It is a common skin infection which occurs on the bottom side of the foot. Around ten percent of the teenagers suffer from warts. Making use of the public shower or walking bare foot in the locker room after a workout increases the chances of developing plantar warts. As plantar warts occur on a pressure area therefore they grow inward and are often painful and tender. As compared to other warts they are harmless skin growths which are caused by a virus.

They do not pose serious health concerns but could be bothersome or painful as they might be resistant to treatment. One must check up with a doctor in order to get them removed.

Cause

These are non cancerous skin growths on the soles of the feet which are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).  This virus enters the body through tiny cuts and breaks into the skin. Since these are caused by a virus, therefore they are slightly contagious. One should avoid sharing clothing or linen with someone suffering from plantar warts.

Symptoms

Plantar warts can be found anywhere on the sole of the foot. One can see tiny black dots on the surface layer of a plantar wart. They are the ends of capillary blood vessels. They can be quite painful and tender. When one stands and walks, this pushes the warts flat. Since they grow up into the skin, it creates a feeling of a stone in the shoe.

Treatment

There is no single treatment for plantar warts as it is not possible to kill the virus without killing the cells which the virus has infected. These warts can be destroyed through surgery or by freezing with liquid nitrogen or with chemicals. Doufilm or Dr. Scholl’s Clear Away can be used which are available without any prescription from the pharmacy. One of the best treatments for curing warts is CO2 laser but is a costly procedure. The treatment is decided depending on the location of plantar warts and their size, the type of skin and medical judgment.

Whatever treatment might be used, plantar warts fail to disappear. They might return after weeks or months of a cure. One should not be concerned if the warts re occurs. Either the treatment should be repeated or a different method must be used for destroying the planter warts.

Plantar warts are not a serious health concern but they could be painful or bothersome and they might be resistant to treatment.

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