Warts 

Wart's - things witches have on the end of their noses? Caught by kissing a frog? There are many mis-conceptions on not only how you 'catch' warts, but also what they actually are &, how you get rid of them. 

A Wart is an infection caused by a virus, which can invade your skin through small cuts or breaks.  Over time, the wart develops into a hard, rough growth on the surface of the skin.  A wart will most commonly be found on the bottom of the foot, but can also appear on top.  Children, teens and people with allergies or weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to the wart virus.    

Symptoms: Warts that are not located on the bottom of the foot are often not painful. It's generally when they occur on the bottom of the foot, that they become painful by the pressure applied to them. The wart can vary greatly in size, can be solitary or in a group (mosaic wart). The appearance of a wart can vary & it can be difficult to accurately diagnose a wart from a corn. They may appear spongy, with tiny red, brown or black spots. Warts are sometimes mistaken for corns or calluses.  They can persist for years and reoccur in the same spot.  If left untreated, warts can spread to other parts of the foot or even to the hands or other areas of the body.  It's best to visit a Podiatrist to have it accurately diagnosed. 

 

Cause :

Warts are caused by what is called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Viruses cause many different problems including the common flu. HPV is responsible for warts. Warts are known by different names including verrucae & plantar warts. One important point to make is that warts are caused by the same virus no matter where they are located. In the case of a plantar wart, plantar refers to the bottom surface of the foot. These types of warts look slightly different because instead of being raised like a normal wart, they are generally flat due to pressure from walking (see picture below).     

           

               

 

Warts are transmitted! How do you 'catch' warts you ask? The wart virus loves moist environments. This most commonly would be found around the sides of a pool or in the shower of say a caravan park or hotel. Someone else has walked through this moist area, you also walk through that same area & if you have a small (I mean microscopic) break the skin, the virus can enter. Now that makes it sound like it's easy to contract, but it isn't. Kids are far more likely to contract warts for 2 main reasons : 

 

    1. developing immune system - the immune system in kids rapidly develops in the early stages of life, however, this places them at greater risk of contracting a virus whether it be a cold/flu type virus or the HPV or wart virus.

 

    2. swimming pools - kids are always having swimming lessons or hanging around the pool in summer. The water around the sides of pools is a haven for the wart virus. This is prime time wart season with many kids visiting the Podiatrist for diagnosis & treatment of warts in summer.

 

 

Prevention :

The best advice to prevent contracting warts is to always wear thongs or sandals around public pools, spas & in public showers. Also, if someone has warts at home, have everyone wear thongs in the shower until the wart has been treated.

 

 

Treatment :
There are numerous ways of treating warts. These range from herbal remedies, unusual home remedies (such as placing lemon on the wart, use of nail polish & banana skins taped to the wart), through to over-the-counter preparations containing weak types of acids. Professionally provided treatments include the use of various types & strengths of acids, liquid nitrogen (dry ice), injections & surgical removal. There is not one guaranteed treatment for warts & all of the treatments mentioned above have varying degrees of success with different people.

 

It is far better, & safer to have the wart diagnosed properly by a Podiatrist. Many people mistakenly believe they have a wart & treat it based on this belief but, actually have a different skin complaint altogether.

One of our podiatrists will examine your wart carefully to determine that it is not a corn or callus.  A wart will usually feel painful when squeezed from side to side.  To examine the wart further, the hard skin layer around it may need to be trimmed.  A wart will have certain spots that bleed when trimmed, a callus will not.

                                                                                                                         

SELF TREATMENT

if you decide to treat the wart yourself, be mindful of the fact that what you have may not be a wart.

if it is a child that has the wart, do not treat it yourself. See a Podiatrist immediately

if you are an adult treat with an over-the-counter treatment that contains a weak acid of between 5-10% concentration. If the wart has not cleared within 2-3 weeks, see a Podiatrist immediately

PODIATRIC TREATMENT

the Podiatrist will accurately diagnose the wart & explain the treatments available.

the Podiatrist will often treat the wart differently depending upon the age of the person. If a child has a wart, they may use weaker acids for example or in smaller amounts to prevent/reduce any discomfort experienced.

treatment of warts is generally not painful. The process of treating the wart can take upto 6-8 weeks & often involves weekly visits to guarantee successful removal.

stubborn warts can also be surgically removed. While this is more painful & requires a certain amount of time recuperating, it is an alternative option.

 

 

Footmed can skillfully diagnose & treat warts. Whether it be a young child, an elderly person, or any age in-between, if you have trouble with warts, we can treat them. 

 

 

Private health insurance generally covers a percentage of the cost of Podiatric consultations. Podiatric consultations are also covered under Workcover, 3rd Party Insurance & Veterans Affairs.  

 

[THIS INFORMATION IS OF A GENERAL NATURE & SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A DIAGNOSIS. SEEK ADVICE FROM A PODIATRIST FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE]