Dr Michel Canesi

Plantar warts are common amongst dancers and must be attended to quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, foot statics must be affected as little as possible by the treatment, so that dancing is not hampered.
What is a verruca?
A plantar wart is a benign, viral infection localised in the most superficial layers of the epidermis. Contact causes contamination; cutaneous micro-trauma facilitates the penetration of the virus into the skin. The infected cells, then, have no option but to use the cellular metabolism to the benefit of the virus. Verruca(e) are formed by the multiplication of infected cells which eventually become visible to the naked eye. The viral mass can become painful and make ballet dancing difficult as it grows in size. Fig 1, Fig 2, Fig 3.
Treatment of verrucae amongst dancers:
There are, as a rule, several ways of treating verrucae; these include: liquid nitrogen, Laser treatment, surgery and salicylic preparations.
Mild local treatments are by far the best where dancers are concerned; surgery and laser treatment involve long periods of immobilisation and there is no guarantee of complete success. Salicylic preparations are preferable; the most efficient formula being:
-Salicylic acid-----------------5 g
-Lactic acid-------------------5 g
-Codex collodion--------10 g
The preparation should be applied every evening, following thorough washing and assurance that the surrounding skin has been protected by an isolating varnish. The product is more effective if, once the salicylic preparation has been applied, the verruca is covered with a protecting varnish. Fig 4.
A corn file must be used on the verruca every two or three days.
Liquid nitrogen can be used, providing that the lesions are not too big. Fig.1 shows an example of a verruca that could not be treated with nitrogen.
Fig 2, on the other hand, shows verrucae that can be treated with nitrogen, but several applications, coupled with salicylic preparations, will most certainly be necessary.
It is, in any event, imperative to see a doctor before the verrucae get to be as big as those shown in Fig.3