What to Do About Warts
They’re ugly and sometimes painful, and at Goldsmith Podiatry, we know when our Manhattan patients have a wart their primary concern is how to get rid of it. Plantar warts are a common condition that are caused by coming in direct contact with a virus. You can be exposed to the virus by walking barefoot in a locker room, dance studio, pedicure salon or community pool. They appear on your foot as a raised bump that often has little black dots in the middle. These are tiny blood vessels that nourish the wart. Warts may form individually or in a clump.
The Right Treatment
Warts most often form on the bottom of the foot and may go unnoticed for a long time. When they develop on the ball of the foot or the heel, they may be painful due to the pressure those parts of the feet receive from walking. If you discover what you believe to be wart, you should contact our Upper West Side office by calling: 212-877-1002. Our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia and Dr. Kristina Ruff will examine your feet and confirm if the bump on your foot is a wart.
There are several different kinds of wart treatments. Our foot doctors will choose the one that is best suited to you. Some options include:
· Topical medications
· Oral medications
· Cryotherapy (freezing)
· Acid treatments
· Laser therapy
· Surgery
It’s important to follow the podiatrist’s instructions and complete any prescribed treatment. Warts can be stubborn and may need multiple treatments to eliminate them.
There are also over-the-counter wart treatments and folk remedies for warts, but these are not recommended. Most often these alternative methods lead to injury and infection. Harsh products may damage healthy tissue surrounding a wart.
Even if a wart is not painful, you should not put off getting it treated. Warts spread easily to other parts of the body, and they can become more numerous on your feet if not taken care. If you have any questions about growths on your feet, don’t hesitate to contact us.