Warts are usually a minor issue, except when they form on the soles of your feet. The painful warts make walking even short distances an unpleasant experience. Your Gainesville, VA, podiatrist, Dr. Mukesh Bhakta of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, offers treatments that get rid of warts and end your pain.

What causes the warts?

Plantar, or foot, warts are caused by a strain of the human papilloma virus (HPV). You may come in contact with the virus while walking barefoot on a contaminated surface or through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a wart.

The virus enters your skin through tiny breaks in your skin caused by a minor scratch or even dry skin. Once inside, the HPV virus causes skins cells to grow rapidly, eventually forming a raised wart. Although warts on other parts of your body may appear bumpy, plantar warts are often smoother and flatter due to pressure from your feet.

How can I get rid of a foot wart?

Wart removal products can be helpful in some cases, but they may take a long time to work and might damage healthy skin surrounding your wart. Your Gainesville podiatrist offers more effective treatments, including:

• Prescription Salicylic Acid: The topical product, applied at home, removes the wart layer by layer.
• Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen. Warts usually fall off about a week after the treatment. Cryotherapy may be combined with salicylic acid treatment.
• Trichloroacetic Acid: The acid is applied after your podiatrist shaves away a few layers of the wart. It's also used in conjunction with salicylic acid.
• Immune Therapy: Injecting your wart with a foreign substance tricks your immune system into attacking and destroying the wart.
• Laser Therapy: If your wart doesn't respond to other treatments, your foot doctor may recommend laser treatment. The laser closes the blood vessels that feed the wart, causing the tissue to die. Several laser therapy treatments may be needed.

Do you suffer from painful, uncomfortable foot warts? Call your Gainesville, VA, podiatrist, Dr. Mukesh Bhakta of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, at (703) 753-3338 to schedule an appointment.