Plantar Warts

Plantar warts are non-cancerous growths that occur on the bottom of the feet. Plantar warts are caused by particular strains of the HPV virus that enters the body through tiny cracks or breaks in the skin of the foot. All warts are caused by various strains of the HPV virus and are named for either their particular appearance or the location where they are most likely to be present. Plantar warts are so named because they are located on the bottom of the feet, along the plantar fascia. Warts on the hands are caused by the same strain of the HPV virus but are named palmar warts because of their location on the palms of the hands.

The particular strain of HPV that causes plantar warts is not extremely contagious. The likelihood of passing plantar warts from person to person is very small. However, the virus thrives in warm, moist environments, making it very likely for the virus to be present in places like a public shower, locker room, or swimming pool, where a person might come into contact with the virus at any time. If a person contacts the virus with broken skin on their feet or even tiny cracks, the virus can enter the body and begin to replicate in the skin where it found an entrance, causing plantar warts.

Not everyone who comes into contact with the HPV virus will develop plantar warts. If the skin is healthy and intact, the virus may not find a way in. Even if the virus is able to enter the body, the person’s immune system may never allow the virus to replicate or being to show signs of plantar warts. Even within the same family, people may react differently to the presence of the HPV virus, with some developing plantar warts, while others never do.

Plantar Warts on Feet

Plantar warts are named so because of their location on the body. Plantar warts form on the bottom of the feet, along the plantar fascia. Due to thickened skin and calluses on the bottom of the foot, plantar warts are generally forced to grow inward, into the foot, rather than showing up on the surface of the skin the way warts on other parts of the body appear. This can make plantar warts much more painful than other types of warts.

Plantar warts are caused by a strain of the HPV virus. HPV is responsible for all warts, but different strains are more likely to produce warts in different places on the body. According to Stanford University, the strains responsible for producing plantar and palmar warts are HPV 1, 2, and 4.

HPV is a virus that enters the body through small breaks or cuts in the skin and infects the area where the virus enters the skin. Warts on the bottom of your feet are caused by the HPV virus entering your skin through the bottom of your feet. Warts can, but do not generally, transfer from one part of the body to another. Usually, people experience warts in the general area where the HPV infection occurred.

Not everyone who comes into contact with the HPV virus will develop plantar warts. Some immune systems are able to fight off the virus and warts never develop. The virus is not particularly contagious and does not generally pass through casual contact from one person to another. However, HPV thrives in warm, moist environments, making public showers, locker rooms, and swimming pools a likely place to come into contact with the virus.

Plantar Warts on Hands

While some people refer to warts on the palms of the hand as plantar warts, they are actually called palmar warts. These warts are caused by the same strain of HPV that causes plantar warts but are named separately for the area of the body upon which they appear.

Palmar warts are non-cancerous skin growths, caused by a viral infection of the skin by HPV, the Human Papillomavirus. Palmar warts are not harmful and will usually go away after a year or two with no treatment. If warts on your hands are bothersome, they can be treated with over the counter treatments or prescribed treatments administered by a doctor. Over-the-counter medications for palmar warts include topical ointments that contain salicylic acid, which works by peeling the wart away one layer at a time. Freezing sprays are also available over-the-counter. Freezing sprays work by freezing the tissue of the wart and killing it. These types of treatments are approximately 50% effective.

Doctors have access to more successful treatment methods, including freezing with liquid nitrogen and laser therapy treatment for removing plantar warts.

Extremely Painful Plantar Warts

Because plantar warts grow on the bottom of the foot, where the skin tends to be thicker and calluses are often in place, warts will most often grow inward, into the soft tissue of the foot. This can cause a great deal of pain and even begin to alter the way a person walks. If a person’s gait is affected, additional problems may arise from the altered posture or muscle strain introduced by the new way of walking or running.

In the beginning, a plantar wart may feel like a small pebble in the shoe or a lump on the bottom of the foot. This discomfort increases over time, as the wart grows until it can become extremely painful to place weight on the area where the wart is growing.

Most of the time, plantar warts will eventually go away on their own, without treatment. However, it can take as much as two years for the body to naturally rid itself of plantar warts. When warts on the bottom of your feet are extremely painful, you may not want to wait a year or two for the problem to resolve itself.

Dr. Kleis is a podiatrist in Costa Mesa with more than 25 years of experience treating all manner of foot conditions, including plantar warts. Dr. Kleis has a variety of treatment options at his disposal to treat your painful plantar warts and restore you to optimal foot health.

Dr. Kleis is a leading provider of laser therapy treatments for a variety of foot conditions, such as toenail fungus and plantar warts. Often, laser therapy can be the answer to painlessly removing extremely painful plantar warts. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kleis today to discuss your plantar warts and develop a treatment plan that will have you out of pain and back on your feet in no time. Call Dr. Kleis at (714) 760-4944 or schedule an appointment online.

What Causes Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are caused by particular strains of the HPV virus that enters the body through tiny cracks or breaks in the skin of the foot. All warts are caused by various strains of the HPV virus and are named for either their particular appearance or the location where they are most likely to be present. Plantar warts are so named because they are located on the bottom of the feet, along the plantar fascia. Warts on the hands are caused by the same strain of the HPV virus but are named palmar warts because of their location on the palms of the hands.

Are Plantar Warts Contagious?

Risk Factors for Developing Plantar Warts

Some individuals are more prone to the virus that causes plantar warts than other people. Risk factors include:

Repeated HPV exposure. For example, walking barefoot in public locker rooms and common public areas.
Having a weakened immune system.

In some cases, the virus can be transmitted to the feet from other areas of the body. This is called remote location seeding.

When first diagnosed, individuals often feel a “lump” on the bottom of the foot when standing, similar to having a stone in the shoe. If left untreated, plantar warts can grow up to 1 inch in circumference and may spread into clusters (called mosaic warts). In severe cases, they cause a change in gait or posture that results in leg or back pain.

Plantar Wart Treatment

Plantar Wart Removal

While there are a number of home remedies and over-the-counter medications available for treating plantar warts, Dr. Kleis has access to the most successful, least painful methods available. Call Dr. Kleis at (714) 760-4944 to schedule a consultation today!