Plantar Wart Specialist
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Kirk Grogan, DPM
Podiatrist Foot & Ankle Surgery located in Pacific Heights & Duboce Triangle, San Francisco, CA
Plantar warts are common infections, especially in children and people who often go barefoot in public pools and showers. Dr. Kirk Grogan offers a variety of effective treatments to patients from in and around San Francisco who are living with plantar warts. You can call his practice or book an appointment online to start treatment for these benign growths.
Plantar Wart Q & A
What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are benign skin growths caused by a virus. The warts are small, usually around the size of a pencil eraser and develop on the bottom of the feet and toes. There are several strains of the virus that causes warts and they all primarily affect the top layer of skin.
Plantar warts are very common and children pick them up more often than adults. The warts aren’t painful themselves but can cause pressure points when you wear shoes. Most people have them removed for cosmetic reasons.
How did I get plantar warts?
Most of the time, plantar warts spread through indirect contact. For example, if you use a public pool or shower after someone else who has plantar warts you can pick up the virus from standing on the same floors. Typically, the virus enters your body through a cut in your skin. It takes root in the flesh of your foot and grows, eventually developing a visible growth.
The second factor that can cause you to grow plantar warts is having a compromised immune system. If your immune system is weakened, it is less able to fight off the infection that causes warts. You may find that you contract the plantar wart virus after you’ve had a cold or other illness.
How are plantar warts treated?
Dr. Grogan offers a variety of treatments to remove plantar warts. He may use a topical salicylic acid solution to kill the virus. Alternatively, he can freeze the wart which kills the virus and prevents regrowth or uses laser treatments to get rid of the wart and rid your body of the virus. Dr. Grogan provides advice on how to take care of your feet at home throughout treatment and after to prevent the virus from returning.
How can I prevent plantar warts?
First, do your best to stay healthy and keep your immune system strong. You also should always wear shower shoes in public pools and showers. Keep your feet clean and dry, using a disinfectant soap on your affected foot or feet.
If you have a plantar wart, don’t shave, clip, or otherwise try to remove it yourself. You could cut yourself and cause the virus to spread. Seek treatment from a podiatrist like Dr. Grogan to get rid of your plantar warts. Call or make an appointment online today.
