Plantar warts are skin growths that are commonly caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Infections of this virus occur when cuts or cracks on the bottom of you feet come into contact with wart sheddings or infected blood. Since HPV thrives in warm, moist environments, transmission is common in areas such as bathrooms, showers and locker rooms, where walking around barefoot is common. Plantar warts can also multiply on your feet by touching the wart, and then touching other areas of your feet. When plantar warts become a problem, you have several treatment options. Two of these options are inexpensive, and can be found over-the-counter at your local pharmacy or grocery store.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is the most common form of treatment for plantar warts. Found in almost every over-the-counter wart-removal product on the market, salicylic acid works by softening the skin tissue on the surface of the wart. As the tissue softens, it can rub off naturally. This process can be slow, taking from several weeks to even months. Treatment time depends on the size of the wart. Salicylic acid is both safe and painless, making it a favored form of treatment for children and adults.
Freezing Kit
Cryotherapy wart treatments, or the process of freezing warts till they fall off, has been done in doctor's offices for decades. Now the same process can be done in your own home with over-the-counter freezing kits. Freezing kits work by placing a frozen applicator directly on the surface of the wart for between 20 and 40 seconds. The resulting effects cause the wart tissue to blister, without affecting the surrounding tissue. Eventually, the blister falls off, in many cases taking the wart with it. This at-home treatment method can be performed on a single wart a maximum of four times. If after the fourth treatment the wart still remains, you will need to talk to your podiatrist or family physician about other surgical or prescription methods available for plantar wart removal.
Preparation
Regardless of the over-the-counter treatment method, it is important that you prepare the wart before you treat, and protect the wart between treatments. To prepare the plantar wart for treatment you should gently wash the feet with soap and warm water. After treatment it is important to keep the wart covered. This can help keep any wart shedding from spreading the virus to other people, or to other areas of your feet.
