Plantar warts

What are they?

A plantar wart is caused by a common virus called HPV (human papillomavirus). The virus gets into the skin through tiny cuts or cracks. It likes warm, damp places, like pool decks, gym showers, and locker rooms.

Because you walk on them, plantar warts are often pushed flat into the skin. A hard layer of skin may grow over them, so they can look like a callus.

Signs to watch for

• A rough, grainy bump on the bottom of the foot
• Tiny black dots in the bump (these are small blood vessels)
• Pain when the spot is squeezed from the sides
• Lines of the skin that go around the spot instead of through it
• Small warts grouped together in a patch

A callus usually hurts more when you press straight down on it. A wart often hurts more when you pinch it.

Care at home

• Wear shower shoes or sandals in public showers and pool areas
• Do not pick at or scratch a wart, since this can spread it
• Keep your feet clean and dry, and change damp socks
• Do not share towels, socks, or shoes

Treatment options

Dr. Nafal will first make sure the spot is a wart and not something else. Then he will go over your choices in plain words.

• Prescription-strength medicine put on the skin (topical treatment)
• Freezing the wart (cryotherapy)
• Other treatments done in the office, based on your needs

Warts can be stubborn. It may take several visits for a wart to go away, and some warts come back.

Common questions

Are plantar warts contagious?

Yes, they can spread to other parts of your foot or to other people. Covering the wart and wearing shower shoes in shared spaces can help.

Will a wart go away on its own?

Some do, but it can take a long time. If a wart hurts, spreads, or keeps growing, it is a good idea to have it treated.