Do you feel as if you are walking on a pebble? Is it painful when you put weight on your foot? The problem could be a wart. When a wart grows on pressure areas (such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet) it grows inward instead of outward. This is a plantar wart. It is flat, light-coloured, and has tiny dots inside. A plantar wart may look like a callous. One or more can develop at the same time. Some are painless, but some are quite painful.
A virus that enters the skin through tiny breaks causes warts. Plantar wart virus may be spread in places such as around swimming pools or showers. Wearing shower shoes will lessen exposure and keep you from spreading the virus. Over time, plantar warts may disappear without treatment. If they do not bother you, it is often best to leave them alone.
It is possible to remove plantar warts. Some success for removing painful plantar warts has been reported with applications of salicylic acid (aspirin). The acid, available in pharmacies, works by softening the callous over the wart, exposing the virus. Apply the acid at night, and rub the whitened skin off in the morning.
During the day, apply a donut-shaped pad with the hole (Scholl's pads) over the wart for cushioning and pain relief. Do not use salicylic acid if you have diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. Other methods of dealing with plantar warts include freezing them with liquid nitrogen, and removing them with surgery.
If the pain is severe, seek medical evaluation from your doctor.
Article #4558
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