What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are rough, bumpy growths that develop on the bottoms of your feet. They most often appear on the weight-bearing areas of your foot, like the heel and near your toes. Pressure from bearing weight may cause a plantar wart to develop beneath a hard layer of thickened skin, known as a callus.
What are the signs and symptoms of plantar warts?
Plantar warts can cause foot pain that may range from mild to extreme. Tenderness while walking may be the first symptom you notice.
When the wart is fully formed, you see a round, flesh-colored growth on the bottom of your foot. Some plantar warts have black pinpoints that are actually clotted blood vessels.
If the wart has grown inward, it may appear as a callus with a well-defined spot in the middle.
What causes plantar warts?
A human papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes plantar warts. The virus can enter your body through small breaks in the skin on the bottom of your feet.
There are more than 100 types of HPV, but only a few of them lead to plantar warts. The virus strains that cause plantar warts aren't highly contagious. Additionally, not everyone who comes into contact with HPV gets warts. Everyone's immune system responds to the virus differently.
The strains of HPV that cause plantar warts thrive in warm, damp places like locker rooms and swimming pools. Keeping your feet covered while walking in these places can help prevent plantar warts.
How are plantar warts treated?
Plantar warts usually go away on their own at some point. If plantar warts are painful or bothersome, you may want to try self-care measures like over-the-counter wart medications that contain salicylic acid. Don't pick at, shave, or trim the wart.
If self-care treatments don't help, call New Age Foot & Ankle Surgery. Their expert team examines your wart and recommends the best approach to treatment. Depending on your particular situation, treatment for plantar warts may include:
- Prescription-strength wart medication
- Freezing the wart (cryotherapy)
- Laser therapy
- Minor surgery to cut out the wart
Plantar warts can be stubborn, so you may need to try a few treatments before finding an effective method.
For professional treatment of plantar warts, call New Age Foot & Ankle Surgery today or request an appointment online.
