Plantar Wart
Foot and Ankle Surgeons of Oklahoma can help treat and prevent plantar warts. Plantar warts are small growths that may appear on the heels or other weight-bearing areas of the feet. The added pressure of body weight on the feet may also cause plantar warts to grow inward beneath a hard, thick layer of skin.
Causes
Plantar warts are caused by an infection with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) in the outer layer of skin on the soles of the feet. They develop when the virus enters the body through tiny cuts, breaks or other weak spots on the bottom of your feet.
Over 100 types of HPV viruses exist, but only a few of them cause warts on the feet. Every person responds differently to HPV; not everyone who comes in contact with the virus will develop warts. The HPV strains that cause plantar warts are not highly contagious or easily transmitted by direct contact. However, they do thrive in warm, moist environments and can often be contracted by walking barefoot around swimming pools or locker rooms.
Symptoms
Plantar warts generally present themselves as a small, rough growth on the bottom of the foot, usually at the base of the toes and forefoot, or on the heel. Hard, thickened skin over a well-defined “spot” on the skin may signal the wart has grown inward. Other symptoms to watch for include:
- Pain or tenderness when walking
- Black pinpoints (dots) around the affected area of the foot
- A lesion that interrupts the normal lines and ridges in the skin of the foot
Treatments
Foot and Ankle Surgeons of Oklahoma offers diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of orthopedic injuries and conditions, including plantar warts. Most cases of plantar warts are not serious and typically resolve themselves without treatment. However, if any of the following symptoms occur, you will need to be seen by a doctor:
- The lesion bleeds, is painful or changes in appearance or color
- Discomfort begins to interfere with daily activities
- You also have diabetes or poor sensation in your feet
- Wart treatment is unsuccessful and persists, multiples or rears
- You also have a weakened immune system or an immune system disorder
- You aren’t sure if the lesion is a wart
To schedule an appointment, call us at (405) 418-4500.
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