Plantar Wart Treatments

There are two major types of plantar warts simple and mosaic. Simple warts are usually relatively small in size ~5mm and only have a single black dot. Mosaic warts are conglomerates of several warts and can be very large in size. Mosaic warts will have multiple black dots and may be very difficult to eradicate. There are many plantar wart treatments including caustic agents, excision, cryotherapy (freezing), laser destruction, injections, and stimulating the body’s immune system. Most of the topical agents available over the counter are ineffective. The OTC topicals are not strong enough to exfoliate the skin in order to destroy the cells infected by the virus. Regardless of the treatment, it is important to adequately debride or trim the thickened tissue.

Cryotherapy can be effective, however liquid nitrogen seems to be far more effective than the at home “cold cans” advertised.  The cold cans are not capable of getting cold enough to freeze the skin effectively.

Laser Treatment is quickly becoming the treatment of choice, there is no surgery required, and it attacks the warts blood supply as well as destroying the cells infected by the virus. Patients describe the treatments of being similar to bee sting, if the pain is too much a local anesthetic can be given to numb the area.  The number of treatments with the size of the wart complex and individual, however, 1-2 treatments is what we find for most of our require.