Plantar Warts – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Plantar Warts  
They are referred to as a viral skin condition caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). It often occurs at the bottom side of the feet or toes. They are also classified as benign epithelial tumors. It is essential to understand that it does not pose a serious health concern, and usually subside without treatment if you are healthy and have an active lifestyle.    

Causes of Plantar Warts 
The virus is responsible for this condition and usually spreads direct and indirect contact from a person infected. The virus attacks the weakened and compromised skin of a host by direct contact. Tiny cuts and abrasions in our outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) are susceptible and defenseless to the HPV virus. Warts are also spread by the autoinoculation’s process, which means that the virus also infects nearby skin and walking surfaces.  

Symptoms of Plantar Warts 
Symptoms of the HPV Plantar warts are seen after several weeks of contact; this is because the virus is pushed inward deeper into the skin with the pressure of walking, and a layer of skin is developed around the infected zone.   
In the beginning, their color is typically similar to that of the skin color. After some time, small dots begin to appear on the skin; these dots start to hurt when walking or standing.  
The most common symptoms associated with this condition are: 

• Pain and tenderness when walking or standing. 
• Small, rough, fleshy, grainy growth on the bottom surface of your foot, most commonly at the base of the toes or the heel. 
• The skin feels hard with thickened callus formation around the well-defined spot, where the wart has grown inward. 
• Black spots formed as a result of clotted blood vessels. 
• Lesions that interrupt the normal ridges and lines of your foot’s skin. 

 

Prevention from Plantar Warts   
To prevent this condition, it is recommended to avoid direct contact with surfaces that might have been contaminated with the HPV virus.   

• Avoid direct contact with the floor of gym showers; instead, use your flip flops. 
• Do not share towels. 
• Do not share shoes or socks. 

 

Treatment of Plantar Warts 
The cure for this condition includes over-the-counter medications and conservative home remedies. It may, however, return later even after repeated treatments.  

If conservative treatments do not work and warts keep on returning, then the following options are available.  

• Your doctor may prescribe a particular wart medication with salicylic acid. These special medications work by removing layers of the wart at every application. 
• Freezing plantar warts is also known as cryotherapy, and it involves the use of liquid nitrogen. The chemical causes the creation of a blister around the wart and falls off in a week or two. Your doctor may need you to make repeat visits at the clinic for repeated cryotherapy to ensure complete removal. 
• In laser technology, the affected area is burned with the beam, causing the tissues to die and eventually fall off. 

 

Call us today to schedule an appointment at CMW with one of the experienced orthopedic specialists.