A wart is a wart caused by the papilloma virus. It develops under the influence of negative factors - excessive sweating, low immune status, uncomfortable shoes, etc. It is diagnosed in adults and children. How to get rid of a spine? Pharmacy medications will help with this. They use lapis pencil, salicylic ointment, Viferon cream, Salipod patch, Superchistotel solution, Cycloferon, Vishnevsky ointment and other drugs. However, the names alone don’t say anything, so let’s take a closer look at them.
What is a thorn
Plantar wart, gossa or in Latin Verruca plantaris is the name experienced doctors give to a neoplasm that resembles a callus in appearance, but causes painful tingling sensations when walking. Spine is considered a type of wart with a radicular attachment method in the deep layers of the skin. A small growth can be cured using traditional methods, and only deep freezing methods, laser removal and electrocoagulation can help completely remove the spine on the foot.
The gum, which has grown deep into the skin, touches and injures the nerve endings and can cause cracks on the surface of the foot and inflammation. Skin growths are localized mainly on the skin of the feet, heels, toes or hands, but sometimes delicate areas of the body are also susceptible to infection with the virus: face, neck, ankles. Like any other wart, a wart on the foot is a benign tumor, but if left untreated it can develop into a malignant tumor.
Features of education
As a rule, the diameter of a plantar wart varies between 1-2 centimeters, but sometimes the size of the neoplasm can reach 4-5 cm. In the photo, the spine on the foot looks like a round or oval dry callus, with clear boundaries. The formation is very dense and painful to the touch. Under a microscope, black-brown dots may be visible in the center of the spine. If you carefully examine the growth after steaming your legs, you will notice threads on the surface of the spines that have grown in all layers of the skin.
First signs of appearance
At the beginning of development, the spine on the foot looks like a dry callus with a rough crust. However, if it is not treated correctly, the tumor increases in size, changes color, becomes lumpy, and a small hole forms in the middle through which the rod is clearly visible. When pressing on the foot, a sharp pain occurs, as if needles or thorns are piercing the leg. If the tumor is not removed immediately, new growths may appear nearby over time.
Diagnostics and therapy
Diagnosing a plantar wart is usually not difficult for a doctor. And parents, after reading this article, may well decide on the child’s problems.
Given that most warts resolve on their own, treatment should be discussed with your doctor. The reasons that usually force special treatment are:
- obvious functional disorders in the child (difficulty walking),
- obvious cosmetic defect,
- relapses (repeats) of the appearance of elements on the skin,
- the presence of a concomitant immunodeficiency state.
In order to remove a wart, minimally invasive techniques can be used for children: cryodestruction, electrocoagulation, radio wave, laser therapy.
Chemical reagents can also be used - these are substances (solutions) with a necrotizing effect.
How does infection occur?
Plantar wart is a viral disease that can be contracted through open wounds on the sole, through contact with a sick person, or through shared objects. Bacteria feel especially comfortable in a humid environment, so people with excessive sweating of the feet are prone to the appearance of horns. Very often, infection occurs after visiting swimming pools, showers, and gyms. To prevent the appearance of plantar warts, doctors recommend always having personal hygiene products and swimming shoes with you.
Causes of plantar warts
The spine on the foot is caused by the human papilloma virus, which is present even in a healthy body. However, when certain conditions are created, bacteria begin to actively multiply, causing skin lesions. The risk is especially high in people with reduced immunity, pregnant women and children. A bunion on the foot appears as a result of regular friction of the foot inside tight shoes, due to congenital or acquired deviations in the structure of the skeleton, for example, from clubfoot. Factors that provoke the development of the virus in the body also include:
- excessive sweating of the palms, interdigital spaces, and feet;
- constant stress, overexertion, lack of sleep;
- injuries, wounds or burns to the skin of the legs or arms;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- infectious viral diseases - influenza, ARVI, sore throat;
- wearing uncomfortable or tight shoes;
- flat feet;
- avitaminosis;
- excess weight.
Possible complications
Complications can be caused not only by a late visit to the doctor, but also by attempts to treat the formations on your own. Trying to cut out or pick out a wart can lead to serious consequences. Complications of the spine include:
- extensive growth of formations;
- addition of a bacterial infection;
- skin burns due to non-compliance with processing rules;
- degeneration of papilloma into a malignant formation.
The latter option is extremely rare, but cannot be ruled out. Worsening of the condition, in most cases, leads to problems with movement. The child cannot fully step on the foot. Wearing shoes causes discomfort. Nails become deformed. You can prevent the danger by following the doctor's recommendations step by step.
It is quite difficult to treat a spine that has formed on a child’s leg.
Therapy takes a lot of time and requires the baby’s parents to follow all the instructions of the treating doctor. The sooner you contact a specialist with an existing problem, the greater the chances of a successful quick recovery. The article has been verified by the editors
How to get rid of a spine
If a suspicious formation appears on the soles of your feet, you should not delay visiting a doctor. The sooner the correct diagnosis is made and treatment is started, the lower the risk of wart processes growing deep into the soft tissues. There are several methods for treating papilloma: physical impact on the wart, surgery, removal of growths with chemicals, complex therapy to increase immunity. Minimally invasive methods are especially popular.
