Monday, December 27, 2010
Warts in the winter?
It's cold outside, and that means many patients are wearing thick socks to keep warm. But another thing patients are wearing more of... winter boots! Especially the Sherpa or wool lined Ugg type boots, which I must admit, do keep the feet warm. Yes, they keep feet warm...but one thing that this causes is excessive sweating of the feet. This warm toasty environment also provides a warm, dark, damp, enclosed environment, perfect environment for other foot ailments such as foot fungus and warts. How do you prevent any of these ailments from invading your feet? Be sure to always wear socks with boots; do not wear them barefoot! I recommend a cotton blend over a full pure cotton; this allows the sweat to wick away from the feet and allows them to "breath." Also, our office offers a spray that I recommend to use on the inside of the boots 3 times a week, even for prevention. This is especially important if you have a history of warts and do not want that environment to encourage their return. So keep warm with those boots... just know how to take care of the feet inside of them.
Monday, October 25, 2010
What about over the counter treatments for Warts?
People often ask me, why do I need to come into the office for warts? Why can't I treat these warts at home?
Well, there are several reasons why you should come in to the office. First, it is important to get evaluated and examined to even determine if the growth is a wart or not. Although it may have the characteristics of a wart, it may be a callus, a blister, and I have even had a patient come in for an evaluation and we found out is was a foreign body... it turned out to be a piece of pencil lead! The typical appearance of a lump on the foot can be deceiving. Secondly, sometimes the over the counter treatments work, but more often than not, you need weekly debridements, or scraping with a sterile technique of the dead layer of skin so that the medication can get to the affected area. Plus, it is always good to have a trained eye of the podiatrist to monitor is progress: is it getting bigger? Smaller? Why not? Plus, I can also give you to tips on how to prevent them from coming back if and when they do finally go away!
So yes, go ahead and come in the office before trying to treat those warts at home!
Well, there are several reasons why you should come in to the office. First, it is important to get evaluated and examined to even determine if the growth is a wart or not. Although it may have the characteristics of a wart, it may be a callus, a blister, and I have even had a patient come in for an evaluation and we found out is was a foreign body... it turned out to be a piece of pencil lead! The typical appearance of a lump on the foot can be deceiving. Secondly, sometimes the over the counter treatments work, but more often than not, you need weekly debridements, or scraping with a sterile technique of the dead layer of skin so that the medication can get to the affected area. Plus, it is always good to have a trained eye of the podiatrist to monitor is progress: is it getting bigger? Smaller? Why not? Plus, I can also give you to tips on how to prevent them from coming back if and when they do finally go away!
So yes, go ahead and come in the office before trying to treat those warts at home!
Monday, August 23, 2010
How do I know if My Child has Warts?
Summer is winding down, school is starting, and now is the time to take the time to inspect your feet and your children's feet. So many moms stop me at the Oak Brook Park District or at the Oak Brook Bath and Tennis pool when I'm there with my five kids and ask me,"How do I know if there are warts on my child's feet? What do I look for? "
Well, here are some tips. Your child may be complaining of a "sore" on the bottom of his or her foot, and it may look like a callus or a spot of hardened skin. It may be just that... a callus or a corn. However if the callus has tiny black dots, or it has a "cauliflower"-like appearance, or is painful on side to side compression, then you may want to have his or her foot examined by a podiatrist.
On the other hand, there may be no pain at all; you or you child may have noticed a spot on the bottom of his foot, and now that one spot has become two or three spots. This is another symptom of warts - they spread if not treated. They may spread to the other foot, or even to fingers or hands, and maybe even to a sibling. This is one more reason to have your child's foot examined by a podiatrist.
If you you are unsure as to what that spot is on the bottom of your child's foot, it is always better to get it checked out. Should you choose to self diagnose and try over-the-counter treatment, this may or may not work, and you may be treating that spot with something inappropriate.
So now that school is in session, make it a point to check your and your children's feet. If you are unsure, make an appointment with us at Prairie Path Foot and Ankle Clinic. See you then!
Well, here are some tips. Your child may be complaining of a "sore" on the bottom of his or her foot, and it may look like a callus or a spot of hardened skin. It may be just that... a callus or a corn. However if the callus has tiny black dots, or it has a "cauliflower"-like appearance, or is painful on side to side compression, then you may want to have his or her foot examined by a podiatrist.
On the other hand, there may be no pain at all; you or you child may have noticed a spot on the bottom of his foot, and now that one spot has become two or three spots. This is another symptom of warts - they spread if not treated. They may spread to the other foot, or even to fingers or hands, and maybe even to a sibling. This is one more reason to have your child's foot examined by a podiatrist.
If you you are unsure as to what that spot is on the bottom of your child's foot, it is always better to get it checked out. Should you choose to self diagnose and try over-the-counter treatment, this may or may not work, and you may be treating that spot with something inappropriate.
So now that school is in session, make it a point to check your and your children's feet. If you are unsure, make an appointment with us at Prairie Path Foot and Ankle Clinic. See you then!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
What causes plantar warts?
A patient asked me the other day, "Dr. Arain, What causes those painful and ugly warts to appear on the bottom of my feet?" My answer to them is that it is caused by HPV, or human papilloma virus.
This virus that causes plantar warts can be found in places that are damp, moist, warm environments where you may go barefoot, such as public showers, swimming pools, and locker rooms. It is important to point out that not everyone is as vulnerable to plantar warts as others. It could be the pH of your skin, or the condition of your feet, or if your immune system is weakened in any way. So you may have a predisposition to warts without knowing it.
If you think you may have a wart, you should see a podiatrist as soon as possible. A podiatrist is trained to not only identifying if it is a wart or not, but she or he may have several different options for treatment as well. The growth could be something entirely different, such as a simple corn or callus, or something much more serious such as a malignant growth.
If you are in the Chicago area, please call our office in Elmhurst, Prairie Path Foot and Ankle 630-834-FOOT or our Schaumburg location Schaumburg Foot and Ankle Clinic at 847-985-8380.
This virus that causes plantar warts can be found in places that are damp, moist, warm environments where you may go barefoot, such as public showers, swimming pools, and locker rooms. It is important to point out that not everyone is as vulnerable to plantar warts as others. It could be the pH of your skin, or the condition of your feet, or if your immune system is weakened in any way. So you may have a predisposition to warts without knowing it.
If you think you may have a wart, you should see a podiatrist as soon as possible. A podiatrist is trained to not only identifying if it is a wart or not, but she or he may have several different options for treatment as well. The growth could be something entirely different, such as a simple corn or callus, or something much more serious such as a malignant growth.
If you are in the Chicago area, please call our office in Elmhurst, Prairie Path Foot and Ankle 630-834-FOOT or our Schaumburg location Schaumburg Foot and Ankle Clinic at 847-985-8380.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)