PLANTAR WARTS

These are also common and they usually give no complaints. When this
is the case they are best left alone. Sometimes they cause pain or
discomfort urging the patient to seek treatment. It is then best to
recommend non-aggressive therapy.
Management of plantar warts
- Regular flattening of the wart with a pumice stone, callus file or knife is usually
enough to keep the warts asymptomatic.
- If there is only one or a few lesions curettage can be successful.
- Salicylic acid 50% ointment ( 25% in children) or preparations of salicylic acid
5-20% and lactic acid 5-20% in collodion can be used daily. Apply the keratolytic
in the evening, cover with plaster and leave until the next evening. Then cut or
scrape the warts with a stone or a knife. Soak the foot in hot water for
5 minutes before re-applying the keratolytic treatment.
- Avoid destructive electrosurgery and sharp scalpel excision. Although they may
(or may not) remove the wart, the patient may not be able to walk properly for
months and the resulting scar often becomes a more difficult problem to treat
than the wart itself.