Physical effect on the wart
Removing papillomas with a scalpel is used extremely rarely today, since this method does not provide a 100% guarantee of getting rid of the problem. The remaining processes in the skin layers can provoke relapse and even greater growth of tumors. This treatment method is acceptable if all other options are unavailable. The operation is performed under local anesthesia, followed by a long rehabilitation period.
Chemical methods
This option is considered one of the best for conservative treatment of spine. Aggressive substances included in some drugs, when they come into contact with affected areas of the skin, cause cell necrosis, after which the keratinized particles are easily removed mechanically. It is worth noting that this option is painful and can cause the appearance of scars on the body. There are several types of drugs with chemical composition:
- With a necrotizing effect - due to very aggressive components they provoke mummification of the skin surface. Such medications are strictly contraindicated during pregnancy and for treating a child. These are the drugs Solkovagin, Solcoderm.
- Keratolytics are products that gently exfoliate dead skin cells and help soften rough skin. In combination with other medications, they enhance their effect, promoting deep penetration of the active ingredients. Keratolic preparations include: Arievich ointment, Collomak, urea-based patches.
- With a cryogenic effect - they act similar to the “cryodestruction” procedure, freezing and stopping the growth of papilloma. Products: Cryopharma, MaxiVart, Wartner.
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Immunotherapy
For a speedy recovery, along with local agents, doctors recommend using drugs that stimulate the immune system. For this purpose, immunostimulants are prescribed: Interferon, Kipferon, Imudon, Amiksin. At home, immunotherapy consists of normalizing nutrition. The menu should include more fresh fruits, vegetables, and juices. Additionally, you can engage in light sports - swimming, running, cycling.
Are they surgically removed for children?
Surgical removal of spines in children is carried out only if it is large in size and has a very deep cone that penetrates into the thickness of the skin layers, or if there are several formations at once. It is performed under local anesthesia.
The doctor uses a scalpel to remove the growth body and surrounding tissue. Then stitches are applied. Now this technique is rarely used, since after it a pronounced scar is formed, and there is a high probability of relapses and suppuration.
How to remove a thorn on your foot at home
It can be problematic to cure a spine with simple means. The whole difficulty is to remove the roots of the benign neoplasm, otherwise the problem will arise again in the future. If a spike on the foot bothers you, special medications will help remove it:
- Salicylic ointment is a product for external use. Has antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. The ointment should be applied to pre-steamed and dried skin in a thin layer. To enhance the effect, an occlusive dressing can be applied on top. The procedure must be carried out once a day until the papilloma completely disappears. If desired, salicylic ointment can be replaced with special patches (Mozolny, Compid, Salipod) or the drug Collomak.
- Viferon ointment is a medicine that has antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. The ointment is applied in a thin layer 3-4 times a day to the affected areas. The duration of treatment is 4-7 days. Contraindications include: individual intolerance to the components and children under one year of age.
- Lapis pencil is a silver-containing drug with an antiseptic effect. The surface of the pencil is moistened with water, after which the product is applied to damaged skin, while avoiding touching the healthy epidermis. Lapis pencil should not be used during pregnancy, for treating children, or if papilloma appears on the neck or face.
- Supercleaner is a liquid developed on the basis of a mixture of strong alkalis. Before use, healthy skin around the papilloma must be lubricated with a rich cream, after which one drop of the solution is applied strictly in the center of the growth. Treatment is carried out until the plantar wart is completely burned out. It is worth noting that the procedure is very painful, causing itching and burning.
- Roaccutane gel is a topical agent based on isotretinoin. Belongs to the group of keratolytic drugs, available in the form of tablets. Capsules are taken orally with meals at a dose of 0.5-1 mg/kg for up to four months. The drug is contraindicated during pregnancy. You can take the tablets with caution if you have diabetes, obesity, or renal and hepatic failure.
- Asgiape is a keratolytic ointment that helps treat plantar warts in an advanced stage of development. When applied to the skin, the active components of the product destroy the neuroconnection between dead cells. The product is produced on the basis of urea, salicylic, citric, and lactic acid. Sometimes it can provoke adverse reactions in the form of burning, itching and redness of the skin at the site of application.
- Feresol is a liquid with a mummifying effect. The method of using Feresol is the same as for treatment with Supercleaner. The drug is contraindicated in the presence of moles near the papilloma, in case of hypersensitivity and in children under 7 years of age.
Salipod patch
Salipod is a remedy for thorns in the form of a patch, which is treated with salicylic acid. It helps to soften the pathological tissue of growths, which leads to complete cleansing of the skin.
