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Podiatrist - Clark, NJ
1114 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066

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Foot Notes

Posts for tag: Plantar Warts

By Clark Podiatry Center
March 01, 2017
Tags: Plantar Warts   verucca   virus  

Adults and children alike can contract plantar warts, or verucca. They are caused by a virus that enters openings in the skin, such as cuts, scrapes, or cracks in dry skin. They can manifest as round bumps on the bottom of the feet and are either flat or look like cauliflower. The most obvious symptom is that it causes you pain when you put pressure on it (or with every step you take).

Because the virus lives in moist areas, it’s easily spread from person to person by direct touch or using the same item as someone who has it. For children, it can happen on playgrounds or the public swimming pool. For adults, it can be the same, including gym locker rooms and communal showers.

For healthy people, plantar warts can come and go with no pain. However, since viruses can live in your body for long times, they can easily form warts again. The best defense is to practice healthy hygiene and prevent contracting the virus.

  • Wear flip-flops when on communal floors and try not to be barefoot on playgrounds and other gym or play areas.
  • After being barefoot, make sure to promptly wash your feet with soap and warm water.
  • Don’t share shoes with anyone with plantar warts and avoid direct contact with someone with warts.

When you have plantar warts, you can try to treat them with salicylic acid treatments at your local drugstore. Soft padding can help to reduce pressure on the plantar wart. If these remedies do not work, and the pain continues, make an appointment today to have our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy assess you (or your child’s warts). He may suggest treatments such as cryotherapy, chemical treatments, or surgery. Clark Podiatry Center is located in Clark, NJ office in Union County and our team is ready to help! We keep you walking.

 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
May 02, 2016

It's spring in New Jersey and, while you may not have hit the beach or pool yet, you are probably spending more time outside in the sunshine. Have you broken out your tube of sunscreen yet?

The deadliest skin cancer, melanoma, can be caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. And guess what? Feet and ankles are also susceptible to skin cancers caused by sun exposure as well as by chemical exposure, chronic inflammation and even viruses.

May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month as sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology. Their goals are to raise awareness of the dangers of skin cancer and to help the public learn how to prevent and detect the different types of skin cancer.

Skin Cancers that May Appear on the Feet

Basal cell carcinoma is caused by sun damage and so usually isn't found on the feet. Squamous cell carcinoma is common and can resemble other skin conditions on the feet such as plantar warts, fungus, ulcers or eczema. These may be itchy but are usually painless.

Watch out for melanoma skin cancer. This malignant form of cancer grows inward rather than along the surface of the skin. Once inside the body, it can spread through the lymphatic system or blood vessels.

Melanomas are masters of disguise and may look like lesions, moles, plantar warts, blood blisters, bruises and even ingrown nails. Because they are not always caused by the sun's UV rays, they can even appear under a toenail or on the soles of the feet.

Clark Podiatry Center urges you to check your feet regularly - about once a month - to look for unusual skin appearance or anything out of the ordinary. Be sure to monitor your child's feet also. 

Learn How To Lower Your Risk of Skin Cancer

  • Avoid exposing your skin to the sun during its strongest hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Stay away from tanning booths.
  • Select a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.
  • Learn the right way to apply sunscreen - you need more than you think. Apply 1 fluid ounce 30 minutes before venturing out in the sun, and reapply every 2 hours or when you have been swimming or sweating. Don't forget your feet!
  • Protect children with sunscreen too, age 6 months and above. Read package directions carefully.

The Skin Cancer Foundation has lots more information and tips on preventing skin cancer, detecting melanoma and how to do a monthly skin check.

Come See Us with Any Foot and Ankle Concerns

If you notice any unusual skin condition or have any foot or ankle pain, please contact Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist. We have extensive experience with all types of foot problems. Call our Clark, NJ office for an appointment at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website. Early detection is important in the successful treatment of foot skin cancers.

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By Clark Podiatry Center
March 16, 2016
Tags: Plantar Warts  

It's fun to walk barefoot and many of us do it at home and in public places. But walking without protection on your feet can make you susceptible to picking up contagious foot problems.

One of these is plantar warts. These growths are caused by a virus that thrives in public gyms, showers and pools. The warts appear on the sole of your foot. Because you place so much pressure on the heel or ball of the foot, the warts grow into the foot instead of outward. In appearance a plantar wart looks like a small growth with a rough surface and it can cause a sharp, burning pain when you stand on it.

Teenagers and children are often prone to plantar warts. Anyone with a weakened immune system may also be at risk.

How To Avoid Plantar Warts

You can reduce your risk of getting a plantar wart with these simple foot care steps:

  • Always wear shoes or flip flops in public places. Never go barefoot unless at a sandy beach.
  • Wash and dry your feet daily and change your socks and shoes every day.
  • If you have warts, don't touch them. Don't use the same implements like a toenail clipper or emery board on your healthy foot.
  • Keep an eye on your children's feet for anything that appears to be a wart.

We Can Successfully Treat Plantar Warts

Plantar warts can disappear on their own but it can take a lot of time, even a couple of years. Over-the-counter solutions can help temporarily but the wart often returns.

To permanently eliminate a painful wart, contact Clark Podiatry Center. After diagnosing your problem, we'll treat you for your individual condition including:

  • Cryotherapy - this technique freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen. First we numb the general area of the wart so you won't feel any pain, and then apply the nitrogen directly to the growth. It may be necessary to repeat this treatment. The dead tissue will slough off within a couple of weeks.
  • Salicylic acid available with prescription that will gradually peel the tissue away.
  • Laser treatment forces the wart tissue to die when the blood vessels are closed.
  • Surgical removal of the wart.

