Warts (Verucca Pedis)
What are warts?
Warts are a cauliflower-like skin growth caused by a viral infection called the human papillomavirus that affects up to 20% of all school-aged children. Warts can occur anywhere in the body, but are most commonly seen on hands and feet.
Why do people get warts?
Warts are highly contagious and very opportunistic. They can enter the body through the top layer of skin if there is existing trauma such as an open cut. Warts are commonly contracted through communal surfaces such as the bathroom floors of swimming pools or through the sharing of inanimate objects of someone with a wart such as towels and mats.
What treatments are available for warts?
There are many effective treatments for plantar warts, including the use of salicylic acid which is most commonly used here at the clinic.
Salicylic acid is an effective treatment requiring-g a weekly consultation. Each consultation will consist of thorough debridement of the overlying superficial layers of the wart. Post debridement, the surrounding skin will be masked by sports tape to avoid disrupting healthy tissue and allow the salicylic acid to effectively treat the wart alone. Once the dressing is secure and in place, your podiatrist will advise you on how long to leave the dressing in place and commence regular appointments to treat the wart.
What can you do to reduce the likelihood of warts?
As warts are highly contagious, here are some tips to help reduce the likelihood of contracting them and passing them on:
Don’t share towels
Wearing thongs rather than walking bare-foot on communal surfaces such as shower rooms/bathrooms at swimming pools
If you unfortunately already have a wart, consider wearing a waterproof dressing over the top of the wart whilst swimming.
Do you think your child is suffering from this condition?
If your child is complaining of sore legs, feet, or if you have noticed that they are having difficulty walking in any way, we are able to help through an initial assessment. We are currently running FREE kids assessments!
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BOOK A FREE KIDS ASSESSMENT TODAY!
Through these assessments, our podiatrists have the ability to assess your child’s gait and feet, the biomechanics of their lower limbs and construct a treatment plan to monitor your child’s progression over time!