Wart Treatments

Banana and cinnamon sounds like a great way to top your morning’s porridge but read on to find out how they can help cure a common and often painful foot condition…

Plantar warts, that is those on the soles of the feet, may be a common problem but for anyone who has had them will know they can be very stubborn to treat. Caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) a wart is a viral infection of the keratinocytes- the body cells found in the outermost layers of the skin- where they lie undetected by the immune system.

Treatment aims to achieve two things:
1) Irritate the skin to trigger the immune system to attack the virus causing the wart
2) Provide symptomatic relief by reducing the size and pressure of the wart
There are many ways in which we can achieve these goals, and many factors to be considered when choosing a specific treatment plan. If you have plantar warts and are thinking about treating them I suggest you make an appointment with your podiatrist to determine which treatment will best suit your needs. Some of the commonly used treatments include:
• Salicylic acid- a keratolytic which softens the skin
• Cryotherapy- freezing with liquid nitrogen
• Curettage- surgical debridement, often combined with cauterisation of the base
• Laser
No one treatment for warts is held in esteem above the rest, and varied results will be had by all. Funnily enough I have been getting great results of late with some very simple ingredients- straight out of the home kitchen! Banana and cinnamon sounds like a great way to top your morning’s porridge but it turns out they are also great remedies for warts!

* Please do not commence home treatment without first having your warts assessed by us. There are other conditions which can present similarly and a thorough assessment is advised. The treatments mentioned above all have their pros and cons and these need to be discussed with a professional to determine your best treatment plan.