Warts

Anyone can get foot warts, but they commonly affect children and teens. Seek treatment right away if you or your child has foot pain or mobility problems. At Global Podiatry in Arlington Heights, Chicago and Wheeling, Illinois, experienced podiatrists Simon Donets, DPM, Yelena Barsky, DPM, and their team specialize in treating foot (plantar) warts. They know how to stop the infection from spreading and prevent future recurrences. Call the nearest Global Podiatry office today to schedule wart treatment, or book your appointment online.

Why am I getting warts on my feet?

Plantar warts form when the human papillomavirus (HPV) infiltrates your body through breaks or cuts in your skin. As the virus takes hold, it causes small, painful growths on weight-bearing areas, like the heels and balls of the feet.

Most foot warts eventually go away. But it can take several months or years. Treatment at Global Podiatry provides a quick, pain-free way to encourage healing and reduce the risk of complications.

What are the symptoms of foot warts?

Foot wart symptoms include:

• Rough, thick patches of skin that look like cauliflower
• Skin discoloration
• Pain and tenderness
• Discomfort while standing and walking
• Bleeding

Warts look similar to corns and calluses but have a black dot or “seed” in the middle. This seed is a group of blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to the wart.

How are foot warts diagnosed?

Your Global Podiatry provider diagnoses foot warts during a brief visual exam. They carefully examine each growth, checking for a black dot in the middle. While warts are easy to identify, your provider might collect a small biopsy sample to test for HPV.

How are foot warts treated?

The Global Podiatry team takes a conservative, minimally invasive approach to treating foot warts. They could suggest:

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen or argon gas to freeze your warts and some of the surrounding tissue. The subzero temperatures kill off the HPV virus, causing the wart to shrivel and peel away.

Laser treatment

Laser treatment uses specific light wavelengths to heat and destroy the tiny blood vessels supplying your warts with oxygen and nutrients. This causes the wart to die and fall off.

Topical therapy

Your provider might recommend topical therapy if you have only one or two warts. This treatment uses a prescription-strength medication like salicylic acid to cut off the wart’s blood supply. After the initial application, your skin peels away, removing the wart a layer at a time.

Surgery

You might benefit from surgery if you have several large warts that don’t respond to other treatments. During surgery, your Global Podiatry provider numbs your foot with a local anesthetic and uses a scalpel to cut around the wart and remove it.

Call the nearest Global Podiatry office today to schedule treatment for foot warts, or book your appointment online.