4 At-Home Treatments for Plantar Warts

Giving gifts is a normal part of the holiday season. Everyone enjoys receiving a little gift from their loved ones, and the generosity contributes to the joy of the season. There are some gifts, however, that shouldn’t be shared—particularly foot issues like plantar warts. These growths are easy to spread, but some basic at-home treatments can help you eliminate the problem.

Plantar warts are fleshy growths on the bottom of your feet that develop when a small cut or other break in the surface of the skin gets infected by a particular virus. The lumps are fleshy and unsightly, but benign. They also take a while to heal and resist many treatments. That doesn’t mean they are impossible to eliminate, though. Some people swear by different at-home treatments:

• Vinegar Soaks – Pour regular or apple-cider vinegar in a bowl and dilute it with water. Rest the affected foot in the soak for ten to fifteen minutes a day.
• Duct Tape – This may be hard to do for many plantar warts since they’re on your soles, but tape a strip of regular duct tape over the bump. Replace the tape daily, but otherwise leave it covered.

Over-the-counter remedies are often a little more successful:

• Topical Medications – Over-the-counter wart medication contains low levels of salicylic acid and can be found in regular drug stores. Apply it directly to the growth while avoiding the surrounding skin, then bandage over it.
• Freezing – There are over-the-counter cryotherapy kits in some drug stores. Very carefully apply the medicine to the wart without touching the surrounding healthy skin at all.

If you find at-home treatments or over-the-counter remedies do not help improve or eliminate the growth, you may need prescription-strength care. In many cases, it is best to let trained professionals handle your treatment. The Advanced Foot & Ankle Specialists of Arizona can help you restore your soles so you don’t have to worry about giving the wrong kind of gift this holiday season. Contact our two Arizona offices for an appointment or more information today. You can use the website, call, or fax: call (480) 963-9000 and fax (480) 963-0375.