Plantar Warts
TREATMENT OPTIONS
What are Plantar Warts?
Warts are one of a number of soft tissue conditions of the foot that can
be quite painful. They are caused by a virus, which invades the skin
through small or invisible cuts and abrasions. They can appear anywhere
on the skin, but only those on the bottom of the foot are called plantar
warts.
Children, especially teenagers, tend to be more susceptible to warts
than adults; some people are immune to warts.
Identification of Warts
Most warts are harmless, even though they cause pain. They are easily
mistaken for calluses—which are layers of dead skin that build up in
areas that are being irritated by excessive pressure or friction. Warts,
however, are a viral infection.
It is also possible for a wart to be mistaken for more serious lesions,
including malignant lesions. These problems are very rare, but is wise
to consult a podiatric physician when any suspicious growth or is noted
on the skin of the foot in order to ensure a proper diagnosis.
Plantar warts tend to be flat and hard, with a rough surface and
well-defined boundaries; warts are generally raised and fleshier when
they appear on the top of the foot or on the toes. Plantar warts are
often gray or brown (but the color may vary), with a center that appears
as one or more pinpoints of black. Warts can be frustrating in that they
are often very resistant to treatment and have a propensity to reoccur.
Figure 1: Wart - central black dots,
blood vessels, called rete pegs.
Source of the Wart Virus
The plantar wart is often contracted by walking barefoot on ground where
the virus is hiding. The virus lives best in moist, warm environments,
making infection a common occurrence in places such as gyms.
If left untreated, warts can grow to more than an inch and can spread
into clusters. Like any other infectious lesion, plantar warts are
spread by scratching, touching, or even by contact with skin shed from
another wart. The wart may also bleed, another route for spreading.
Occasionally, warts will simply disappear, and, just as frequently, they
can recur in the same location.
The pain from a wart is caused by increased pressure on weight bearing
areas – such as the heel or the ball of the foot.
Prevention Tips
- Avoid going barefoot, except on sandy beaches.
- Change your socks and shoes daily.
- Keep your feet clean and dry.
- Check kid’s feet for lesions.
- Avoid direct contact with warts—from other persons or from other parts
of the body.
- Visit your podiatrist as part of your annual health checkup.
Self Treatment
We advise against self treatment of warts. Over-the-counter medications
contain acids or chemicals that destroy skin cells, and it takes an
expert to destroy abnormal cells (warts) without also destroying healthy
tissue in the surrounding area. Self treatment with such medications
should always be avoided by people with diabetes and those with
cardiovascular or circulatory disorders. Never use them in the presence
of an active infection.
Professional Treatment
We have a number of treatments available for warts and because they can
be resistant to treatment we review the literature regularly for
articles pertaining to better wart treatments. If only a few warts are
present, removal of warts by a simple surgical procedure, performed
under local anesthetic, may be indicated. If there are many warts, then
a combination of topical and oral medications will likely be used first.
On your first visit we will evaluate your foot to determine if the
lesion on your foot is a wart and we will discuss various treatments
with you – including the advantages and disadvantages of each. If
surgical removal is indicated, we will make you an appointment to return
soon to have that done. An complete evaluation is necessary before
surgical excision can be scheduled, so we usually cannot remove the
warts on your first visit. To get started on treating your warts
contact us today to make an appointment in our Seattle office.
Tips for Individuals with Warts
- Avoid self treatment with over-the-counter preparations.
- Seek professional podiatric evaluation and assistance with the
treatment of your warts.
- Diabetics and other patients with circulatory, immunological, or
neurological problems should be especially careful with the treatment of
their warts.
- Warts may spread and are catching. Make sure you have your warts
evaluated to protect yourself and those close to you.
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All pages on this website © 2005-2010
Douglas Hale, DPM & Lawrence Huppin, DPM
Foot and Ankle Center of Washington, Seattle
The material provided on this web site is for informative purposes only.
If you need specific medical advice, please contact the office for an appointment.
