Planters Warts - What Parents Need to Know
Good health care and hygiene are important tools in helping your children reduce hazardous health issues. Schools can be a breeding ground for germs that can lead to a variety of health issues. Planters warts are just one of the many health problems that can infect kids while they are in school.
According to Dr. Oliver Zong, a New York City podiatrist, it’s important toknow just how to keep your kids from getting Planters warts and, if they already have them, how they can be treated.
Planters warts are hard growths that appear on the soles of the feet. They are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV thrives in warm, moist environments, which is why it is easily spread at public swimming pools, communal showers, gyms and locker rooms. The virus can also enter the skin after having direct contact with someone who is already infected. Unlike other types of warts, a Planters wart can be very uncomfortable and are often painful. Because people develop immunity against these viruses as they get older, Planters warts are more common in children than in adults. Dr. Zong provides the following useful information on the symptoms of Planters warts and how they can be prevented and treated:
Symptoms:
Small, bumpy growths on the soles of the feet that may feel spongy.
They may have dark spots on their surface (tiny capillaries that supply blood to the wart).
Extreme tenderness in the soles of the feet when standing or walking.
Bumps that interrupt the normal lines and ridges on the skin of your feet.
-May cause bleeding if scratched or traumatized.
-Often cause pain on the bottom of the foot and may feel like a stone in shoes.
Because of the pressure from standing and walking, Planters warts rarely rise above the skin’s surface.
Treatment – Unfortunately, warts can be very resistant to treatment and can reoccur, but the following are some treatment methods that may prove to be effective.
Over-the-counter medications – Because these products contain chemicals that may damage healthy skin found around Planters warts, they are not recommended. Planters warts should only be treated by a podiatrist or with a natural remedy.
Mild Acid – A podiatrist may apply a topical acid to the wart. The treatment usually takes several weeks of multiple applications but will eventually disintegrate viral cells so that healthy cells can replace them.
Laser Treatment (CO2 laser cautery) – Performed as an out-patient procedure using local anesthesia; produces little scarring and is very effective for the treatment of Planters warts.
Prescription creams like Aldara and Carac – Have proven to be a painless alternative to help rid patients of viral lesions and have become more popular among podiatrists in recent years. Formulations with formaldehyde are also very effective.
Cryotherapy – A procedure that “freezes” Planters warts with a very cold solution. Cryotherapy destroys the virus and causes the wart to turn black and fall off. It can, however, be painful. The procedure may also prove ineffective if the solution does not penetrate far enough to completely destroy HPV.
Debridement – Surgical removal of warts. Not generally recommended forthe treatment of Planters warts because it can cause painful scarring. It is often used as a last resort to treat very large warts.
Prevention:
Warn your children about the risks associated with walking barefoot in public places. Protect their feet with shower shoes, thongs or rubber swimming shoes and encourage them to wash their feet with soap and warm water after swimming or changing in the school gym. Encourage children to change their socks and shoes daily. Have children keep their feet dry and clean. Do not ignore growths or changes in your child’s skin. Check children’s feet periodically – the sooner Planters warts are discovered, the better the chance that treatment will prove effective. While it may not be fully possible to prevent Planters warts, early detection is very importan since it is much easier to treat a smaller wart before it spreads or before it becomes larger and entrenched.
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