rough surface and well-defined boundaries. They are typically raised and fleshier when they appear on the top of the foot or on the toes. Additionally, plantar warts are often gray or brown, with a center that appears as one or more pinpoints of black. Warts can often be resistant to treatment with a tendency to reoccur, but with advancements in technology, laser therapy will often help with removal of stubborn warts. What is Pulsed Dye Laser Therapy? Pulse dye laser treatment has become a common and effective treatment of plantar warts. Thousands of patients have been treated successfully with this laser leaving little or no scarring. To remove the wart, the laser energy is focused directly on the wart tissue. The majority of laser light bypasses the epidermis of the skin, and concentrates on the tiny blood vessels that feed the wart near the dermis of the skin. Immediately after laser exposure, the treated area may swell slightly. Over the next several days, the area will heal and the skin texture and tone will return to normal. The pulse dye laser is approved by the FDA for use on children and adults. It has been successfully used for thousands of treatments worldwide and eliminates the risk for scarring, unlike other wart treatments. How did I get Warts? By walking barefoot on dirty surfaces, or littered ground where the virus is lurking, you can often contract plantar warts. The plantar warts virus thrives in warm, moist environments, making infection a common occurrence in communal bathing facilities. If left untreated, your wart can grow to an inch or more in circumference. It can also spread into clusters of several warts. Similar to other infectious lesions, plantar warts are spread by touching, scratching, or even by contact with skin shed from another wart. Some tips for preventing the formation of plantar warts include:
* Avoid walking barefoot
* Change your shoes and socks daily
* Check your children's feet periodically
* Avoid direct contact with warts
* Do not ignore growths on, or changes in, your skin
* Visit your podiatrist for an annual check-up If home remedies are not working, contact your New York City podiatrist for further diagnosis and treatments. Your podiatrist in New York City will be able to provide you with proper treatment, whether it is conventional or laser therapy. Don't ignore your wart, early treatment can help prevent the development of worsening symptoms and the spread of your wart.
Sean Hartmen writes for leading New York City podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth Meisler and his team of professional podiatrists. Offering cutting-edge technology such as digital x-rays, diagnostic ultrasound imaging and wart treatment in New York City, Dr. Meisler and his team are committed to providing the best quality podiatric care.
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