Warts

What are warts?

Warts are small growths that develop on your skin, typically on your fingers and hands, because of the human papillomavirus (HPV). When these warts grow on the soles of your feet, they are referred to as plantar warts. 

Plantar warts typically appear on the weight-bearing parts of your feet after the virus enters through small cuts in your skin. You may pick up the virus if you tend to walk barefoot in public places, like gym showers or swimming pools.

You might be at increased risk for warts if you have an underlying medical condition that weakens your immune system or if you have a family history of warts.

What are the symptoms of warts?

A hallmark symptom of warts is the development of small, flesh-colored growths. If you have plantar warts, these growths will appear on the sole of your foot. You might also notice small, black dots in the growth, which are clotted blood vessels.

Plantar warts can grow large enough to cause pain and interfere with the way you walk, and you may experience discomfort when wearing shoes.

You should schedule an appointment for painful or bleeding warts and seek treatment if you notice your warts are spreading to other parts of your body.

The team at Premier Foot and Ankle Center & Elite Upper Extremity and Plastic Surgery offers diagnostic evaluations to confirm you have warts. They also customize a treatment plan to relieve your symptoms.

How are warts treated?

Not everyone with warts will need treatment. In some cases, warts disappear on their own.

If your warts are bothersome, the providers at Premier Foot and Ankle Center & Elite Upper Extremity and Plastic Surgery can recommend a topical solution to treat them. Salicylic acid helps to remove the wart layer by layer and stimulates your body to fight off the virus naturally.

Cryotherapy is another option for treating warts. During this treatment, your provider applies liquid nitrogen to the wart to destroy the tissue. Eventually, the area around your wart forms a blister, and the treated tissue falls off.

In some cases, you might need minimally invasive surgery to remove warts and prevent them from returning.

If you need treatment for painful warts, call the Premier Foot and Ankle Center & Elite Upper Extremity and Plastic Surgery office nearest you, or book an appointment online today.