What is a Plantar Wart?

A plantar wart is a specific type of growth that emerges on the soles of feet, a direct result of the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. These warts are distinguished by their location on the foot, often developing within pressure points like the heels or balls of the feet. Unlike other warts, plantar warts grow inward sometimes causing painful skin to step on a pebble.

Why do Plantar Warts Form?

Plantar warts originate from certain strains of the HPV virus which thrive in certain environments and they easily infect the skin through cuts or breaks. Not all HPV strains cause plantar warts, only specific subtypes are known to affect the foot’s skin. The body’s response to this viral invasion manifests as the wart, a protective measure that sometimes backfires by causing discomfort or pain.

What Causes Plantar Warts? 

1. Direct HPV Exposure: The primary trigger for a plantar wart is direct contact with HPV. This virus can be picked up in communal areas where barefoot traffic is common such as locker rooms and poolside leading to infection when it enters through small abrasions in the skin.
2. Moist Environments: HPV particularly thrives in damp and warm settings, creating ideal conditions for the virus to spread. People who spend a lot of time in such environments are at a higher risk of developing plantar warts, as the moisture helps the virus to maintain its infectious nature.
3. Skin Damage: Any minor skin damage or imperfection provides an entry point for HPV, facilitating the development of plantar warts. Activities that stress the feet or cause skin breaks like intense walking or running can inadvertently increase the susceptibility to wart formation.

What are the Symptoms of Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts signs and symptoms are:

1. A tiny, rough growth on the bottom of the foot, typically at the base of the toes, on the ball of the foot or on the heel.
2. The growth may be paler on brown and black skin than on unaffected skin.
3. A wart that has turned inward over a skin area is covered by a hard, thickened layer of skin (callus).
4. Small occluded blood vessels in the form of black pinpoints, often known as wart seeds.
5. Walking or standing can cause pain or soreness.

Who is Most Likely to Get Plantar Warts?

While anyone can develop plantar warts, certain individuals are more prone to them. Young people particularly those in their teens or adolescence, frequently encounter these warts due to their active lifestyles and increased exposure to communal areas such as pools and locker rooms. Individuals with compromised immune systems also face a higher risk as their bodies may struggle more to fend off the HPV strains responsible for plantar warts. Lastly, those who have had plantar warts previously might see them reappear suggesting a personal susceptibility to the virus.

Are Plantar Warts Contagious?

Plantar warts are contagious. They spread from direct contact with HPV, through either skin-to-skin contact or sharing items such as shoes, socks and towels. If you have a plantar wart, you can infect yourself by touching the plantar wart with another part of your body.

HPV can also spread through infected surfaces, especially if they’re warm or wet. It’s a good idea to wear shoes or flip-flops at the gym, public pool, sauna, steam room or other public places.

How Can You Prevent Plantar Warts?

A plantar wart can be very inconvenient for your daily life. So you should learn how to prevent warts in the first place. The following tips may help you prevent getting warts:

1. Avoid walking barefoot in common areas like swimming pools, locker rooms, or dorms.
2. If you are younger than 26 years old, ask your healthcare professional about receiving the HPV vaccine. 
3. Wear clean socks and shoes as often as possible.
4. Try to keep your feet clean and dry.
5. Avoid direct contact with those who already have warts.
6. Wash your hands often.
7. Use separate towels and nail clippers for each person in the household.
8. Use comfortable shoes.
9. Avoid sharing shoes, socks, or towels with another person.
10. Notify your doctor or a podiatrist if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system.

If you already have a wart:

1. Change your shoes and socks frequently, and clean them properly.
2. Cover the wart and wash your hands frequently as you can spread it to other parts of your body and to other people.
3. Do not pick or scrape the warts. It will only worsen the condition and make it last longer.

How Can You Treat Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts often go away on their own after one to two years, after your immune system fights off the virus. However, because plantar warts can spread cause pain and make you feel self-conscious, your healthcare provider may recommend treatment. Plantar wart treatment options include:

1. Cryotherapy: Your healthcare provider applies extreme cold to freeze and destroy the plantar wart. To create a severe cold, your healthcare provider will use a substance like liquid nitrogen or argon gas.
2. Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy helps your immune system fight HPV. This process involves a topical chemical, such as diphencyprone (DCP). DCP causes a mild allergic reaction that makes the plantar wart go away.
3. Laser treatment: Your healthcare provider uses laser light to heat and destroy the tiny blood vessels inside your plantar wart. The treatment cuts off the blood supply which kills the plantar wart.
4. Electrocautery: Your healthcare provider uses an electric current to burn your plantar warts off.
5. Topical medicine: Your healthcare provider applies a liquid medicine that contains the chemical cantharidin. A blister forms under the plantar wart that cuts off the blood supply. Your healthcare provider will remove the dead plantar wart about a week later.
6. Surgery: Your healthcare provider will numb the area with a local anesthetic. Then, they’ll use a sharp surgical knife (scalpel) to cut around the wart and a small scoop (curette) to scoop it out or tweezers to pull it out.
7. Vaccine. HPV vaccine has been used with success to treat warts even though this vaccine is not specifically targeted toward the wart viruses that cause plantar warts.

Home Treatment Options

Yes, there are home remedies for plantar warts. They include:

1. Salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a common home treatment option for plantar warts. It involves applying a medication to the wart that causes it to blister and peel off. This is a relatively effective treatment and it does not cause any pain or scarring.
2. Duct tape. One of the most popular home remedies is duct tape. Duct tape works by creating a barrier between the wart and the environment. It also removes moisture from the wart, which can help to kill the virus.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar. Another popular home treatment option is apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid which can help to kill the virus that causes plantar warts. 
4. Tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is also a popular home treatment option for plantar warts. It contains antibacterial and antiviral properties which can help to kill the virus that causes plantar warts.
5. Iodine. Iodine is another home treatment. It contains antibacterial and antiviral properties which can help to kill the virus that causes plantar warts. 

If You Have Any Plantar Warts, Get Them Treated by a Professional

Plantar warts may not be the most dangerous foot problem you can have, but there’s a reason they’re so common and spread so easily. The logic for getting your warts treated as soon as possible is simple: the longer you have a wart, the more time it has to spread. Getting rid of them now is as much a preventative care option as an active care option. Warts can take months or years to disappear on their own, and home care methods tend to have very low success rates. That’s why we usually recommend you skip straight to professional care. We have several different treatment options for plantar warts and can help you select one that is the best fit for your condition and your lifestyle.

Our clinic offers a more convenient and accessible alternative to lengthy hospital waiting lists for patients who need assistance with their feet. Our expert professional podiatrist will recommend the best treatment options for you according to your condition and personal needs. You can contact us today or set an appointment online. You may reach us in Bethesda Maryland to schedule an appointment. 

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