If you are one of the unlucky ones susceptible to warts on your feet, then you know just how painful they can feel. Caused by a virus, they can pop up anywhere on your skin, including the skin on your feet. Those on the bottoms of your feet, called plantar warts, are usually the most painful. If you are suffering from warts on your feet, don’t try to treat them on your own. Call the Prince William Foot & Ankle Center in Gainesville, VA, to make an appointment with Dr. Mukesh Bhakta, a foot doctor who can diagnose and treat these agonizing growths.

Not All Warts Are Created Equal

While most warts are harmless, when left untreated they can grow and multiply, causing you more discomfort and pain. These clusters of warts form when you touch or scratch them. Untreated warts also can bleed. Although warts sometimes disappear on their own, they often reoccur in the same locations. Perhaps most distressing of all, plantar warts are so painful because they can grow on the weight-bearing areas of your foot, leading to a sharp, burning pain when you stand.

Don’t Treat Warts On Your Own if you have risk factors

Your Gainesville foot doctor does not recommend using over-the-counter products to treat warts if you have diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, or an active infection. 

Instead of self-treatment, consult your Gainesville-area foot doctor if you detect any suspicious growth on your foot. While people often mistake warts for corns or calluses, skin abnormalities sometimes pose a more serious concern, including carcinoma or melanoma.

Your Gainesville Foot Doctor Can Help

Once a wart diagnosis is made, your foot doctor will determine the best treatment for you. He may suggest prescription ointments or medications. However, in some cases, your wart may be removed using laser cautery, a procedure that burns and destroys the wart tissue.

Whether you think you have a wart or some other suspicious growth anywhere on your foot, call Dr. Mukesh Bhakta, your Gainesville, VA, foot doctor, today at Prince William Foot & Ankle Center at 703-753-3338. He will determine the best treatment plan for you.