If you want to remove a plantar wart, you need stamina: it can be very persistent. With these methods, you are guaranteed to get rid of warts!
What are warts?
Plantar warts form on the foot, especially on the heel, the sole of the foot or between the toes. They are primarily caused by lipid infection by human papillomavirus (“HPV”) – the viruses get into the skin through the slightest injury. From the outside, plantar warts are barely visible, but, as their name implies, they grow like a spike deep into the skin and can cause symptoms such as great pain while walking. In addition, the warts are contagious – so you should always remove a plantar wart.
Why do plantar warts occur so often?
Although only a few types of HPV cause warts, these are considered very resistant: they can survive for months in germ-free environments without a host – for example, in the warm, moist soil in the swimming pool. But also frequent sweating on the foot can favor the emergence. In addition, people with a weakened immune system are more likely to develop warts.
Remove the plantar wart: which treatment really helps
You do not always have to go to the doctor directly if you have warts. If you want to get rid of a plantar wart, you can try it first with non-prescription drugs from the pharmacy or home remedies. However, the growths are considered very persistent and may require more than just one treatment.
Important: If you have diabetic , complaints such as warts should always be treated by the doctor, because diabetes often causes nerve damage to the feet. For the following complaints should also treat only the doctor:
- Circulatory disorders
- Generally weak immune system
- Disrupted wound healing
Even in children, the treatment of warts is better entrusted to the expert.
Remove the plantar wart with a drug from the pharmacy
With the following over-the-counter medicines from the pharmacy can treat a wart:
- Icing (“Cryotherapy”): A commonly used remedy is the icing of the skin where the wart sits. The icing affects several skin layers, causing the wart dies and eventually falls off. This may require several treatments.
- Salicylic acid: With their help, the keratinized skin layers are softened around the wart until it is worn away. That can take six to twelve weeks. If you do not want to apply the solution every day, you can also use a soaked plaster.
- Monochloroacetic acid: It acts similar to salicylic acid, but only needs to be applied once a week.
Which home remedies help with plantar warts?
There is no scientific evidence that home remedies can help with warts. If you want to try it anyway, you should use the following methods that are simply rubbed on the skin:
- lemon juice
- Tea tree oil
- Halved garlic clove
- Vinegar or saline solution
Sticky tape as insider tip
There is indeed a study showing that warts disappear by using tape in about 85 percent of all cases – thereby destroying the skin cells affected by the virus. For the adhesive tape trick, simply soften the skin several times with footbaths and cover the affected area with parcel or insulating tape. Important: Do not wrap around the entire foot – this could disturb the blood circulation.