How to Get Rid of Plantar Warts Without Surgery

Plantar warts grow on the feet and can cause pain when they're located at a pressure point. If they hurt and are making it difficult for you to walk, you may need to get rid of them. Surgery is one option, but there are several other treatments that can get rid of plantar warts without any cutting. Most plantar warts will respond to one of these treatments and disappear, although it can take several weeks to completely get rid of the wart.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit a podiatrist for cryotherapy. According to the Podiatry Channel, this treatment gets rid of a plantar wart by freezing it with an extremely cold compound like sodium nitride. This is usually one of the fastest ways to get rid of plantar warts. Most warts will darken and fall off a few days after the treatment. You can purchase home freezing kits for plantar warts, but the Mayo Clinic says they are not as powerful as the cryotherapy used by doctors.

• 2

  Ask your doctor about acid treatment if the cryotherapy is not effective. The Podiatry Channel says that freezing may be unsuccessful if the compound doesn't penetrate deeply enough to completely destroy the wart. The doctor may recommend salicylic acid, cantharidin or dichloroacetic acid to get rid of the plantar wart.

• 3

  Return to the doctor's office as long as necessary to get rid of your plantar warts. According to the Podiatry Channel, acid treatment often takes several weeks to completely destroy the warts. Over time, the acid will disintegrate the wart's cells, which will be replaced with new, healthy skin.

• 4

  Follow your doctor's orders for home care in between acid treatments. She may have you soak the wart and file it down with a pumice stone or emery board to help remove old, dead tissue. The Mayo Clinic warns that you should not use the pumice or emery board for any other purpose or you could spread the warts.