Identifying unusual bumps and sores on your feet is a primary tenet of quality foot care. If you find warts on your foot, they can not only be uncomfortable but also cause concern. Before you head to a foot specialist, find out below if they’re plantar warts and what can be done for them.

The Basics

Plantar warts are warts that appear on the soles of your feet, especially the heel and balls of your toes. They’re caused by a few strains of the HPV virus, but they’re different types than those that cause warts elsewhere on the body. The virus gets into your feet through openings in the skin, like scrapes, cuts, popped blisters, or open wounds. While it’s a common ailment in foot care, the virus doesn’t spread easily, as it only thrives in warm and humid conditions.

Plantar warts can appear as one solitary wart that eventually grows smaller ones around it or a cluster of closely-grouped small warts. Either type tends to grow in size over time. Other symptoms include thickened skin; pain around the area when you apply pressure, like walking or standing; and black dots around the area, which are dried capillaries.

Treatment & Prevention

To reduce your chances of contracting the virus, avoid going barefoot, especially in public places and humid areas like bathrooms, pools, and locker rooms. Keep cuts, scrapes, and other wounds on your feet covered with bandages.

If you believe you have plantar warts, speak to your foot care provider to diagnose them. Most warts go away on their own, but it can take time. Other methods resolve your discomfort faster and involve removing the wart through topical or oral medications, laser therapy and acid treatments to burn it away, cryotherapy to freeze it, or even surgery. After removal, follow aftercare instructions exactly to reduce the chance of the wart coming back.

Do you need treatment for plantar warts? Get compassionate foot care from the podiatrists at Foot & Ankle Specialists in Blue Ash, OH. With decades of combined experience, their services include comprehensive treatment options, including gentle freezing, burning, and surgery. Throughout Ohio, their advanced facilities allow for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of your complaint at affordable rates. Learn about their foot and podiatric services online, and call (513) 769-4408 to schedule an appointment.