Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)

What is a Plantar Wart?
A wart is a small growth on the skin that develops when the skin is infected by a virus. Warts can develop anywhere on the foot, but typically they appear on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. Plantar warts most commonly occur in children, adolescents, and the elderly.

There are two types of plantar warts:

• A solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional “satellite” warts.
• Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one area. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts.

Causes
Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body.

Symptoms
The symptoms of a plantar wart may include:

• Thickened skin. Often a plantar wart resembles a callus because of its tough, thick tissue.
• Pain. Walking and standing may be painful. Squeezing the sides of the wart may also cause pain.
• Tiny black dots. These often appear on the surface of the wart. The dots are actually dried blood contained in the capillaries (tiny blood vessels).

Plantar warts grow deep into the skin. Usually this growth occurs slowly, with the wart starting small and becoming larger over time.

Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (peculiar to black skin)

A common papular disorder, which develops in adolescence & only in black skin. The lesions are histologically identical to seborrhoeic keratosis. They are smooth, dome shaped, brown to black papules seen mainly on the cheeks, neck & upper chest.

Moles.

A form of pigmented naevi that are commonly found on the face and body. Moles vary in size and colour from pale tan to brown to bluish black and often develop deep terminal hairs in them because of a well developed vascular supply.

Normal Moles are common small blemishes or growths on the skin that appear in the first few decades of life in almost everyone. These pigmented growths are very common. The average young adult has about 25 moles.

Spider Naevus / Red Veins / Telangiectasia (red/purple capillaries)

Broken or dilated blood capillaries on the surface of the skin, usually found on more exposed areas of the skin like the nose and cheeks. The skin looks like it has little blood lines on it, which are usually red but become darker in colour as they get worse. Certain conditions will worsen broken capillaries as above

Liver / Age Spots

Age spots (sun spots, liver spots, brown spots) are changes in skin colour associated with older skin. They're harmless, macular (flat), brown discolourations of the skin which usually appear on the back of the hands, neck and face of people. They're usually caused by the skin being exposed to the sun over many years and are a sign of sun damage so it recommended that the client is advised to avoid the sun and wear sun protection at all times.

They are caused by the accumulation of a yellow pigment called lipofuscin in the connective tissues of the body, due to ageing of the collagen-producing cells. When lipofuscin accumulates in the connective tissue of the skin, brown spots are the result. (When lipofuscin accumulates in the connective tissue of the retina of the eye, the result is age-related macular degeneration). The lipofuscin is probably the remnant of incompletely degraded molecules from damaged cells.

Preventing damage to cells is the best approach to age spots and other problems from ageing. Antioxidants are the key to preventing cellular damage from free radicals (highly reactive molecules that can destroy cellular compounds). Protective antioxidants include carotenes (present in most yellow vegetables), vitamins C and E (in fresh fruits and vegetables), selenium (in wheat germ), flavonoids (in blueberries, blackberries and cherries) and sulphur containing amino acids (in legumes, eggs, garlic and onions). Increasing the amount of antioxidant foods in the diet, along with supplementation, will decrease cellular damage. Avoiding excessive external sources of free radicals, including fried and grilled foods, solvents, pesticides, air pollutants, radiation and petroleum-based products may also help.

Seborrhoeic Warts (also known as Basal Cell Papilloma or Seborrhoeic Keratosis)

A benign proliferation of epidermal cells with 'stuck on' appearance and 'lip' or distinctive edge. Can easily be treated by diathermy, but it is always advisable to obtain the GP's advice and agreement.

These Basal Cell Papillomas become more common with increasing age. They are seen as raised and appear frequently as several lesions on covered body sites and are also quite common on the face in older people. They are usually brown because of melanin and so can be mistaken for moles. The superficial stuck on appearance is a helpful diagnosis point.

They can be tiny or large even up to two inches across. Removal by surgery using a stitch often leaves a scar, and freezing leaves a mark. The treatment when performed by a private doctor costs in the region of £300+. If all evidence of the Seborrhoeic Keratosis is not removed it will re-grow.

Blood Spots (Campbell De Morgans)

Also known as a cherry angioma (plural angiomata) it is a vascular blemish where it is not possible to distinguish the individual capillaries. Dome shaped or raised with an unknown origin, they are most common on the trunk or torso, particularly on the midriff back or front in the middle-aged and elderly. Most people over 30 have at least one - even more common in men than women.

Blood spots are usually simply a spider nevus often found under the eye or on the cheeks. Our skilled highly qualified Practitioner will be able to remove them.

A Fine Needle is placed just under the skin and a small amount of electric current cauterise the dilated capillary.

This results in the capillary drying up and then disappearing. Consultation and prescription Home Care is essential.

Skin Tag Removal (known as verruca filiforms, fibroepithelial polyplpapilloma or filiform warts)

A common fibrous skin condition most frequently found on the neck and face. The tags form a single or multiple distribution being made up of loose fibrous tissue. The colour is often changed and they can be hyper pigmented making them more obvious.

Skin Tags or papillomas are derived from epithelial cells. They grow like a plum on a plum tree. They often appear with a neck like a mushroom and vary in size from a tiny speck, smaller than a grain of uncooked rice, to the size of a large pea, or larger. Viral in nature and whilst not infectious they do seem to spread on individuals. Commonly found in areas of friction such as the axillae and under the breasts.

Treatment is usually from 15 –30 minutes depending on the amount to be removed. Home treatment is prescribed.

Milia

Milia may be found anywhere on the face, such as the cheeks, eyelids, jaw, neck and forehead. They are primary lesions of acne. The cells tend to clump up or stick together making the process of follicular secretions even more difficult and this mass or impaction is known as a micro-comedone – this is the root of the acne problem!

In the beginning stages, the impaction is invisible because it is deep in the follicle. At this point it is called a micro-comedone. As the impaction grows it becomes visible and looks like a small white seed just under the skin. At this point it is called a Milia and if you stretch the skin, these are very easy to see.

Common Warts & Plane Warts (Verruca Vulgaris)

 

They are a flat or common wart with a smooth pearly epidermal elevation. A contagious viral infection that forms firm papules with a rough surface varying in size. Warts are usually found on the hands but can spread to other areas of the face and body.

Warts can develop individually or in clusters, and can spontaneously disappear. There are various types of warts, including flat (plane), raised (common) and verrucas (plantar).

They are epidermal tumours of viral origin (human papilloma virus) and all can be treated. All warts are viral except Seborrhoeic Warts which are a thickening of the skin due to ageing.

The black dot sometimes visible in a wart are the capillaries supplying blood. Flat warts occur mostly on the face, backs of hands and wrists. They may itch. Strict hygiene procedures must be followed to avoid cross infection.