While genital and common warts get all the glory, people are less exposed to the information regarding the warts that develop on the sole or toes of the foot. A plantar wart (also known as 'verruca plantaris' or verruca) is a product of the human papillomavirus (HPV). While the plantar wart is typically less threatening than other warts caused by the close to 100 other known HPV strains – treatment is recommended in order to decrease the symptoms that can become painful over time. Management of the viral infection will also lessen the duration and reduce the threat of passing the warts onto another.
When taking a look at the United States, it is estimated that between 7% and 10% of the population is infected with plantar warts. Since the virus can stay alive for many months at a time without a host, the likelihood of transmission and contact with humans is quite high. The virus that causes plantar warts usually finds a home about moist surfaces. Showers and swimming pools provide the perfect environment for the virus, while shoes also supply an ideal location for the virus to thrive.
Plantar warts are considered benign epithelial tumors, meaning they are non-cancerous growths that develop on the outer layers of the skin. Direct contact allows the virus to compromise the skin – usually finding its way through tiny cuts or scrapes found on the outermost layers. After an individual has become infected, they may not readily notice the signs. Some warts do not appear until a couple of weeks or months after the fact.
Unfortunately, the constant pressure that the sole of the foot undergoes can actually push a plantar wart inward – becoming masked by a layer of hard skin that eventually covers the wart. In many cases, pain is inevitable when this occurrence takes place. On the foot, the warts may spread – infecting surrounding skin. Some warts also fuse together or form clusters, better known as 'mosaic warts.'
Prevention
Since plantar warts spread when your foot comes in contact with an infected moist walking surface, it is suggested to:
- Avoid walking barefoot in public arenas, where showers or shared changing rooms are involved.
- Avoid sharing shoes and socks with others.
- Avoid direct contact with warts on other parts of the body or on other people.
However, there is good news – humans actually build up a resistance to plantar warts, as they grow older – so the infection appears less and less amongst the older adult population.
Treatment
Once an infection has set in, an individual will never truly eliminate the HPV infection, as warts can reemerge after treatment since the virus can still lay dormant in healthy skin that surrounds lesions. Currently, there is no vaccine that completely rids the body of the human papillomavirus. The only thing you can hope for is to select treatments that give you the best results in maintaining your symptoms and causing inactivity (also known as a remission) of the virus.
Effective treatments for plantar warts include over-the-counter salicylic acid, cryosurgery (liquid nitrogen), pulsed dye laser, surgical excision, and bleomycin (an antibiotic containing a specific bacterium). While podiatrists and dermatologists are seen as specialists in regards to plantar warts, most cases become the business of primary care physicians.
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