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Foot surgery

Plantar warts

What is a plantar wart?

Plantar warts are a highly contagious virus and easily transmissible. These skin lesions are caused by an infection of the skin by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common viral infection of the skin.

This viral infection of the human papillomavirus infects only the superficial layer of the skin, called the epidermis, that can reach any surfaces of the feet and even causes self-inoculation (contaminating itself). The growth of the wart can be rapid and the localized thickeness of the callus can create a painful area when subjected to pressure or friction.

The pain present under the plantar surface can lead to an antalgic gait or flaulty biomechanics, which leads to postural pain.

What are the risk factors for contamination?
  • Walk barefoot in public places
  • Skin dermatitis (eczematous skin) or trauma to the skin
  • Excessive perspiration of the feet
  • Weakness of the immune system. This can be caused by a disease (cancer, HIV infection, etc.) or by drugs (especially immunosuppressants). In addition, in these people, warts are often more difficult to treat.

How to better diagnose plantar warts?

Only the family doctor, the dermatologist and the podiatrist have the expertise to issue the diagnosis for the plantar wart. In medicine traditionally, the diagnosis of warts is done through pathognomonic or “typical” signs with observation with the naked eye. However, the Pied Outaouais podiatric clinic is equipped with a « dermatoscope », a polarized microscope to ensure a more accurate diagnosis in order to deliver a more effective treatment.

When to consult your podiatrist?

  • When pharmaceutical treatments are not effective
  • When the wart is painful or/and if it multiplies
  • When there is bleeding, redness or sign of infection
  • When the wart has an abnormal or asymmetrical shape
  • When it deforms the nail
  • When you have diabetes or peripheral sensation disorder (neuropathy)

Podiatric treatments of wart

At Pied Outaouais Podiatric Clinic, we use pharmacological treatments for a quick and effective treatment. Foot hygiene advice is important to avoid the recurrence of contagious skin lesions.

We establish a treatment plan according to:

  • Our clinical observations
  • The duration of the presence of the lesion
  • The size and extent of the plantar surface
  • The treatments used previously
  • The age of the patient (child versus adult)
  • Underlying pathologies

Book an appointment

We would be very happy to invite you to our clinic. We are welcoming new patients.

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