No, planters warts are not warts that appear on the skin of people who like to plant trees and shrubs, though they very well may. But not because they love gardening. Like any other kind of wart, the planters wart appears as the result of a person being infected by one of the human papillomavirus (hpv) viruses.
Planters warts
Warts, in general, are harmless growths, or small benign tumors. The pressure exerted on planters warts often causes the wart to be pushed deeper resulting in the formation of a layer of hard skin over it. They have a small, bumpy, cauliflower-like appearance and are sometimes mistaken for corns or calluses. The foot's fingerprint-like skin striations go around the planter wart, rather than over it, whereas these striations are not altered on calluses and continue uninterrupted over the skin.
contagious
The question "Are warts contagious?" is often asked by people who suffer from warts. Yes, all warts are contagious. The virus can move about the body, from one part to another, or from one person to another. Common sense good skin care can increase the skin's resistance to warts, as healthy skin will make it harder for the virus to penetrate the skin and spread throughout the body. Any damage to the skin - the tiniest abrasions, cuts, cracks - can facilitate the virus's entry into the body. Furthermore, any of the hpv viruses can remain in a person's body for years without warts appearing. The human body appears to become more resistant to this virus as it ages.
Effects
Nearly 10% of Americans are infected. These warts can at times fuse, resulting in clusters, known as mosaic warts.
Tips
* Practice better skin care basics
* Do not walk barefoot in public areas
* Do not share footwear, stockings, socks
* Avoid direct contact between planters warts and other parts of your body
And here are a few plantar wart removal options:
* Cryotherapy - liquid nitrogen used to freeze the wart
* Excision - local anesthetic and scalpel or curette (sharp spoon-like instrument) to cut out the wart
* Electrosurgery - wart cut out with curette and then surrounding tissue cauterized (burned) to ensure destruction of infection.
* Chemical treatment -a caustic or acid (e.g., salicylic acid or trichloroacetic acid) applied to break down infected skin.
* Over-the-counter topical treatments - some solutions contain concentrated salicylic acid.
* Natural treatments - There are a number of safe and easy methods for removing warts at home.
Health risk
You can also look into plantar wart removal at home. Do it yourself safely and save money.
