What are plantar warts?
Warts are a common condition that causes small growths to develop on your skin. Most people get at least one wart at some point in their lives.
Plantar warts refer specifically to warts that form on the bottoms of your feet. Anyone can develop plantar warts, but they’re especially common in children and teenagers.
The most common locations for plantar warts to grow are at the base of the toes, forefoot, or heel. However, a plantar wart can grow anywhere on the sole of your foot.
There are many over-the-counter treatments for warts, but those that become painful or persist despite home remedies can benefit from professional wart treatment at Foot and Ankle Center for the Rockies Specialists.
What are the symptoms of a plantar wart?
Plantar warts typically appear as small, grainy growths or lesions on the bottom of your foot. Common plantar warts symptoms include:
- Thickened or callused skin that covers a defined spot where the wart has grown inward
- Black pinpoints (clotted blood vessels) in the center of the wart
- Pain or tenderness while standing or walking
Warts can spread to other areas of the foot, creating a cluster that may look like a “parent” wart had “babies.”
How do you get plantar warts?
Plantar warts occur when the human papillomavirus (HPV) enters your body through small tears in the skin on the bottom of your foot. The HPV strains that cause plantar warts aren’t highly contagious, so touching a wart doesn’t necessarily mean you develop warts. However, you should wash your hands thoroughly after touching a wart, including your own.
HPV thrives in warm, moist places, such as swimming pools or locker rooms. Even if you don’t see a cut on the bottom of your foot, walking around barefoot in these places increases your risk of infection. Keeping your feet clean and dry may reduce your risk of getting warts.
How do you treat plantar warts?
First, a podiatrist examines your feet and reviews your medical history. Then, they will recommend the best wart treatment for your particular condition. This may include:
- Topical acid treatment
- Oral medications
- Laser therapy
- Freezing the wart (cryotherapy)
- Surgery to remove the wart
If you or a loved one suffers from warts, call the office to schedule an appointment.
