It’s not a corn, it’s a Plantar Wart!

by Randa Velox

Often, persons who come to the nail salon refer to plantar warts as corns. However, there is a big difference between a plantar wart and a corn.

A Plantar Wart is a small lesion that grows on the botton surface of the foot. It is flat, rough and hard. It often grows into the deeper layers of the skin due to pressure and location. Because of the pressure of standing and walking, a plantar wart rarely rises above the skin surface. One may feel like a small rock in your shoe when you stand on it. This can be uncomfortable and painful.{{more}}

A plantar wart is caused by a virus called Human Papilloma virus or HPV that invades the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions. The virus infects the skin and causes some of the skin cells to grow too fast. This thick overgrowth of skin cells with tiny dark pinpoint dots on the surface layer are ends of capillaries that supply blood to the wart. You may have one plantar wart or a cluster that resembles a mosaic if left untreated. Picking or scratching the wart may cause the virus to spread.

Some types of HPV tend to cause warts on your hands, fingers or near your finger nails. Others tend to cause warts on your feet. The plantar wart virus thrives in a warm, moist environment such as shower floors, locker rooms and public swimming areas. It’s not unusual to contact the virus while walking barefoot in public places. No one is immune from the virus that causes plantar warts. Incidents are higher in people who share common bathing areas, dormitory, lockers, gym and athletic facilities. Because most people build immunity to the virus with age, plantar warts are common in children and young adults than grown people. Children should therefore be warned about the risk of wearing another child’s socks or shoes, walking barefoot in public places and keeping their feet clean and dry.

Parents should check their children’s feet periodically. The sooner plantar warts are discovered, the better the chance that treatment would be effective. It’s important to see a doctor for treatment of infected plantar warts. Most plantar warts do not pose a serious health concern; but, they can be bothersome and painful. They are known to be stubborn and resistant to treatment. Your doctor may apply topical solutions such as salicylic acid to eliminate the warts. Such treatment may take several weeks to be effective – burning, freezing with liquid nitrogen, laser therapy and surgical removal. It is known that even after a plantar wart disappears or removed, it may come back again. This recurrence can strike months or years after surgery.

There are alternative treatments that are known to work effectively, the most common is, “Duct Tape”. Many people have successfully treated plantar warts with no recurrences using duct tape. The method is simple and it seems to work. Just cut a piece of duct tape the size of the wart or slightly larger; apply on the wart, leave on for six days around the clock, re-tape if necessary, but do not remove it. After six days, remove the tape, soak the area in warm soapy water, use an emery board and gently rub the wart. Discard the board, leave untaped until the next day, then reapply another patch of duct tape. Every week continue the same regime. Within weeks, you should begin to see results; Do not stop until the wart disappears. This therapy averages about six weeks.

It might amaze you to know that the duct tape method really works. This remedy is listed as an alternative treatment by some podiatrists. Many parents have opted for the duct tape remedy instead of painful surgery for their children.

• For the best in Manicure/Pedicure nail services call us at Nails by Design @4564504 Located at Sion Hill Intersection off the Main to Dorsetshire Hill gap. Randa Velox- Nail Technician/Consultant. Email: tiptoe.nails@gmail.com