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Clark, NJ 07066

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Foot Notes

Posts for tag: Plantar Warts

By Clark Podiatry Center
June 11, 2019
Category: warts

Sometimes foot problems can be misidentified causing the wrong treatment to be applied. Plantar warts are one such issue. Often taken for corns or calluses, a plantar wart is a small growth that appears on the heel or other weight-bearing surfaces of your feet.  Plantar warts are caused by the HPV virus or human papillomavirus that enters through cracks in your feet.

Signs of a plantar wart include:

  • Small fleshy growth – occurs on the bottom of your feet
  • Black pinpoints – actually small blood vessels
  • Pain – tenderness in the ball of your foot or another weight-bearing areas
  • Hardened area of the skin – may indicate where the wart has grown inward in your foot

Risk Factors for a plantar wart include:

  • Children and teenagers
  • People that walk barefoot in public places like locker rooms or pools
  • Men and women with weakened immune systems
  • If you’ve had a plantar wart before

Ways to avoid developing a plantar wart include:

  • Wearing sandals in locker rooms or pools
  • Avoid touching a wart, if you do, wash your hands thoroughly
  • Keep your feet clean and dry
  • Alternate shoes and socks

Plantar warts can go away on their own but can take quite a while. You may want to treat the wart yourself or see your podiatrist.

Treating a plantar wart includes:

  • Using an over the counter medicine
  • Salicylic acid – applied by your podiatrist, it will help peel away the wart
  • Cryotherapy – Your podiatrist will freeze it off
  • Surgery – Cutting the wart by an electric needle. Requires a pain medicine
  • Immune therapy – Strengthening your immune system to fight the plantar wart itself
  • Laser therapy – treating the wart with a laser. Must repeated several times to be effective

If you believe you have a plantar wart or any other foot concerns, please make an appointment with Dr. Brandon A. Macy, who is associated with New Jersey Children's Foot Health Institute. He will assess your feet and find the appropriate treatments to get you back to being active. Call Clark Podiatry at (732) 382-3470.

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By Clark Podiatry Center
February 18, 2019
Category: warts
Tags: Plantar Warts   warts   basic foot care  

As children learn to share with their siblings and friends, they can get good at sharing a lot of things – including germs. This includes everything from the common cold to fungal and viral skin infections, like – you guessed it – warts.

The virus that causes warts only needs is a small opening in the skin, such as a scratch or cut. Then, warts spread easily from one area of the skin to another, and also from person to person, just by skin contact with the wart. The virus causes rapid skin growth in the infected area, which causes the bumpy growth.

Warts are usually harmless and painless but can be embarrassing and bothersome, especially when they are on the feet. Plantar warts can become hard and make it feel like you are walking with a pebble in your shoe.

If your child has one or more plantar warts, you can treat them with:

  • A Salicylic Acid wart treatment (over the counter)
  • Cryotherapy (over the counter options are available, or with a stronger solution at your doctor’s office)
  • Surgical removal (by your doctor)

You can reduce the risk of infection and spreading warts with the following tips:

  • Basic foot care – Help your children wash their feet each night. This can help reduce the germs that might cause infection. You should also check for cuts and scrapes since that’s the way that viruses can infect the skin.
  • Try not to let your children be barefoot in public areas – if they will be barefoot, make sure to wash and dry feet shortly after.
  • Do not allow children to share shoes, socks, or towels.
  • Keep your child from picking at warts, as they can spread to other parts of the body.
  • If someone in the home has warts, treat them right away.

If your child has persistent plantar warts that just won’t go away even with treatment, see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your child’s feet at New Jersey Children's Foot Health Institute and find the best treatment for your child’s feet. Make an appointment at our Clark, NJ office so we can keep your child walking.

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