Do you have a skin growth on the bottom of your foot? It could be a plantar wart, which is a very common type of growth affecting both children and adults. Plantar warts are not cancerous, but can be embarrassing and should be treated to avoid discomfort and possible complications.
If you live in or around Salt Lake City, Elizabeth E. Auger, DPM can treat your plantar warts and other skin conditions of the foot. Call Dr. Auger today to make an appointment with a knowledgeable and caring podiatrist who can treat your warts.
What are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts are caused by an infection of the top layer of the skin caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). There are many different strains of the HPV virus, and the strains causing plantar warts are very common. While plantar warts are not malignant and the warts can sometimes go away on their own, it could take two years or longer for the wart to disappear without treatment. Plantar warts do not go deeper than your skin, but can look unsightly, and can sometimes cause pain and irritation, so you should consider visiting a foot doctor for treatment solutions.
Symptoms of Plantar Warts
You will know that you have plantar warts when a wart appears on the bottom of your foot. The growth is usually around the size of a pencil eraser, although sometimes the growth can get bigger. Some people with the HPV virus can actually get small clusters of plantar warts, called mosaic warts.
How Does Dr. Auger Treat Plantar Warts?
Dr. Auger will look at the growth on your foot if you suspect that you have plantar warts, and will conduct any necessary testing to ensure the growth is actually a plantar wart. Usually, the condition is diagnosed on the basis of a visual inspection alone.
Once diagnosed, treatments can include topical wart remover and excision. Warts can sometimes reappear after treatment, so you may wish to work with Dr. Auger to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Contact Elizabeth E. Auger, DPM Today
If you develop a plantar wart, Dr. Auger can help with wart removal and wart prevention. To find out more about how a foot doctor can help you with plantar warts and other foot health conditions, visit Dr. Auger today in one of three convenient offices in Salt Lake City, West Jordan, and Sandy, Utah.