How to remove warts on heels

A wart on the heel is a type of tumor that can cause great discomfort to the patient. This growth develops under the influence of the papilloma virus and also primarily affects damaged skin on the heels. It looks like a stretchy, dense structure on the epidermis that is covered with dry, crusty skin.

Causes of warts on heels

Papillomavirus can infect various parts of the human body and cause the proliferation of epithelial tissues. High heels are no exception. Typically, warts are caused by HPV types 1, 2, 4, 27, and 57. In total, there are at least 100 species of this pathogen in the world. It is highly contagious and widely spread, so about 80% of the world's population are carriers of this virus.Warts account for 1/3 of all benign growths on the heels. It is easy to get infected with HPV, which leads to their appearance - the virus is spread from sick to healthy people due to daily contacts in daily life and in crowded places. Using other people's personal hygiene products and walking barefoot on the floor of a crowded room (gym, locker room, sauna, swimming pool) are all ways to spread papillomavirus.Contrary to popular belief, it's nearly impossible to catch HPV and "grow" warts on your heels on the beach. This pathogen dies quickly when dried and exposed to sunlight.Warts on heels do not always form immediately after a papillomavirus infection. People with strong immune systems are generally less likely to develop warts and papillomas. The body's defense system suppresses pathogens without causing harm to health. But once the immune system malfunctions due to overwork, hypothermia, infectious disease, hormonal imbalance, malnutrition, or poisoning, HPV can become active and manifest as skin tumors.Additionally, there are many factors that can cause warts to appear on your heels:

• Injuries to the skin of the heel - cracks, abrasions, scratches, cuts;
• Using ill-fitting shoes can pinch, pinch or rub the skin;
• Diseases causing nutritional changes in soft tissues - varicose veins, diabetes, atherosclerosis;
• Pathology of lower limb deformity - flat feet, arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc. ;
• Excessive sweating or excessively dry and sensitive foot skin.

Generally speaking, warts on heels may appear alone if the virus is not very active and the immune system is resistant. If the pathogen is very active, warts can cause serious damage to the heels and feet.

How to Diagnose Heel Warts

Due to the constant pressure on the feet and heels, warts in this area often become very similar to corns and calluses. Therefore, they are not that easy to identify. A good dermatologist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and distinguish the growth from other lesions. For this purpose, a procedure called dermoscopy is most often performed.For qualitative studies, the epidermal stratum corneum is scraped and samples collected. The resulting scrapes are sent to the laboratory. There they confirm or deny the presence of HPV.Visual inspection can also help get a clear understanding of the disease. There are warts on the heels with no skin patterns on the surface. Additionally, blackheads can be seen. These are signs of clogged capillaries. If needed, an ultrasound may be performed, which can help determine how deeply the so-called "roots" of the wart penetrate into the skin.The following situations require differential diagnosis of heel tumors:

• There are tumor lesions in the patient's body;
• Foot deformities caused by various causes;
• Rett syndrome, which can cause keratosis;
• Syphilis, which causes painful, ring-shaped growths to form on the feet and hands.

To confirm the diagnosis, blood tests for HPV, syphilis and general analysis are also performed.

Why is it important to treat heel warts?

Although heel warts are considered a fairly harmless condition, consultation and treatment with a doctor should not be delayed. The disease may worsen over time. In addition, home self-medication can only suppress the external manifestations of papillomavirus infection. At the same time, the virus persists in the blood, causing body warts to recur regularly.It's also worth remembering that neglected warts on heels can develop and continue to grow. Additionally, as the foot is subjected to external pressure, tumors can grow within the skin, affecting deeper and deeper into the soft tissue. This causes compaction of the epidermal layer and the formation of blood clots in the capillaries, which appear as dark spots on the growth surface. Gradually, the warts on the heels began to cause severe pain.Heel warts require treatment for the following symptoms:

• Severe pain in the growing area;
• Warts grow rapidly and cause damage to new areas of the heel;
• Discomfort when walking and supporting the leg.

It should also be remembered that a patient infected with HPV poses a risk to others because he is a carrier of the virus. Relatives of such people are at risk of infection at home.Only comprehensive treatment can completely eliminate pathological tumors, suppress viruses, and avoid recurrence.

How to Treat Heel Warts

Only combination therapy can help those who don’t know how to remove heel warts. This is not only an opportunity to eliminate the tumor and the discomfort associated with it, but also an opportunity to live a fulfilling life without posing a risk to others. Warts can be treated with special medicines, removal with devices, and sometimes resorting to traditional medicines.

