DEAR DR. GOTT: How do you remove a family of plantar warts off the bottom of a big toe? My 10-year-old daughter has had them for a couple of years (shortly after starting gymnastics). There are about six or eight on her big toe right where it joins her foot. Please help!

DEAR READER: Since my last column about plantar warts, I have received many letters about various treatments. Many of the readers claim that over-the-counter and physician treatments offered limited success, with the warts either returning or never completely disappearing. Many also complained of the pain associated with these treatments, which is why they turned to alternative and home remedies.

By far the most common remedy I received was iodine. The wart is first pumiced to remove the layers of dead skin and then the iodine is applied.

One reader suggested Cassia bark oil applied once a day after removing the dead skin with a razor. She warned that it should be applied only to the wart because it can damage normal skin. She also recommended tea tree oil for common warts on the hands.

Another reader took one 500-milligram capsule of olive leaf extract three times a day and was wart-free in three months.

Another person reported success treating her boyfriend's plantar warts with a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar applied to the wart and secured with duct tape each night. After a few weeks the warts were gone.

A physician wrote in suggesting soaking the foot in hot water and gradually increasing the water temperature until the skin turns cherry red. He says that two or three treatments are usually successful in eradicating the virus, thus causing the wart to disappear.

A final reader, attempting to avoid surgery to remove her son's wart, was advised by a friend to use an herbal product known as Wart Wonder.

DEAR DR. GOTT: I recently read your column about the person suffering from plantar warts. My son had a number these (large and small) a few years ago. I took him to a dermatologist, who looked at his foot and told us to use over-the-counter Duofilm. He said to apply the product twice a day, and every three days either scrape or pumice the wart and start the process over again. A month later, I took my son back, and the doctor declared the process was working and to keep at it. He then proceeded to charge us $80 for the five-minute visit. The doctor didn't even do anything! I would like to say — save your money, folks, and do the removal yourself.

DEAR READER: Unfortunately, this situation is becoming more and more common. As you saw in my last column and in the above letter, many readers are frequently dissatisfied with the care they get from a doctor for common and plantar warts, not to mention how painful some of the procedures can be.

Remember, readers, that warts are caused by a virus and are commonly acquired by touching other warts (such as those on the hands), or by being barefoot in public showers or pool areas. Simple precautions such as hand sanitizers, wearing flips flops or water shoes, and using warm soap and water can help prevent outbreaks.