If you notice small bumps around the heel or weight-bearing areas of your feet, you may have developed plantar warts. When the HPV virus enters the skin through an opening, such as a small cut or scrape, plantar warts can form and often cause discomfort. Some indicators that you have plantar warts include feeling pain in the soles of the feet when standing or walking and the formation of small fleshy growths, sometimes including a tiny black dot in the center of the bump.

To best prevent getting plantar warts, it’s advised to keep your hands and feet clean and wash them regularly. It’s also important to ensure you wear appropriate footwear in public areas such as swimming pools, locker rooms, and communal showers. Because plantar warts are contagious, it’s especially important for those with a weaker immune system to make sure they take the above precautions. If you believe you’ve developed plantar warts and are experiencing severe pain, swelling, redness, or bleeding, it’s advised to seek professional care.

For more information about plantar warts, we recommend you consult with a podiatrist for a proper diagnosis and advised treatment plan.

Plantar Warts Q & A

What are the types of plantar warts?

There are two types of plantar warts:

• A solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional “satellite” warts.
• Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one are. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts.

What are the signs and symptoms of plantar warts?

The signs and symptoms of a plantar wart may include:

• Thickened skin. Often a plantar wart resembles a callus because of its tough, thick tissue.
• Pain. A plantar wart usually hurts during walking and standing, and there is pain when the sides of the wart are squeezed.
• Tiny black dots. These often appear on the surface of the wart.

The dots are actually dried blood contained in the infected capillaries (tiny blood vessels).

Plantar warts grow deep into the skin. Usually this growth occurs slowly—the wart starts off small and gets larger over time.

What causes plantar warts?

Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body. Typically, the plantar wart virus is acquired in public places where people go barefoot, such as locker rooms, swimming pools, and karate classes. It can also be acquired at home if other family members have the virus.

How do you diagnose and treat plantar warts?

To diagnose a plantar wart, the foot and ankle surgeon will examine the patient’s foot and look for signs and symptoms of a wart. Although plantar warts may eventually clear up on their own, most patients desire faster relief. The goal of treatment is to completely remove the wart. The foot and ankle surgeon may use topical or oral treatments, laser therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), or surgery to remove the wart.

Regardless of the treatment approaches undertaken, it is important that the patient follow the surgeon’s instructions, including all home care and medication that has been prescribed, as well as follow-up visits with the surgeon. Warts may return, requiring further treatment. If there is no response to treatment, further diagnostic evaluation may be necessary. In such cases, the surgeon can perform a biopsy to rule out other potential causes for the growth. Although there are many folk remedies for warts, patients should be aware that these remain unproven and may be dangerous. Patients should never try to remove a wart themselves—this can do more harm than good.

There are two types of plantar warts:

• A solitary wart is a single wart. It often increases in size and may eventually multiply, forming additional “satellite” warts.
• Mosaic warts are a cluster of several small warts growing closely together in one are. Mosaic warts are more difficult to treat than solitary warts.

What are the signs and symptoms of plantar warts?

The signs and symptoms of a plantar wart may include:

• Thickened skin. Often a plantar wart resembles a callus because of its tough, thick tissue.
• Pain. A plantar wart usually hurts during walking and standing, and there is pain when the sides of the wart are squeezed.
• Tiny black dots. These often appear on the surface of the wart.

The dots are actually dried blood contained in the infected capillaries (tiny blood vessels).

Plantar warts grow deep into the skin. Usually this growth occurs slowly—the wart starts off small and gets larger over time.

What causes plantar warts?

Plantar warts are caused by direct contact with the human papilloma virus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes warts on other areas of the body. Typically, the plantar wart virus is acquired in public places where people go barefoot, such as locker rooms, swimming pools, and karate classes. It can also be acquired at home if other family members have the virus.

How do you diagnose and treat plantar warts?

To diagnose a plantar wart, the foot and ankle surgeon will examine the patient’s foot and look for signs and symptoms of a wart. Although plantar warts may eventually clear up on their own, most patients desire faster relief. The goal of treatment is to completely remove the wart. The foot and ankle surgeon may use topical or oral treatments, laser therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), or surgery to remove the wart.

Regardless of the treatment approaches undertaken, it is important that the patient follow the surgeon’s instructions, including all home care and medication that has been prescribed, as well as follow-up visits with the surgeon. Warts may return, requiring further treatment. If there is no response to treatment, further diagnostic evaluation may be necessary. In such cases, the surgeon can perform a biopsy to rule out other potential causes for the growth. Although there are many folk remedies for warts, patients should be aware that these remain unproven and may be dangerous. Patients should never try to remove a wart themselves—this can do more harm than good.