Plantar Warts and Treatment Options

Plantar warts are lesions that may grow on the superficial layers of the skin, on the epidermis and the epidermal-dermal junction. Plantar warts are caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). It can enter the skin through any break in skin via cuts, calluses, fissures, or breaks in skin.

The HPV virus is easily transmissible between individuals via direct or indirect contact. It is commonly found in wet environments, including gym change rooms and playgrounds.

Cantharidin Treatment of Warts

A conservative treatment option for management of warts is to use cantharidin-base products. Canthacur-PS is a topical agent that can be used by chiropodists to treat plantar warts in children and adults. It is considered the first line for treatment of plantar warts in children. Studies have reported an efficacy as high as 86% in management of plantar warts with cantharidin-base products.

Falknor's Needling Treatment of Warts

A more invasive treatment option that is done by chiropodists at Podera Health involves a procedure called Falknor's Needling. The purpose of the procedure is to puncture the wart with a needle and to push the virus from the superficial epidermal layer of skin into the deeper layers of the skin. This will initiate the body's immune response to recognize the HPV and initiate a response against the virus to cure the plantar wart. The procedure is done under local anesthesia.