Warts are small growths on the skin caused by a viral infection. They can develop anywhere on the foot but most frequently appear on the bottom, or plantar side. Plantar warts are common mostly among children, adolescents, and elderly people, though a person of any age can develop warts.
Plantar warts occur in two types. A solitary wart is just one wart that may grow and eventually multiply into ‘satellite’ warts. Mosaic warts are several smaller warts clustered together in a single area of the foot and are more difficult to treat.
CAUSES
Direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV), the same virus that leads to warts on other areas of the human body, causes plantar warts as well.
SYMPTOMS
Thickened skin, much like a callus that is tough and thick, is a definite sign of plantar wart development. When walking or standing, pain may be caused as the pressure of holding your weight pushes on the wart. Squeezing the sides of the growth may also be painful. Also, small black dots may appear on the top of the wart, which are actually drops of dried blood in the capillaries beneath the top layer of skin. Because plantar warts are slow growing but dig deep into the skin, they tend to start small and grow over time.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
At Premier Foot and Ankle, our podiatrists frequently diagnose and treat plantar warts. The doctor will examine the foot for any signs and symptoms of plantar warts. Though they may eventually clear without treatment, patients tend to want quicker relief from the symptoms of plantar warts. The goal of treatment by our podiatrists is to completely remove the wart or warts.
Topical and oral treatments are common resolutions to the problems associated with plantar warts, as are laser therapy, cryotherapy (the freezing of the wart for removal), acid treatment, and surgical removal of the affected area. Whatever treatment is deemed the best option for your plantar warts, it is essential to your health that all doctor’s orders are followed, including taking the proper medications and engaging in home care. Follow-up with our podiatrists after treatment is necessary as well, as warts may return and require further treatment.
If a patient doesn’t respond to the treatment prescribed, other methods may be explored, with additional diagnostic evaluation performed. In some cases, a biopsy of the plantar wart may be desired by the podiatrist to rule out other potential causes of growth. Patients should never try to remove warts on their own and should seek a specialist’s assistance in treatment, as folk remedies and attempted self-removal can lead to additional complications rather than relief.
