Plantar warts are often painful and mainly appear on the heels or other parts of the sole of the foot. Externally, they appear flat or barely curved and are only recognizable as a round circle. They grow inwards like thorns and are often only clearly visible on the surface once the callus has been removed.
The inside of a plantar wart can be twice the diameter of the circle visible from the outside. In isolated cases, this type of wart also appears on other parts of the body such as the hands.
Many children and adolescents, but also adults, are affected by plantar warts.
Plantar warts are not dangerous, but they are very contagious. They can spread quickly on your own body and to other people through contact and lead to new plantar warts. Rapid treatment is therefore highly recommended.
Plantar warts are viral warts. They are caused by an infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are widespread and can also cause other types of warts.
These viruses thrive in warm, humid climates and can multiply well there. This is why the risk of infection in
- swimming pools,
- changing rooms,
- saunas or
- gyms
particularly high. The viruses responsible for plantar warts are very long-lived and can survive here for months without a host under good conditions. The risk increases further if you walk barefoot in such places.
HP viruses can be transmitted via contact or smear infections. Direct skin contact is therefore not absolutely necessary for transmission. The viruses can get onto the ground through an infected barefoot runner and from there get to a new host when walking barefoot. The plantar wart then often only develops after a long period of time.
People with cracked skin on the soles of their feet have an increased risk. The viruses can attach more easily through the cracks.
These circumstances make the swimming pool the riskiest place for a plantar wart infection. The chlorinated water dries out the skin and HP viruses can easily enter the body through the skin.
There is a high risk of infection with HP viruses in swimming pools and saunas © yanlev | AdobeStock
People with a weak immune system or poor circulation are very susceptible to plantar warts.
The development of plantar warts can vary greatly. Some plantar warts grow stubbornly deep and root-like inwards, while others disappear a few days after they appear.
However, plantar warts are very stubborn and can reappear repeatedly. By touching affected areas, the viruses and thus the plantar wart can also spread to other parts of the body.
According to current knowledge, plantar warts are not known to spread internally within the body.
Plantar warts are difficult to see under the superficial cornea. The time between infection and outbreak (also known as the incubation period ) can last from a few weeks to several months. This makes it almost impossible to trace the location of the plantar wart infection.
At the beginning, only a small black dot forms on the affected area of the body, which is usually not noticed at first. The wart then usually draws attention to itself through itching or pain at the affected area.
This pain resembles thorns that dig into the skin under the weight of the body. This is where the name of these unpleasant plantar warts comes from. The pain is also often compared to stepping on a small, sharp stone.
A light-colored, granular and irregular growth appears under the callus, surrounded by a thickened, light-colored ring. A clear furrow can be seen between this ring and the mass of the plantar wart.
This yellowish or white mass contains many dark dots or even stripes. They indicate bleeding from small vessels within the plantar wart. These dots or streaks are particularly easy to see if you hold the plantar wart up to the light. This is the clearest way to differentiate plantar warts from other potential diseases.
However, the cause of the round, hardened formation can also be another clinical picture. Corns, for example, are very similar in appearance to plantar warts. Corns are simply unsightly accumulations of callus that develop as a result of chronic pressure rather than viruses. Calluses also have similar external characteristics. However, in contrast to plantar warts, calluses alone have a soft, rather smooth surface and no dark spots.
Very rarely, what appear to be plantar warts can be serious medical conditions. Possible would be
However, a definitive diagnosis is only possible after microscopic examination of a tissue sample. Don't be afraid to consult a dermatologist! He or she can then respond to your problem specifically and effectively and rule out similar clinical pictures.
A plantar wart grows inwards and causes "sharp" pain © David Carillet | AdobeStock
Treatment of plantar warts is strongly recommended, even if they do not cause any symptoms. The viral infection that causes them is highly contagious and proper treatment prevents them from spreading.
There are various options for the regression and removal of plantar warts, which work differently for different people. However, you must not attempt to remove the wart yourself with a sharp object. There is a risk of rapid spread to other parts of the body due to bleeding.
