Have you found a growth on the bottom of your foot that’s hard and flat, perhaps with tiny black pin points in the center? At Cange Podiatry, we urge patients to make an appointment at our Glen Burnie (410-684-5934) or Ellicott City (410-680-8357) office to get any unusual growths or spots on your feet examined promptly. If what you see on your foot matches the description above, there’s a good chance you have a plantar wart. However, corns and even some forms of skin cancer can have a similar appearance. Our podiatrist, Dr. Darlyne Cange, will be able to correctly diagnose your growth. If it is a plantar wart, here are some things you should know:
Not Dangerous but Not to be Ignored
While plantar warts don’t pose a severe medical threat, left untreated they can spread and increase in size. Because plantar warts are on the bottom of your foot where the brunt of your body weight is carried, they can become quite painful. Plantar warts are also highly contagious and are spread by direct contact or by touching something that someone else with a wart has touched.
Treatment Options
The foot doctor has a number of different treatment options available. These include: topical medications, injections, excision and laser therapy. Although there are over-the-counter wart medications available, many of these contain acid or chemicals that can harm healthy skin tissue. The foot doctor will choose the treatment that best suits your condition and will monitor the results.
Prevention Tips
Of course, the best scenario is not getting warts in the first place. You can lower your risk substantially by following a few simple suggestions:
Keep your feet covered in public places like locker rooms, nail salons and karate studios.
Wash your feet daily and dry completely.
Change your socks as soon as you notice they are damp and consider using a foot powder each morning to help keep feet dry.
Alternate your footwear to allow shoes to air out between wearings.
If you think you may have a wart, contact us today.