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These are Warts on
the soles of the feet.
What to look for
bumpy growths on the
soles of the feet shaped like a pyramid with the point on the surface or above it.
pinpoint bleeding from
warts when they are scratched.
pain in the soles of the
feet when standing or walking.
Plantar warts are tough
growths that appear on the soles of the feet. Normal standing and walking creates extreme
pain as the pressure forces them into the foot. Like all warts, they are harmless and will
eventually go away even without treatment, but in most cases they are too painful to
ignore. Plantar warts that grow together in a cluster are known as mosaic warts.
Also See Warts
Causes
Plantar warts are caused by
a virus that enters the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions. The warts may not appear for
weeks or months after the initial exposure. Plantar warts are contagious and normally
spread in public places such as swimming pools, gyms or communal showers.
Traditional Treatment
You can take
your pick from numerous remedies both conventional and alternative. Deciding
how to treat your plantar wart may depend on your ability to tolerate the
pain that the various treatments can inflict. Conventional treatment focuses
on removal, while alternative approaches emphasise gradual remission. Never
scrape or cut a wart yourself.
Your doctor may use several
different options in removing the wart. Burning, freezing and surgical removal are more
aggressive options for more severe conditions.
Alternative/Natural
Treatments
From the alternative
viewpoint you will need to enhance your immune system in order to stop re-occurrences of
the wart virus as well as applying other substances directly onto the wart to remove it.
Aromatherapy -
Two
drops of essential lemon oil in 10 drops of cider vinegar may help remove plantar warts:
Apply daily and cover during the day with an adhesive bandage, but leave the wart exposed
at night. Two
drops of essential lemon oil in 10 drops of cider vinegar may help remove plantar warts:
Apply daily and cover during the day with an adhesive bandage, but leave the wart exposed
at night.
Or you can put a drop of
tea tree oil
on the centre of the wart daily and
bandage it. Continue treatment until the wart goes away, which may take several weeks.
You can try strengthening
your immune system by massaging your legs with the essential oils of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), geranium (Pelargonium odoratissimum), or juniper
(Juniperus communis), or a blend of any
two, using long strokes from ankles to thighs.
Herbal
Therapies - Various herbal remedies are recommended for removing warts.
Whichever herbal remedy you try, first protect the surrounding skin with petroleum jelly
and cover the treated wart with a clean bandage. Repeat daily until the warts are gone. Various herbal remedies are recommended for removing warts.
Whichever herbal remedy you try, first protect the surrounding skin with petroleum jelly
and cover the treated wart with a clean bandage. Repeat daily until the warts are gone.
Apply the juice from dandelion stems morning and evening.
Put a clove of raw garlic or a drop or two of garlic oil on the wart twice
daily.
Apply a few drops of
yellow cedar, available in either oil or tincture form, to the wart twice daily.
Dietary Considerations
Improve your diet in order
to stop recurrences of the virus. Foods high in vitamin A (such as… eggs, cold-water
fish, onions, garlic, and dark green and yellow vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage,
Brussels sprouts, squash, and carrots) will help sustain your immune system, as will
yogurt.
Supplements of Vitamin A,
E zinc,
potassium, chloride,
calcium,
L-Lysine, freeze-dried liver tablets and
garlic.
Personal Care
Try an over-the-counter
topical medication that contains salicylic acid, which is best absorbed by the skin after
a bath, a shower, or a soak in warm water. Protect the healthy skin around your warts with
petroleum jelly or nail polish.
Cut or scrape off some of
the white material from the inside of a banana peel, preferably from a green banana, since
it is said to have more of the enzymes that help fight the wart-causing virus. Apply a
piece of the material to the wart before going to bed, and cover with first-aid tape.
Repeat nightly until the condition improves.
Apply vitamin E twice daily or vitamin A nightly; open a capsule of the vitamin,
apply the oil to the wart, and cover with a bandage. Continue applications until the wart
goes away.
Prevention
Protect yourself against
exposure to the virus that causes plantar warts by wearing thongs, or rubber swimming
shoes whenever you visit a public pool or use a communal shower.
When to seek further
professional advice
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