Plantar wartsform on the bottom of the foot.
This part of your foot is called the plantar surface.
The growths appear on the top layer of skin called theepidermis.
Marionette / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
They are triggered by thehumanpapillomavirus(HPV).
A plantar wart can spread if you touch, scratch, or pick at it.
Sometimes, they form clusters on one or both feet.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
Plantar warts can go away suddenly after months or years.
This article will cover what causes plantar warts, how they are treated, and ways to prevent them.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Marionette / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
What Are Plantar Warts?
Plantar warts are growths on the foot that are resulting from HPV.
Several plantar warts may appear in a group.
It’s also possible to have one wart at first but more form over time.
Plantar warts have grainy, finger-like fibers with a hardened callus.
If a plantar wart is trimmed back, you’ll see some black dots.
These dots arecapillariesthat have hardened, making them bigger.
Anyone can get a plantar wart, but it is most common in children, teens, and adults.
Plantar Warts vs. Corns
Plantar warts look likecorns, but they have some key differences.
Plantar warts have a different structure than corns.
They also form in different places on the foot.
Corns are commonly found on the top surfaces of the small toes, especially over a joint.
Plantar Wart Symptoms
Plantar warts may not hurt.
Plantar warts usually grow inward because when you walk or stand, it puts pressure on them.
Warts growing inward and warts on the skin folds of the toes tend to hurt the most.
More prominent plantar warts can split open.
When the sensitive tissue underneath gets irritated, it can cause pain and bleeding.
Causes
Allwartsare sparked by HPV.
It’s the same virus that causesgenital warts.
However, HPV types 2, 4, 60, and 63 also cause plantar warts.
The HPV virus lives best on moist surfaces.
The virus is easily spread through tiny breaks in the outer part of the epidermis called thestratum corneum.
Once they’ve been infected with HPV, the skin cells begin to multiply rapidly.
As they build up, the cells form a wart.
However, a wart may not develop for several weeks or months after an infection occurs.
Not everyone exposed to HPV will get a wart.
A provider can also take a skin scraping called a shave biopsy.
The piece of tissue is sent to the lab, where it can be looked at more closely.
Treatment
Smaller growths may go away on their own without treatment.
Some warts can be treated at home with an over-the-counter (OTC) product.
Bigger or more painful warts may need medical treatment.
Even a small wart can triggerneuropathic painor lead to adiabetic foot infection.
A larger wart is less likely to go away with OTC treatments alone.
Most OTC wart treatments contain an ingredient calledsalicylic acid.
This substance is good at getting the skin to shed dead cells.
Based on the scientific evidence, it’s not clear how well this method works.
This is called debridement.
you’ve got the option to use a callus file or pumice stone to debride the skin.
Try not to be too aggressive when you are debriding.
If you’re too rough, it can cause bleeding, pain, or a boil or abscess.
Always clean your skin, hands, and any tools you use very well when you’re done.
If you have a wart that hasn’t gone away with at-home treatment, you might need a prescription.
Your provider may have you try a prescription-strength salicylic formulation to apply at home.
It’s similar to the OTC treatments, just stronger.
Your provider will write you a prescription for this medication.
The cream is typically put on twice a day.
Your provider will tell you how long you oughta use it.
The treatment can cause mild redness, peeling, and a burning sensation when you put it on.
Is 5% 5-FU Approved to Treat Warts?
It’s not approved to treat warts.
However, providers can still prescribe 5% 5-FU cream “off-label” to treat warts.
TheGardasil, Gardasil 9, andCervarixvaccines don’t target the strains of HPV that cause plantar warts.
They usually appear on the bottom of the feet and are easily spread.
You may have a single wart of a group of them.
Plantar warts may not hurt.
However, they can be painful if they’re on a sensitive part of the foot.
In some cases, they may make it hard to walk.
Plantar warts can be prevented with good foot hygiene.
2020;37:216. doi:10.11604/pamj.2020.37.216.26531
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diabetes and foot problems.
