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A 15-year-old boy presents with painful growths on his right heel for approximately 6 months (Figure 134-1). It is painful to walk on and he would like it treated. He was diagnosed with multiple large plantar warts called mosaic warts. The lesions were treated with gentle paring with a #15 blade scalpel and liquid nitrogen therapy over a number of sessions. He and his mom were instructed on how to use salicylic acid plasters on the remaining warts.
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Plantar warts (verruca plantaris) are human papilloma virus (HPV) lesions that occur on the soles of the feet (Figures 134-1, 134-2, 134-3, 134-4, and 134-5) and palms of the hands (Figure 134-6).
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Palmoplantar warts, myrmecia.
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- Plantar warts affect mostly adolescents and young adults, affecting up to 10% of people in these age groups.1
- Prevalence studies demonstrate a wide range of values, from 0.84% in the United States2 to 3.3% to 4.7% in the United Kingdom,3 to 24% in 16- to 18-year-olds in Australia.4
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- Plantar warts are caused by HPV.
- They usually occur at points of maximum pressure, such as on the heels (Figures 134-1, 134-2, 134-3, and 134-4) or over the heads of the metatarsal bones (Figure 134-5), but may appear anywhere on the plantar surface including the tips ...