The common name "warts" (verrucae) refers to harmless skin growths that result from an infection of the superficial skin layers with so-called "wart viruses" (scientifically: human papilloma viruses). In the field of foot care, we usually deal with the so-called vulgar warts.
Wart viruses multiply in the skin, the human papilloma viruses (HP viruses, HPV) are responsible for this. These then penetrate through small fine cracks in the skin and stimulate cell proliferation in these areas: A thicker callus develops, which then protrudes as a wart. The viruses are usually transmitted through skin contact, but objects can also be a transmission route. Especially when the skin is wet (e.g. when swimming), the layers of the skin swell and these pathogens can find their way into the skin and cause an infection. There is virtually no risk of infection via healthy skin, but when people suffer from a weakened immune system, the body sometimes cannot fight the pathogens.
Symptoms
In medicine, there are a variety of different warts. In practice, however, we often encounter the common wart (Verruca vulgaris), also known as a flat wart or mosaic wart. If the skin shows up as a small sharp border and there is also a skin bump, a wart could be assumed. Here it is the common wart that usually accounts for 70 per cent of all verrucous epithelial hyperplasia. Affected areas are usually hands, fingers, nail edges or soles of the feet. The surface can be smooth, rough, jagged or coarse. If there are plantar warts on the sole of the foot, they can certainly cause pain in pressure-loaded areas. However, warts are usually not painful.
The diagnosis
Warts have a jagged surface on the surface, which is reminiscent of a cauliflower. This word is therefore often used in connection with a wart diagnosis. Initially, the skin begins to form a pinhead-sized lump, which can easily grow to over the size of a pea. The surface is usually hard and nodular. Inside there are dark spots, so-called intralesional hemorrhages. The skin papillae are perforated and the wart may bulge upwards due to wart hemorrhage. The opposite happens on the sole of the foot: the bulge is pushed into the foot by the pressure load and then points this elevation inwards. There may be secondary warts in the edge area.
In order to treat warts effectively, you should be able to distinguish and isolate them from other diseases. Since they can easily be mistaken for corns on the plantar sole of the foot, a precise diagnosis is required here.
Treatment options
Treating warts often requires patience from the client and realistic judgment from the therapist. These treatments are very tedious and time-consuming. A year has passed quickly. Warts can be treated with a wide variety of remedies and not every application is suitable for every customer. There is no ultimate remedy for warts.
In the case of children, the so-called suggestive therapy has often proven itself in the first place. Suggestive therapies are able to increase the body's defences and thus fight the virus.
Preventive measures would be possible with children when they go to the swimming pool. In advance, the foot should be treated with a compact cream at home, which cannot be easily removed with water. In this way, the natural skin barrier could be strengthened and the water (chlorine) would not destroy the skin's protective layer so quickly. Dry well after going to the swimming pool and protect the skin again with a nourishing cream.
It is important that treatment is discussed in advance with a doctor. The individual products have different pharmacological modes of action. Which one is chosen should be discussed with the person concerned. It should be noted here that some products can certainly cause pain to develop.
Errors with consequences
The first mistake that can happen is that a wrong diagnosis is made and thus the therapy goal cannot be achieved. Improper use of a drug can lead to overreactions, allergies or even painful inflammation. In addition, the lack of success would be possible.
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