Plantar Warts

Plantar warts most commonly occur in children, adolescents and the elderly. There are two types of plantar warts. A solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional satellite warts. Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one area. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts. Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body. A plantar wart often resembles a callus because of its tough, thick tissue. Tiny black dots may appear on the site. The dots are actually dried blood contained in the capillaries (tiny blood vessels). Plantar warts grow deep into the skin. Usually, this growth occurs slowly with the wart starting small and becoming larger over time. To diagnose a plantar wart, Dr. Jurcisin will examine the patient’s foot and look for signs and symptoms of a wart. The goal of treatment is to completely remove the wart. Dr. Jurcisin may use topical or oral treatments, laser therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), acid treatments or surgery to remove the wart. It is important to follow Dr. Jurcisin’s instructions in order for treatments to be effective. If there is no response to treatment, further diagnostic evaluation may be necessary. In such cases, Dr. Jurcisin can perform a biopsy to rule out other potential causes for the growth. Call us today to schedule an appointment.