Warts are a common viral skin condition we see in Podiatry quite often. Foot warts are derived from the Human Papilloma Virus or HPV for short and can be quite stubborn. Sometimes warts can resolve on their own but if left untreated can persist for several years. Although they are not harmful, they can be painful and annoying. Due to the persistent challenges warts present there are several different treatment options available all with various success rates. Kalmar Family Podiatry will discuss the Top 5 wart treatment options.
#1: Salicylic Acid Therapy and In-office Acid Therapy
- Destructive in nature
- How it Works: Salicylic acid slowly absorbs through the affected skin and into the top portion of the viral cells. The skin eventually will peel, called a “chemical peel.”
- Therapy can be done at home between doctor visits either daily or twice a day depending on the strength
- When considering the success rate of salicylic acid therapy, it is important to understand that the procedure does not cure the underlying viral infection
#2: Cryotherapy
- Destructive in nature
- How it works: Liquid nitrogen-based cryosurgery is used to freeze the abnormal cells and tissue
- On Average, requires between 1 – 6 treatments every two weeks in the doctor’s office
#3: Imiquimod (Aldara Cream)
- Topical cream used ‘off-label’ as it is used primarily for pre-cancerous lesions, some skin cancers
- Class of medication called immune response modifiers – attempts to increase activity of the body’s immune system
- Imiquimod cream does not cure warts, and new warts may appear during treatment.
#4: Surgical Excision
- An in-office procedure where we surgical remove all wart tissue from the foot
- Highly effective in removing the wart
- Potential risks and side effects: Infection is the highest risk after surgical excision of the wart as the doctor removes all wart tissue up to a depth of 4 mm. Main side effect is scar tissue as your body needs to repair and fill in the void that surgical excision leaves behind.
#5: Swift Microwave Therapy
- Triggers an immune response for your body to identify and attack the Human Papilloma Virus
- The therapy delivers a precise, highly controlled heat energy dose to only the wart tissue and doesn’t effect the normal foot tissue and cells
- By attacking the HPV virus (underlying viral infection), we are riding and curing the body of the wart.
- Extremely effective with low recurrence rates
Author Garrett Kalmar, DPM, AACFAS