Mode of application:
- Place a piece of plaster on the growth and secure it on top with a regular plaster or bandage;
- Leave for 24-48 hours. Then remove, clean off the softened layer of keratinized tissue, apply again for the same time;
- Do not get it wet;
- The procedure is done until the spine is completely removed.
If the treatment is not carried to its logical conclusion and the roots remain in the skin, the growth will soon appear again. The patch is sold at the pharmacy and can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. Not recommended for use on the face. The duration of use depends on the size and depth of the tumor.
Contraindications include pregnancy, impaired renal function, dermatological diseases (psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema), allergies to salicylic acid, and childhood. Moles cannot be removed.
How to remove a spine on a foot
If the plantar wart has grown deep into the skin, there is a chance that ordinary local creams, solutions and ointments will not help. In such situations, doctors recommend resorting to minimally invasive methods of wart removal: electrocoagulation, laser removal using liquid nitrogen freezing - cryodestruction. These methods help not only remove the bunion on the foot, but also prevent its reappearance in the future.
Cryodestruction
Burning out the wart and its rhizomes using liquid nitrogen. Under the influence of cold, the body of the papilloma is destroyed, the area of inflammation is reduced and a greater number of viruses and bacteria are killed. A small bubble remains at the site of the procedure, which goes away on its own in one and a half to two weeks. The procedure takes place without anesthesia and does not cause pain. The disadvantages of surgery include a long recovery period and the possibility of injury to the skin next to the wart. You cannot undergo cryodestruction for cancer.
Electrocoagulation
This method shows good results only in the initial stages of the appearance of spines, when the filamentous roots have not yet affected most of the foot. Removal of papilloma occurs when the skin is exposed to high-frequency current pulses, due to which the spine on the foot and its rhizome are burned out. The disadvantages of such an operation are pain: after the procedure, a bleeding wound remains on the body. Sometimes scarring may appear after electrocution.
Pulsed laser treatment
One of the most popular and sought after methods for treating plantar warts. Removal occurs under the influence of a laser beam, which simultaneously cauterizes the papilloma and disinfects the surface of the skin at the site of the operation. The laser treatment method does not cause any complications; after the procedure, patients are quickly rehabilitated, and the possibility of re-growth of spines on the foot is completely eliminated. The only drawback of this method is the high cost of the operation.
Why does it appear
Spikes on the feet (other name: plantar warts) are the result of increased human papillomavirus infection. After infection, the virus does not manifest itself immediately. Sometimes a person does not suspect for a long time that he is a carrier of HPV. In order for the infection to enter the active stage, certain conditions are necessary, including a decrease in the body’s defenses.
The source of infection is a person who is a carrier of this virus. Transmission of infection through any objects is unlikely. Usually this is direct contact.
Plantar wart is a predominantly childhood disease, usually affecting teenage children. The formation of the wart itself is associated with:
- previous injury,
- skin abrasions,
- presence of concomitant atopic dermatitis
- and even, as mentioned above, with the presence of an immunodeficiency state.
This process resolves on its own in approximately 2/3 of all cases. However, in some situations, special treatment is required.
Spine on the leg - treatment with folk remedies
Together with comprehensive drug treatment at home, plantar warts can be removed using traditional medicine. There are several effective recipes for eliminating spines on the feet, palms and toes:
- The spike on the heel will go away if you regularly apply a nettle compress to the sore spot. To prepare it, finely chop the nettle leaves, wrap them in a clean burdock leaf, and secure with a band-aid. Put a sock on your foot and leave the compress on overnight. The duration of such therapy is 3-4 sessions. Using the same principle, you can make compresses from Kalanchoe, potatoes and garlic.
- Vinegar lotions help a lot. To prepare them, use fresh garlic and 9% table vinegar. Mix the ingredients until mushy and apply, after protecting healthy skin with a band-aid. The mixture is kept for about one and a half to two hours, after which it is washed off with warm water. To enhance the effect after lotions, it is recommended to treat the surface of the foot with salicylic ointment.
- An equally effective remedy for human papillomas is iodine. It dries the skin well, disinfects, and helps relieve inflammation. To cure a thorn on the foot with iodine, you need to regularly lubricate the affected areas of the body.
- A folk remedy like Superclean can be prepared at home. To do this, celandine leaves are collected, ground or finely chopped, and then filled with 90% medical alcohol. The mixture is infused in a dark, cool place for 1.5-2 weeks, after which it is filtered. The solution should be applied pointwise, by sealing the skin around the spine with a band-aid or lubricating it with a rich cream. The duration of treatment with celandine juice depends on the growth of tumors, but should not exceed 30 days.
- Painful growths can be cauterized using brine from canned cucumbers or tomatoes. To do this, take thick woolen socks, soak them in brine and put them on. Wrap your feet with cling film or a bag on top. To create a greenhouse effect, secure the compress with a clean, dry pair of socks. Apply a compress in the evening and wash your feet with cool water in the morning. The procedures must be carried out until all the tubercles have resolved.
