Although they’re not related to pressure and can be found anywhere on the feet, you’ll often find them on your heels or other weight-bearing areas.
Warts on the bottom of the foot are usually treated a bit differently as they are a different strain of virus compared to warts elsewhere of the body where they are usually quite deep and more difficult to treat.
Symptoms of Plantar Warts
Plantar warts vary in size and shape and develop due to a viral infection that triggers tiny blood vessels to grow within the wart, supplying it with blood and nutrients. These vessels often appear as small dark spots in the centre of the wart.
Since plantar warts form on the sole of the foot, they can become painful, especially in weight-bearing areas where pressure from walking makes them uncomfortable.
Common signs of a plantar wart:
- Small, rough, grainy lesion on the sole, often on the toes, ball of the foot, or heel
- Fleshy growth with a solid border
- Dark spots (tiny blood vessels) in the centre
- Overlying hard, yellowish skin
- Pain when squeezing the wart from the sides
- Discomfort while walking if located in a high-pressure area
- Disrupts the normal skin lines and patterns on the foot
- May appear as multiple clustered lesions (mosaic warts)
If a plantar wart is causing persistent pain or spreading, professional treatment can help remove it effectively.
Treatment of Plantar Warts
While warts can sometimes clear on their own, plantar warts often require treatment due to their painful location on the sole of the foot. Some warts respond quickly to treatment, while long-standing warts may take several months to fully resolve.
There are multiple treatments for warts. For an assessment and treatment options, please call us on 0451 133 575 or book into our Elite Podiatry Mullaloo or Marmion clinics.