The first important measure in the fight against plantar warts is a good, balanced diet. This strengthens the immune system and makes the body more resistant to viruses in the future.
There are some over-the-counter remedies available for self-treatment. However, their use is only recommended if a doctor has ruled out another illness.
Cryotherapy, self-treatment or surgical removal of plantar warts
Cryotherapy(cold therapy) is a very popular and demonstrably effective means of combating plantar warts.
Pharmacies sell special ice sticks for applying liquid nitrogen to the affected areas. This nitrogen is cooled to -50° Celsius using an applicator and pressed onto the plantar wart for approx. 30 seconds.
The freezing first causes the upper cells of the plantar wart to die, which can be recognized when the affected area becomes whiter. Shortly afterwards, the upper layer of the plantar wart can be removed.
Several applications over a longer period of time are usually necessary. This is the only way to prevent the plantar wart from recurring and to destroy the papilloma viruses.
Cauterization of the plantar wart
Salicylic acid and lactic acid can also reduce plantar warts. Salicylic acid is available in liquid form or already applied to pads and is also said to be very effective against plantar warts.
This active ingredient softens the inside of the plantar wart and dries out the skin on the surface. The product can also burn healthy skin. You must therefore ensure that you only apply the acid to the plantar wart itself and protect the surrounding skin. To do this, you can apply a fatty ointment to the healthy skin.
When the first effects become noticeable, the surface of the plantar wart can be rubbed with a pumice stone. The wart can be treated in this way until it is completely removed.
With salicylic acid, however, there is a risk of bleeding, which could cause the plantar wart to spread. Lactic acid, on the other hand, has a moisturizing effect.
The effect of products based on salicylic acid and/or lactic acid can develop even better after a warm foot bath. The skin is then already somewhat softened. Here too, you should make sure that you only hold the foot affected by plantar warts in the water so as not to risk infecting other parts of the body.
Alternatively, a cloth soaked in warm water can be pressed onto the plantar wart for a few minutes.
Surgical removal of plantar warts
Plantar warts can also be removed surgically. This was a very common procedure a few years ago. The plantar wart is scraped off with a "sharp spoon" and removed in this way.
This surgical removal can cause heavy bleeding and leave a deep wound that takes a long time to heal.
Nowadays, treatment without invasive surgery is therefore recommended due to possible scarring and pain.
However, if the plantar warts keep coming back after temporarily disappearing, surgical removal can be a safe method of permanently removing the plantar wart.
Laser therapy
Some doctors have recently recommended laser treatment. However, this therapy can also be very painful.
In this way, it is not the viruses themselves that are destroyed by laser, but the surrounding blood vessels. The plantar wart is therefore no longer supplied with nutrients and dies off over time.
Home remedies for plantar warts
There are also some home remedies that are said to help against plantar warts.
Celandine, also known by the promising name of wart herb, is a long-standing herb used to treat plantar warts.
Tea tree oil is another option that has an antibacterial and antiseptic effect on plantar warts. In this way, a new formation of the plantar wart or a scar should be completely avoided. The "all-purpose medicinal plant" aloe vera or the well-known tiger balm (an ointment with a high menthol content) is also said to be good for combating plantar warts.
There are various measures that should be taken to prevent plantar warts.
As a rule, warts can only develop if the immune system is weak. The best prevention is therefore to strengthen the immune system with a balanced diet supplemented by regular exercise and sport. The following are also helpful for the immune system
- sufficient sleep,
- abstaining from alcohol and
- quitting smoking.
As causative pathogens like to settle in warm, damp places, you should dry your feet carefully after washing - including between the toes. Avoid sweaty feet. It is best to wear airy shoes and socks made of breathable materials. This prevents plantar warts and athlete's foot.
Use bathing shoes in public pools and saunas to protect yourself from the virus. Many swimming pools also offer the option of disinfecting your feet after swimming. Otherwise, you can also carry your own disinfectant spray with you and use it if necessary.
Viruses can also attach themselves to towels or shoes. You should therefore not share towels or shoes with other people.
If you follow these recommendations, you will be well protected against the painful, unsightly plantar warts. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be spared from plantar warts.
