Warts: Not Just an Inconvenience

Many think of warts as a minor inconvenience and not a medical issue. And while many people think over-the-counter products are fine, that’s not the best course of action. If you get a plantar wart on your foot, you need to see Dr. Hubert Lee of CarePlus Foot & Ankle Specialists in Bellevue, WA, for treatment. 

• Because warts come from a virus, HPV, it’s not surprising that they are more common among school-aged children; in fact, about 10 to 20% of the children in this group get warts on their feet at some point.  

• Walking in public places that are damp and warm with no shoes, such as areas around gyms, pool decks, or saunas, provide the perfect conditions for contracting foot warts. A vulnerable spot on your foot, like a small cut, provides the ideal opportunity for the HPV virus to enter the skin. 

Here are some reasons that warts on feet should not be ignored, but instead, treated right away by your podiatrist:

Foot warts can last on your foot for a long time. You’re probably wondering why – if a plantar wart seems non-threatening - you should see a doctor for treatment. Although foot warts can go away without treatment, and much depends on the strain of the virus that caused it, some troublesome warts can last 18 months or longer. The OTC wart treatment products you can buy in the store take the one-size-fits-all method and can fall short of curing the wart 100%.

Visiting your podiatrist to get treatment accelerates the process of getting rid of your embarrassing and uncomfortable foot wart. We have several ways to treat plantar warts right in our office to give you relief. Our newest treatment option – Swift – provides a quick, painless way to remove warts. 

Plantar warts can alter the way you walk. There’s no doubt that plantar warts can be painful in some cases. Permitting a foot wart to remain untreated means continued pain and discomfort with every step you take. And because plantar warts form on the bottom of the foot, it’s only natural to counteract the discomfort by altering the way to walk to decrease your pain. Patients also tend to reduce exercises or activities that can exacerbate the pain.

Plantar warts can spread to other areas.  Another problem with ignoring foot warts is that while you’re trying to remove them on your own, they can continue to spread to other areas, which causes even more pain and discomfort and makes walking even more challenging. 

With Swift treatment, we can effectively clear up your warts with minimal discomfort.

If you think you may have a plantar wart, contact the office of Dr. Hubert Lee at CarePlus Foot & Ankle Specialists in Bellevue, WA today at (425) 455-0936 to schedule a consultation. Be sure to ask about our new SWIFT treatment method for warts for your child!