Plantar warts generally show up on the bottoms of your feet. Instead of being raised warts, like other warts, they are generally flat. They grow inwards instead of outwards which is why they have that flat appearance. They also tend to have a layer of callus over the top of them. That's because your feet get a lot of use and calluses build up on your feet. Most of the time, they aren't a problem. Since they are usually flat and fairly flush with the surface of your foot, you may not even notice that you have them. However, they can cause pain and start to be a real problem. If that happens, you should go see a podiatrist. They can treat the warts and clear up any pain you may have. 

Cryotherapy

This is probably the first treatment that your doctor will try. That's because it is non-invasive, quick, and easy. Basically, what they are going to do is freeze the wart. Your doctor will use frozen nitrogen. They will have a small dropper or applicator that is filled with the nitrogen. It gets placed on the wart. Freezing the wart should kill off all the cells in it. You may end up with a red spot or a small blister around the area. Generally, the wart should dry up and then fall off within a few weeks. If you have a stubborn wart, you may need to have multiple treatments for it to work properly. 

Laser Therapy

If freezing the wart doesn't work, then it's time to try other measures. One of those is laser therapy. With laser therapy, your doctor will use a special laser that will cut away the wart. It's a fairly low powered laser and uses a very narrow beam. That way your doctor can be very precise with it. They will cut out the wart or burn the tissue of the wart away. This is a more invasive treatment than cryotherapy. You may end up with a small hole in your foot that will need a few days or weeks to heal properly. However, the wart should be gone. After a few weeks, you will need to go see your doctor for a follow up. At that point, they may give you another treatment, or they can tell you that the wart is gone. 

Plantar warts generally won't cause you any problems. If it isn't really bothering, you then you don't need to do much about it. Your body may eventually fight off the wart and cause it to go away on its own. However, if you are having any pain from it or it bothers you in any way, it's time to go see your doctor and get it treated. 

For more information, contact Larsen, L. Craig DPM- Larsen, Clark C. DPM or a similar medical professional.

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