With Halloween just around the corner, your children are likely looking forward to the time-honored tradition of donning costumes and going door-to-door in search of sweet treats. Now, a wart on the bottom of the foot can put a damper on this activity, but plantar wart treatment for kids can certainly help. This is important for youth who plan on doing lots of walking while trick-or-treating!
What are Plantar Warts on Children?
Plantar warts most commonly develop on the bottom of the foot. They aren’t necessarily harmful in their own right, but these warts can cause pain and discomfort when a lot of time is spent on the feet.
Everyone has a certain degree of risk for warts, which are caused by a very common virus known as human papillomavirus (HPV). Not all strands of HPV cause warts and, further, a strand that leads to a wart for one person might not have the same effect on another. One of the ways HPV is transferred is through touch. Given the natural curiosity of children, this means kids tend to have a greater risk factor.
There are wart removal kits at the store, but these products have questionable rates of effectiveness. More concerning, though, the salicylic acid they use can damage healthy skin surrounding the wart. A better option is to take advantage of the plantar wart treatment services we offer at our offices.
Professional Treatment for Plantar Warts Include:
- Prescription-strength medication. This can include salicylic acid, but the difference is having it carefully applied by a medical expert. We will take measures to ensure your safety, which is something at-home kits are unable to offer.
- Cryotherapy. Another option is to use freezing therapy (cryotherapy) to slough off the dead tissue, while also stimulating your immune system to fight the virus.
- Minor surgery. It is important to note that we do not recommend attempting “home surgery” and trying to cut out a wart on your own. In addition to infection risk, this can also be quite painful. Instead, simply make an appointment with us and have the minor procedure performed by a specialist in a safe environment and with numbing agents to prevent pain.
For more information on plantar wart treatment for kids, make an appointment at our Twin Falls podiatrist office.