Home > Foot Problems > Plantar Warts
* Explanation * Symptoms * Treatment * Duration * Call a Professional * Prognosis
Warts are small, noncancerous skin growths caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which infects the most superficial skin layer, the epithelium. There are over 40 different types of HPV. It can be transmitted from one location to another in the same person, as well as between people, through direct or indirect physical contact. HPV has an easier time infecting the epithelium when the skin is scratched or cut, and it frequently is transmitted from one person to the next by walking barefoot in public places such as gyms and shower floors.
Warts can appear at any age but are more common in older children and uncommon in the elderly. A wart's appearance varies with its location and the type of HPV virus that has caused it. For example, flat warts commonly crop up on the face, neck, chest, forearms, and legs of children. Most warts simply go away after a year or two, but some persist for years or recur. Several varieties of warts are outlined below.
Warts can itch or bleed and may become infected with bacteria or fungus. When warts are located in areas that are frequently bumped or rubbed against clothing they may become irritated, and the skin around them may become painful.
The two most prevalent types of warts are common warts (there are several variants of these), and on the feet - plantar warts.
Common warts have a rough surface and well-defined borders. They are round or irregular in shape and range from about two to 10 millimeters in diameter. Common warts are firm to the touch and may be light gray, yellow, brown, or gray-clack in color. They occur most often near the fingernails and on the backs of the hands, but they may also appear on the elbows and knees. They are usually painless.
Plantar warts appear on the sole of the foot. They are flattened by the pressure of standing on them and may be studded with tiny, clotted blood vessels that look like dark pinpoints. Plantar warts are often quite painful, particularly when they're on the weight-bearing part of the foot. Corns can be distinguished from plantar warts if they lack the pinpointed dark spots. Plantar warts can be particularly persistent and may require vigorous, repeated treatment.
Mosaic warts appear on the feet. They are formed by many small, closely set plantar warts.
Other types of warts are less common. Warts usually are diagnosed on the basis of their location and appearance, but they also can be diagnosed with microscopic analysis of the wart tissue.
Treatment depends on the location of the wart, its type and extent, the patient's age and immune status, and the patient's willingness to follow through with repeated treatments. Typically 3 to 6 visits are required to ensure the warts are successfully removed.
A doctor may remove a wart by freezing it with liquid nitrogen, by using laser vaporization, or by surgically removing it in a procedure called curettage and electrodessication. Other treatments include carbon dioxide and various acids. Over-the-counter liquids and patches containing salicylic acid are widely available, but these preparations should not be used on the face or sensitive areas.
Most warts disappear within a year or two, even if they are not treated. However many patients opt for treatment because of minor to severe pain, or for cosmetic reasons. If left untreated plantar warts can grow to become quite severe and painful if they are located on a weight bearing surface. The fastest method of removal by freezing or surgery can result in a cure within a few weeks. The slower methods of treatment with liquids etc can take up to 3 months to remove the warts.
Call a professional to rule out skin cancer if you have a wart that looks suspicious, particularly if you have a weakened immune system. Warts that bleed or look infected also may need attention. Seek help if your wart causes pain, spreads readily to other areas of the body, recurs, or if the location of the wart causes social or emotional discomfort.
Warts usually disappear within a year or two and are little more than an inconvenience. But because they constantly shed virus particles into the local area, they are contagious and may cause new warts to surface nearby. In some people they are a chronic, recurring problem, and in some instances they can become malignant.