Huge Wart, Not going away and more growing

[Z.Lander]

My husband has had a huge planter wart for more than five years now that is larger than a quarter on the bottom of his foot. It is filled with those black dots and growing. In the past two years four more have grown, on the bottom of toes and bottom of foot, to sizes larger than a pencil eraser. I noticed you advise other people to leave the warts alone and they will go away by themselves, but these are growing so fast and so big that they really concern us!

He has had the large wart injected with the liquid nitrogen and said it was very painful and does not want to do it again. Is there any other new way? He uses wart removal topical treatment regularly and still no luck.Under what circumstances do warts get cancerous?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

You don't need to worry about cancer.



If warts are big and obtrusive, they should be treated.  My preference is for a series of liquid nitrogen sessions.  They aren't pleasant, but most people tolerate them just fine, and they're much easier to deal with than aggressive surgery or laser. Perhaps you husband should reconsider.



Best.



Dr. Rockoff