What Kind Of Doctor Removes/treats Plantar Warts?

As Plantar warts are found on the skin, the type of doctor that typically deals with them is a dermatologist. Plantar warts often do not need treatment from a doctor and can resolve themselves within a couple of years.

However, if the warts are causing a lot of pain or they are beginning to spread then the help of a dermatologist will be required. There are several ways that a doctor can remove Plantar warts from the skin. These methods include, but are not limited to, freezing, immunotherapy, imiquimod and laser treatment.

• Freezing

Freezing is a quick way to remove Plantar warts although it can be a painful experience. Liquid nitrogen is applied to the wart to destroy it and forces the skin to form a blister. As this blister heals with time, it will take with it any dead skin that is remaining from the wart.

• Immunotherapy

This is a method that is usually reserved for warts that are particularly difficult to treat. The dermatologist will inject the wart with interferon, a medication that will help the body boost its immune system response to reject warts. As the immune system builds, the body is more instinctual and hard working to get rid of the wart. Alternatively the doctor may administer mumps antigens as they react in an aggressive manner to destroy warts.

• Imiquimod

Imiquimod comes in the form of a cream. This cream is applied directly to the wart and, similarly to the immunotherapy injections, encourages the body's immune system to release proteins to attack the warts.

• Laser treatment

Pulse dye laser treatment is applied directly to the wart. The laser burns the closed blood vessels supplying the wart and causes the wart to die and drop off. Laser treatment can cause a lot of pain and damage to tissues around the wart so is reserved for extreme cases.

These are just a few of the ways in which a dermatologist can get rid of Plantar warts. While some choose to let their warts resolve themselves, there are options available to those who wish to speed up the process.