What is a 'plantar wart'?
A plantar wart is a viral infection of the bottom of the feet, that's why they're called "plantar." And oftentimes a patient can go years without even knowing they're there, and they're very common. Sometimes plantar warts can hurt and sometimes they grow, that's why people seek treatment. Treatment of plantar warts is very simple; sometimes it's just obstructive. We may cauterize a lesion, sometimes freeze a lesion, sometimes even duct tape can help by keeping the lesion moist, or even occluding the virus so it can't get oxygen. Nobody really knows how it works, but it does work. Sometimes plantar warts are very difficult to treat and no matter what we do we can't get rid of them. They're certainly not dangerous, but they can be disfiguring - they're cosmetically unacceptable and if they grow - are painful, it's a problem. When we have those kinds of warts we will use a more aggressive way of treating them. Sometimes by injecting them with a chemical that makes them go away, injecting them with a chemical that may make our immune system more likely to fight the virus. Sometimes we'll use a topical medication that's called an immune modulator, that will help the immune system better recognize the virus. And sometimes we'll use a laser even, to help shrink the blood vessels that feed the virus and attempt to get rid of that wart.
