Warts can be stubborn and hard to treat. If you have tried over-the-counter wart medicine, salicylic acid, freezing, or other treatments and your plantar wart keeps coming back, you may wonder why it will not go away.
The main reason is simple: a plantar wart is caused by a virus. The virus is a type of human papillomavirus (HPV) that infects the skin and causes the wart to grow.
Why Are Plantar Warts So Hard to Treat?
Many common plantar warts treatments work by removing or destroying the wart tissue on the surface of the skin. They do not directly attack the virus that causes the wart.
Common treatments include:
- Over-the-counter wart treatments: Many contain salicylic acid, which slowly removes layers of thick, infected skin.
- Salicylic acid treatments: Stronger salicylic acid treatments may be used under the care of a podiatrist to remove wart tissue.
- Cryotherapy (freezing): A doctor uses freezing treatment to damage and destroy the wart tissue. More than one treatment may be needed.
- Cutting and burning: A podiatrist may carefully remove thick layers of wart tissue and then apply an acid to treat the remaining wart tissue.
These treatments can remove or damage the visible wart, but the HPV virus many times are still present. This is one reason a plantar wart often times either remains or comes back after treatment.
Plantar Warts Won’t Go Away after Freezing? Plantar Wart Came back after Treatment?
What If Salicylic Acid or Freezing Has Not Worked?
If you have tried over-the-counter wart medicine, salicylic acid, or freezing with little or no success, it may be time to see a podiatrist.
A podiatrist can examine the area and make sure it really is a plantar wart. Other problems, such as a callus or corn, can sometimes look like a plantar wart.
Your podiatrist can also review the treatments you have already tried and explain what other options may be available.
Is There Another Treatment for Stubborn Plantar Warts?
Yes. Swift® Microwave Therapy is an advanced treatment option for plantar warts.
If you are like the thousands of people who ask themselves, my plantar wart won’t go away after freezing? OR my plantar wart came back after treatment? OR What to do if my plantar wart keeps coming back? Rest assured, there are still treatment options.
Introducing Swift® Microwave Therapy: Swift uses-controlled microwave energy that is delivered directly through the wart to the appropriate depth in your skin where the virus is located. Rather than simply removing the surface of the wart, Swift is designed to create a response in the treated area that helps the body’s immune system recognize and fight the HPV-infected tissue.
Our Huntington, NY podiatry practice has been using Swift Microwave Therapy since 2020 and was among the early podiatry practices on Long Island to introduce this technology.
When Should I See a Podiatrist for a Plantar Wart?
You should consider seeing a podiatrist at the first sign of a lesion on your foot because the longer a wart is there the more difficult and stubborn it becomes to treat.
Why Early Treatment Matters
Early treatment of a plantar wart is important. The sooner a plantar wart is checked and treated by a podiatrist, the sooner you can begin treatment and reduce the chance of the wart becoming larger, spreading, or becoming harder to treat.
If you notice a new growth on the bottom of your foot, early evaluation and treatment can help provide the best chance for clearing the plantar wart in a timely manner.
A plantar wart that will not go away does not mean you have run out of options. A podiatrist can confirm the diagnosis, review your past treatments, and discuss whether Swift® Microwave Therapy or another treatment may be right for you.
Why Won’t My Plantar Wart Go Away After Treatment?
A plantar wart may come back because it is caused by HPV, a virus that infects the skin. Treatments such as salicylic acid and cryotherapy mainly work by removing or destroying wart tissue. The virus may remain in the skin, which can allow the wart to persist or return.
If you have a stubborn plantar wart that won’t go away OR you want to treat it the correct way the first time, Swift® Microwave Therapy is a perfect option.
Looking for Plantar Wart Treatment in Huntington, New York?
If you have a plantar wart that keeps coming back or has not responded to other treatments, contact our Huntington, NY podiatry office to schedule an evaluation.
Learn more about Swift® Microwave Therapy for plantar warts and find out if it may be an option for you.