Plantars Warts
Foot & Ankle Care of Colorado
A plantar wart is a small, benign skin growth caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) that typically develops on the sole or underside (plantar surface) of the foot. These warts often appear as rough, grainy growths with a hardened center and can be painful when walking or standing, especially if they press on a nerve. Plantar warts are common in children, adolescents, and older adults, and they are usually contracted from walking barefoot in public places where the virus thrives. Treatment options include over-the-counter medications like salicylic acid, cryotherapy (freezing), laser treatment, or in more severe cases, surgical removal.
There are two types of Plantar Warts
- Solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional satellite warts.
- Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one area. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts.
Causes of Plantars Warts
Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body.
Plantars Warts Symptoms
The symptoms of a plantar wart may include:
- Thickened skin. A plantar wart often resembles a callus because of its tough, thick tissue.
- Pain. Walking and standing may be painful. Squeezing the sides of the wart may also cause pain.
- Tiny black dots. These often appear on the surface of the wart. The dots are actually dried blood contained in the capillaries (tiny blood vessels). Plantar warts grow deep into the skin. Usually, this growth occurs slowly with the wart starting small and becoming larger over time.
Plantars Warts Diagnoses
To diagnose a plantar wart, the foot and ankle surgeon will examine the patient’s foot and look for signs and symptoms of a wart.
Although plantar warts may eventually clear up on their own, most patients desire faster relief. The goal of treatment is to completely remove the wart.
The foot and ankle surgeon may use topical or oral treatments, laser therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), acid treatments or surgery to remove the wart.
Regardless of the treatment approaches undertaken, it is important that the patient follow the surgeon’s instructions, including all home care and medication that has been prescribed, as well as follow-up visits with the surgeon. Warts may return, requiring further treatment.
If there is no response to treatment, further diagnostic evaluation may be necessary. In such cases, the surgeon can perform a biopsy to rule out other potential causes for the growth.
Although many folk remedies for warts exist, patients should be aware that these remain unproven and may be dangerous. Patients should never try to remove warts themselves. This can do more harm than good.