In some patients, we find that combining treatments is the best solution, such as first freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen and then periodically applying salicylic acid.

Get Help for Painful Plantar Warts

Don't waste time with over-the-counter treatments for plantar warts that bring only temporary relief. Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist has successfully treated plantar warts in many patients, including children and teens. Call us for an appointment in our Clark office at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website. You can find long-lasting relief for painful plantar warts!

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By Brandon Macy, D.P.M.
December 10, 2013

Sitting Is the New Smoking I

Everyone knows --or should know that smoking is not good for you. It affects your lungs, your cardiovascular health, your circulation, your skin, your weight, lowers your resistance to disease, it even affects your attitude. What you need to understand is that sitting has precisely the same effect.  A recent article in Parade Magazine cited a study where it was demonstrated that the life span of sedentary people is significantly shorter—no surprise there—but that even overweight people who are active fare much better than slender people who are not active.

This is the first in a series of blog entries where we’ll explore and make recommendations for dealing with this issue in different patient populations.  First we’ll deal with the serious problem of childhood obesity.

Children spending too much time on the computer, cell phone, game console, television--there's little argument that they need to get out and participate in some physical activity. The National Football League is in agreement.  They sponsor the nflplay60 experience, an effort to get kids physically active for at least 60 minutes per day in an effort to combat childhood obesity.

Another article in Parade stated that fit children get better grades in school.  At a Back to School Night I attended when one of my daughters started high school, a teacher said that he loved having students participate in athletics.  Not only was it healthier, he said, but it was a driving force for the students to better budget their time for studies.

What’s the answer? There’s more to the matter than limiting junk food intake.  Encouraging—insisting—on some regular physical activity.  Your child doesn’t have to be a superstar to participate in team sports.  I’ve coached and now referee youth soccer games and there are multiple flights for all levels of skill.  Gymnastics and dance classes are preferred by many as an alternative.  You don’t have to restrict things to one activity, at least not until your child expresses a strong preference for one.

Another idea is to mix in a regular shared activity with your children.  Brisk walks, hiking trails, jogging, bicycling, swimming are a few examples of healthy activities you can share with them.  They grow up so fast—spend as much time with them as you can!

The key lies overcoming the physical law of inertia—the one that says “objects [and people] at rest tend to stay at rest”.  It can be a challenge to develop the good habits in your children.  Besides encouragement and insistence, it would be wise to start by using the principle of SAGE—set a good example!  Get out there and get moving yourself.  “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t fly.

How can we be of help? All sorts of problems resulting in foot pain can interfere with the enjoyment of any activity. Our motto at Clark Podiatry Center is “We Keep You Walking”.   It’s about doing our best to relieve foot pain and keep you participating in your favorite activities.

If your feet hurt for any reason, that certainly puts a damper on your enthusiasm and ability to get out there.  The most common problems I encounter in the youth population are ingrown toenails, warts and heel pain, which is most commonly (in children from 9-14) a growth plate injury known as calcaneal apophysitis, or Sever’s Disease.  None of these problems has to be debilitating but, left untreated, each can make your child miserable and reluctant to participate. 

Look around our website for information regarding these or other specific problems you may have encountered.  If you can’t find something that sounds familiar, use the Contact Us link to ask a question.  Or call 732-382-3470 for an appointment.  We’ll fit you into the schedule as soon as possible and then we’ll work together to do what it takes to keep you and your child walking.

Next in the series: Keeping seniors walking, including information about a Fall Prevention program.

 

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By Brandon Macy, D.P.M
May 15, 2013
Category: Uncategorized
Tags: Plantar Warts  

Plantar WartPlantar warts are benign growths that develop on the bottom of your feet caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV) -- the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body. Some people are more susceptible than others to HPV, and not everyone will develop plantar warts if they come into contact with the virus. Individuals with weak immune systems or damaged skin on the feet are at a higher risk for plantar warts.

Plantar warts most often develop on the weight-bearing areas of the foot -- the heel or the ball of the foot -- causing sharp, burning pain. They can appear as a single wart (solitary) or a cluster of warts (mosaic). Common symptoms may include:

  • Pain or discomfort when walking or standing
  • Thick, scaly skin that often resembles a callus
  • Hard, flat growths with well-defined boundaries
  • Tiny black specks (clotted blood vessels) that often appear on the surface of the wart

Most warts disappear with home care and do not require medical treatment. You can take steps to prevent and treat plantar warts, which include:

  • Changing your shoes and socks daily
  • Keeping your feet clean and dry
  • Avoid picking at warts as the virus may spread
  • Avoid direct contact with an individual who has plantar warts
  • Checking your child's feet periodically
  • Refrain from walking barefoot, especially in public areas like showers, swimming pools and locker rooms
  • Never ignore skin growths or changes in your skin

You should always seek care from a podiatrist when warts interfere with your daily life, aren't responding to home treatments, or if you have circulatory disorders. Contact Brandon Macy, D.P.M if your warts:

  • Change color or shape
  • Cause unbearable pain and discomfort
  • Interfere with activities
  • Multiply or reappear

Without treatment, plantar warts can grow, spread and prompt new warts to grow as fast as the old ones disappear. If you can't confidently identify a growth on your foot, visit Brandon Macy, D.P.M to ensure a correct diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment from our Clark office can decrease the risk of the wart spreading and multiplying.

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1114 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066

Podiatrist - Clark, Dr. Brandon Macy, 1114 Raritan Road, Clark NJ, 07066 732-382-3470