Plantar warts
Alternative Names
Plantar wartsWhat is Plantar warts
A person with plantar warts has noncancerous skin growths on the soles of the feet caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) which enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks or other vulnerable sites on the skin of your feet.
Plantar warts often develop beneath pressure points in your feet, such as the heels or balls of your feet. This pressure also may cause a plantar wart to grow inward beneath a hard, thick layer of skin (callus).
Signs and symptoms
People with plantar warts have skin lumps or bumps on the sole of the foot. The surface of the lump may look like the surface of a cauliflower and a callus of skin usually forms around the lump. Plantar warts may be gray or brown with a dark center. Additional symptoms include foot tenderness, or foot pain that interferes with walking.
Possible complications
Plantar warts can cause the following complications:
- Bleeding from the wart
- Foot skin abscess
- Scarring of the skin
What causes
The exact cause of this condition is an infection with the human papillomaviruses (HPV). Infection occurs when the virus enters the skin through a crack in the skin and then the wart forms slowly, over weeks to months.
Prevention
There are some tips how to prevent plantar warts:
- Avoid direct contact with warts. This includes your own warts
- Keep your feet clean and dry. Change your shoes and socks daily
- Do not go barefoot in public areas. Wear sandals or flip-flops in public pools and locker rooms
- Do not pick at warts. Picking may spread the virus
- Do not use the same file, pumice stone or nail clipper on your warts as you use on your healthy skin and nails
- Wash your hands carefully after touching your warts
Treatment
Plantar warts can be treated by:
- Bandages such as Duofilm, Dr. Scholl's Clear Away and Duct tape
- Topical medication such as Salicylic acid, Cantharidin (Verr-Canth)
- Surgery
- Cryotherapy
