Plantar warts and are noncancerous skin growths that usually appear on the sole of the feet. They are caused by viral infections located in the top layer of the skin.
Plantar warts are the work of a strain of virus known as human papillomavirus or HPV. There are a few strains of the virus, some causes warts on the hands and feet, but they are not the same as the ones that cause genital warts.
Plantar warts can be bothersome and painful, but they are not life threatening. Plantar warts may sometimes be an eye sore and causes the person who has them to be self-conscious.
Causes of Plantar Warts
Plantar warts develop when the outermost layer of the skin is infected by human papillomavirus. The infection causes the skin cells at the specific area to grow rapidly. The virus is capable of spreading to other parts of the body, causing more plantar warts. This virus thrives in suitably warm, damp environments such as showers and swimming pools.
You have higher risks of developing a wart where you have broken skin, such as a cut or a slight graze. Plantar warts are common among swimmers. This is because their feet are not only damp and softened but they are also easily scratched and broken by the rough pool surfaces. Plantar warts are also common among those who handle meat, chicken, and fish.
How do Plantar Warts Spread?
Plantar warts are spreads when there is direct contact with a human papillomavirus. You might even infect yourself by touching the wart followed by other parts of your body. Therefore, it is important to avoid touching and wash your hands as often as possible. You can even infect others by sharing towels, shaver, or other personal items. It can take many months before you notice a plantar wart after coming in contact with the human papillomavirus.
Chances are that you will not develop a wart every time you come in contact with the human papillomavirus. The likeliness to develop plantar warts may vary among people.
Plantar Warts Symptoms
Here are some signs and symptoms of plantar warts.
- Growths on the soles of your feet
- Thickened skin over a spot on the layer of the skin, that a wart may have grown inwards
- Black pinpoints that are known as wart seeds. They are small, clotted blood vessels
- Pain on the soles of the feet when walking or standing
Treatment and Home Remedy for Plantar Warts
Plantar warts will go away even without treatment after some time. To speed things up, you can treat plantar warts in a few ways.
Duct tape. Put a small strip over the plantar wart and leave it there for a week. After that, remove the tape, soak the affected area in water, and then gently remove it with a pumice stone or anything similar. Repeat this process a few times until the plantar wart is gone for good. This process might take a couple of months.
Doctor’s treatments for plantar warts may include freezing the plantar wart with the use of liquid nitrogen, laser or surgery, or injecting medicines to increase the strength of the immune system so your body can fight off the virus.