Veruca Salt, the spoilt and demanding character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, expects everything to go her way, no matter the trouble she causes. Willy Wonka even jokes, “I always thought a verruca was a type of wart you got on the bottom of your foot.” And he’s spot-on. Verruca warts (Verrucae), or more commonly known as plantar warts, are stubborn growths that often attach themselves to the foot and require focused care for removal.
Plantar warts are caused by certain types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which are different from those associated with genital warts or cervical cancer. They typically develop on the sole of the foot, appearing as small, rough growths. While some warts may go away on their own, others can be as persistent as Veruca’s demands, staying put and becoming more uncomfortable over time. Understanding their causes and knowing when removal is needed can help restore comfort and keep these unwelcome guests from lingering.
Causes of Plantar Warts
As mentioned earlier, plantar warts are caused by specific types of HPV. These types of HPV enter the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions, often going unnoticed. Once inside, the virus infects cells in the outer layer of skin, triggering rapid cell growth that leads to the formation of a wart.
Contracting HPV often depends on exposure to environments where the virus can survive and spread easily. The risk of getting it is higher in places where people frequently walk barefoot, such as communal showers, pools, and gym floors. In these shared, moist environments, there is often more to worry about than just fungal infections like athlete’s foot or toenail fungus. With the right conditions, HPV can also thrive here, waiting to enter the skin through any small break. Even a minor scratch, particularly one from scratching itchy skin caused by athlete’s foot, can create an entry point for the virus. This is why walking barefoot in these spaces is discouraged.
Symptoms of Plantar Warts
Plantar warts often appear as small, rough growths on the sole of the foot, typically located at the base of the toes, on the ball, or the heel. On darker skin tones, these growths may look lighter than the surrounding skin, making them easier to spot. Because plantar warts tend to develop on weight-bearing parts of the feet, they are often pressed inward, which results in a hard layer of skin, or callus, forming over the wart. This callus can add to the discomfort, especially when standing or walking.
A distinctive feature of plantar warts is the presence of tiny black pinpoints on the surface, commonly called “wart seeds”, which are clotted blood vessels. Additionally, plantar warts can sometimes cluster together over time, forming what are known as mosaic warts that spread across a larger area on the sole. In these cases, the larger, combined growths can intensify the pressure felt on the affected area, further contributing to the discomfort experienced during everyday activities.
Managing and Preventing Plantar Warts
Managing plantar warts involves understanding various approaches to limit their spread and alleviate discomfort. While many home “treatments” found online, such as duct tape, vinegar, or other household items, are popular suggestions, they often lack scientific support and may even irritate the skin without addressing the root of the issue.
For more targeted care, podiatrists offer a range of methods specifically designed to address plantar warts. These include:
- Cryotherapy: A method that uses extreme cold, often through liquid nitrogen, to “freeze” off the wart, gradually eliminating the wart tissue.
- Wart Needling: This process involves pricking the wart repeatedly with a hollow needle to activate the body’s immune system, encouraging it to target the virus.
- Topical Application: Specific medications or chemicals like salicylic acid can be applied to the affected area, focusing on dissolving or “burning’ the wart tissue.
- Curettage: A minor surgical procedure in which the wart is carefully scraped or cut out, physically removing the growth from the skin.
- Cautery: In this method, heat or an electric current is applied to burn the wart tissue, sealing blood vessels and helping to reduce wart size.
- Laser Technology: Laser energy is directed at the blood vessels feeding the wart, cutting off its blood supply and causing the tissue to die off and fall away.
If It is Sole Painful, Wart are You Waiting For?
Much like the demanding and entitled Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, plantar warts can be annoyingly stubborn, digging in their heels and refusing to leave. When these unwelcome viral growths interfere with daily comfort, addressing them becomes crucial to relieve foot pain and restore pressure-free movement. Our podiatrists begin with a comprehensive assessment to determine the plantar wart’s size and depth, selecting the most appropriate method for removal (cryotherapy or wart needling). This focused process targets the plantar wart at its root while preserving your foot’s surrounding skin, helping you walk and stand without discomfort.
At East Coast Podiatry, we go beyond removal by offering clear aftercare guidance, including foot hygiene tips and preventive practices to reduce the chance of recurrence. Our approach centres on pain-free mobility and foot health, creating a personalised plan to support long-term comfort. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and experience relief from the discomfort of plantar warts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Plantar Warts
Plantar warts, commonly called verrucae, are small, rough growths that form on the soles of the feet. These warts develop when the human papillomavirus (HPV) enters through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin, causing a localised infection. While they’re generally harmless, plantar warts can become uncomfortable, especially when pressure is applied during activities like walking or standing.
Plantar warts typically appear as small, rough growths on the sole of the foot, often developing a hard, callus-like layer over the wart due to pressure. They often contain tiny black specks, known as “wart seeds”, which are small, dried blood clots within the wart. These growths can cause pain or tenderness, especially when standing or walking, and commonly appear on the balls of the feet, heels, or around the toes. In some cases, multiple plantar warts may cluster together, forming a larger, mosaic-like patch that intensifies discomfort.
Plantar warts can be painful, especially when pressure is applied, causing many to adjust their posture or gait to avoid discomfort. These subtle changes in how you stand, walk, or run might help relieve pain in the short term, but they can disrupt your natural movement patterns over time. This altered movement may place added stress on the muscles, tissues, and joints in your feet and ankles, potentially leading to additional pain, discomfort, or strain.
Yes, they are contagious and can spread through direct contact with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the cause of plantar warts. Certain strains of HPV lead to these growths, spreading through skin contact or by sharing personal items like shoes, socks, and towels. If you have a plantar wart, it is possible to transfer the virus to other parts of your body by touching the wart and then another area of skin. HPV can also spread through infected surfaces, especially in warm or damp environments. To reduce the risk, it is advisable to wear shoes or flip-flops in communal areas such as gyms, public pools, saunas, steam rooms, and other public spaces.
While plantar warts might sometimes go away on their own as the immune system fights off the virus, many people seek help from a podiatrist due to the discomfort these warts can cause. Podiatrists often recommend methods such as cryotherapy and needling for plantar wart removal. Cryotherapy involves applying extreme cold, typically with liquid nitrogen, to freeze and destroy the wart tissue. Needling, on the other hand, involves repeatedly pricking the wart with a hollow needle to stimulate the immune system to attack the virus. Both approaches are targeted and can help reduce the wart’s hold on the skin, offering relief and minimising the chance of recurrence.