Medications to Treat Heel Warts

There are a variety of medications available to treat heel warts. They are classified into different groups based on their composition and characteristics of their effects on tumors and disease-causing viruses.Let’s take a look at the main fund categories:

• Acidic substances. These medications are available at pharmacies without a prescription and are often inexpensive. They have a pronounced cauterizing effect. Salicylic acid has good results. A 10-60% solution is needed to remove heel warts. The product should be used once a day until the tumor is completely destroyed. This substance is not suitable for diabetics and cancer patients. An analog of salicylic acid is trichloroacetic acid.
• Alkaline products. These substances have much the same effect on pathological tissue as the previous substances. They also cauterize warts and cause death of diseased areas of the dermis. The most popular drugs in this group cause tissue necrosis, so they must be used according to instructions and with caution to adjacent healthy tissue.
• frozen medicine. Until recently, heel warts could only be frozen using liquid nitrogen in a hospital setting. Now, this procedure can be performed at home using special pharmaceutical preparations. A mixture of dimethanol and propane has been shown to work well. The refrigerant is liquid nitrogen. This product helps remove warts on heels and has harmful effects on papilloma viruses. Special care also needs to be taken with this medication to avoid damage to healthy tissue.
• Antiviral creams, gels, ointments. These treatments are effective because they work directly on the cause of warts—HPV. Although in most cases longer exposure to the tumor is required compared to aggressive cauterizing substances. One of the most effective drugs in this group is an ointment based on potato sprout extract. It has herbal ingredients that help stimulate the production of interferons in the body, disrupting the recovery process of the virus and causing its rapid death.
• Immunomodulatory topical preparations. They are very effective for a single small wart on the heel. They help stimulate a local immune response and the body independently suppresses the virus. Interferon-based ointments are popular. Long-term application is required - at least 4 weeks until noticeable therapeutic effects appear.
• Tablet antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs. If HPV levels are high in the blood, your doctor may prescribe a course of immunomodulatory or antiviral treatment with oral pills. This will suppress the pathogen from within and avoid the risk of recurrence. This is particularly important in immunocompromised states.

If topical cautery alone can be used to treat heel warts as directed, oral medications can only be prescribed based on these tests by the attending physician.

Instrumental methods for removing heel warts

Today, there are several effective ways to remove heel warts using various devices. Modern clinics can offer a variety of efficient instrumentation techniques at different costs:

• electrocoagulation. Heel warts that progress over a long period of time usually have roots deep into the dermis. Electrocoagulation does not involve deep penetration into soft tissue. Therefore, this method is only suitable for treating small and shallow formations. In addition, electrocoagulation often leaves scars.
• freeze damage. One of the most popular ways to remove heel warts is with liquid nitrogen. Additionally, this is a fairly cheap method of influence. Scarring is rare after surgery. But the effectiveness of this method depends on the skill of the doctor, since before removing a wart on the heel, the depth of the root of the growth must be accurately determined. Otherwise, the tumor may recur. The surgery is quick and so is the tissue regeneration cycle.
• laser removal. One of the most modern, minimally invasive methods of treating pathological skin growths. Allow you to achieve good cosmetic results. Unlike liquid nitrogen, the penetration depth of the laser beam can be easily adjusted. The procedure is short and virtually painless. The wound on the heel also healed quickly and without complications. Recurrence after laser treatment of heel warts can almost be ruled out.
• radio wave cancellation. In this case, the wart needs to be removed with a special radio knife. At the same time, the blood vessels are cauterized to avoid spreading the virus to healthy tissue and bleeding. After such surgery, the recovery period is short and there is almost no scarring.
• Surgery. This method is considered obsolete, but is used in many situations. For example, when the growth is very large and further histological examination of the removed tissue is required. The surgery is quite painful and is performed under local anesthesia, and the recovery period can last several weeks. Bleeding and inflammation are also possible. Scarring often forms. The relative advantage of this method of treating heel warts is its low cost.

How you treat heel warts depends on the choice of the patient and the treating doctor. Most often, the most gentle and minimally invasive techniques are chosen - laser and radio waves to remove growths.

Folk remedies for heel warts

If you have warts on your heels and you don't know what to do, there are some medications you can try to treat at home. Therefore, acetic acid, celandine juice, garlic juice, etc. are very popular among "traditional healers". These treatments are not as effective as pharmaceutical or instrumental methods. However, regular use of them can also produce positive results. The main condition is not to interrupt treatment until the growth has completely disappeared.In addition, using folk methods to produce an immunomodulatory effect on the body can provide real help in the treatment of heel warts. To do this, take decoctions of the following plants: rose hips, coltsfoot, sea buckthorn, mint, chamomile, lemon balm, blackcurrant and raspberry leaves, calendula. These plants will help boost immunity, especially during cold weather when there are not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. It is also useful to drink freshly squeezed juices and various juice drinks and preserves.

Prevention of heel warts

Preventing human papillomavirus infection is the most effective way to fight it. Therefore, observe personal hygiene rules, try not to use other people's belongings, and wear interchangeable shoes in public places.If you have been infected with HPV and have warts on your heels, start treatment immediately. After removing the growth, carefully monitor the condition of your feet.If you suffer from hyperhidrosis, use only comfortable, breathable shoes made of natural materials. If your feet are deformed, wear orthopedic shoes to remove excess pressure from your feet.Don’t forget hygienic foot care and use a moisturizer if the skin on your heels is dry. Avoid dry and cracked heels. Simple prevention rules can prevent tumor recurrence.Warts on the heel may be harmless tumors, but they can cause considerable discomfort to the patient because as they grow, they put pressure on the tissue and cause pain. Furthermore, we should not forget that these are viral forms and therefore humans are the source of infection. Therefore, treatment of heel warts must be done under the supervision of a doctor.