Plantar Warts
What causes warts on your feet?
How should you treat plantar warts?
Warts on the bottom of feet (known as plantar warts) are quite common and something we are very experienced at treating. While plantar warts don’t usually lead to serious complications, they don’t always get better on their own, and if they do, it can take as long as two years for them to disappear!
Read on to learn more about plantar warts, what causes them, how you can prevent them and how we can help get rid of them for you.
What are plantar warts?
Warts can appear anywhere on your body. The ones that grow on the soles of your feet are called plantar warts. These are slightly different to other warts because they grow into your skin, not out of it. All warts, including plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are over 100 types of HPV that can cause warts and once you contract the virus, it will remain in your system for life — even if you don’t have any visible warts.
Plantar warts usually grow on the weight-bearing areas of the foot. They can form as a single wart or in clusters, which are also known as mosaic warts.
signs and symptoms of plantar warts?
Plantar warts look different to other warts. Typical signs and symptoms include:
- A small rough, fleshy growth (called a lesion) on the bottom of your foot, usually on the heel, forefoot or base of the toe
- Black ‘dots’ or pinholes in the middle of the lesion
- Hard, thickened skin (called a callous) over these black dots
- Pain or tenderness when you bear weight on the area, or feeling like there is a stone or pebble in your foot.
What causes plantar warts?
Plantar warts on your foot are caused by HPV. Warts can occur when the virus enters your body through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin under your feet. The virus can be transmitted via direct contact with someone else who has the virus, or you can contract it if you share floors, showers or baths, or shoes and socks with someone who has the virus.
The good news is that the strains of HPV that cause plantar warts aren’t highly contagious and everyone’s immune system responds differently to the virus. If you come into contact with the virus, you may not develop warts, even if someone close to you has them.
Who is at risk of developing plantar warts?
These foot warts can affect anyone, however they are more common in children and teenagers, as it’s thought their immune systems are still developing. Other people at higher risk include:
people with lowered immune systems
those who have had plantar warts before
people who walk barefoot in communal areas such as swimming pools, showers and locker rooms.
Complications of plantar warts
Complications of plantar warts aren’t usually serious. However, if you have pain in your foot, it’s very likely that you’ll alter your posture or gait (the way you walk) to accommodate this discomfort. Over time, this can cause other complications and pain in your muscles and joints which may need treatment.
Remember, if you notice something unusual like a growth or changes in the skin on your feet, don’t ignore it. We can effectively diagnose and treat plantar warts and get you back on your (two) feet without too much fuss!
Treatment for plantar warts
Most plantar warts do go away by themselves, although it can take as long as a year or two. However, if you want to get rid of them quicker, there are a number of plantar wart treatments.
home treatment
Home treatments are advised with caution as many over the counter wart treatments contain acid or chemicals that can be harmful to skin. Patients with diabetes, heart disease or circulation disorders should avoid using any treatments
- Do nothing if asymptomatic. 65% of warts resolve in two years, however some warts can enlarge or spread.
- Freezing sprays applied to the wart may help get rid of them. This works by creating a ‘blister’ that sticks to the wart. Once the blister heels, the wart disappears too. In some cases, you may have to repeat this process several times for as long as six weeks.
- Wart removal products from the pharmacy that contain salicylic acid. These work by removing dead skins cells which help shed the skin around the wart, until it clears up completely. This method requires you to apply the product twice a day, every day and it can take several weeks for the wart to go away. Make sure to apply to wart area and not to apply if there is an active bacterial infection.
- Duct tape may be used to gradually get rid of plantar warts. This approach involves sticking a small piece of duct tape over the area and changing the tape a couple of times a day. The theory is that the tape can help ‘peel away’ the layers of warts until they disappear.
- Zinc Sulphate tablets, one to two tablets taken daily for 2 months.
Podiatry treatment
We recommend making an appointment to see us if your lesion is bleeding, painful and interferes with daily activity, or hasn’t responded to home treatment. You should also visit us if you have diabetes or a compromised immune system, or if you’re unsure of what the lesion is.
Podiatry treatment can be very effective in treating plantar warts. The types of treatment available include:
- Shaving the surface of the wart and applying a higher concentrated salicylic acid. This is the gold standard treatment for warts. It is safe and easy to apply.
- Cryotherapy (freezing treatment), similar to the freezing sprays, however we apply liquid nitrogen to the wart. This causes a blister to form around the wart with the dead tissue coming away within a week or so. This can be painful, so we numb the area first. A benefit of this treatment is that it can also stimulate your immune system to fight the warts. Cryotherapy and salicylic acid may sometimes be used in combination.
- Specialised prescription topical treatments can be prescribed by GP and applied by a Podiatrist. An example is Cantharidin which causes an immune response through blistering.
- Photodynamic therapy (PACT) with the use of a compounded cream.
- Swift Microwave Therapy has an efficacy rate of 83%. Microwave therapy works by selectively targeting and heating the wart tissue which ultimately destroys it.
swift microwave therapy
The Foot Hub offers Swift Microwave Therapy, a simple and effective treatment for plantar warts. Swift has an 83 percent success rate, higher than any other form of plantar wart treatment.
How to prevent plantar warts
Keep your feet clean and dry, and change your shoes and socks each day
Wear footwear in areas where you are likely to contract the virus, such as swimming pools, communal showers and locker rooms
Avoid direct contact with warts, including your own. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching them.
Avoid picking and scratching your warts
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Swift microwave therapy is an effective treatment for plantar warts. Discover effective microwave therapy for plantar warts