Ugly, persistent and contagious, warts are commonly found on the bottom of the foot, but they can also occur on the top. Warts can become quite large and cause pain when they form on the bottom of the foot. These plantar warts are usually flat and wide with a rough surface that is raised above the skins’ surface. It may have small specks of red, brown or black inside a spongy surface. If left untreated, the wart can grow and bleed during normal activities. Plus, it increases the chances that the wart virus will spread to other people.

Preventing Warts

It’s important to understand that warts are caused by a virus. The virus invades the skin; it can be avoided by wearing shoes at all times. The wart virus thrives in warm, moist environments like gyms, locker rooms, showers and bathrooms, so it’s important to wear sandals or thongs in these settings. You should take care to keep feet, socks and shoes clean and dry.

The wart virus can more easily affect children, teens, and people with other conditions, such as allergies and immune system deficiencies. Children’s feet should be checked periodically to make sure they don’t have warts that are growing unnoticed. Individuals with diabetes should also pay special attention to any changes in the foot.

Treating Warts

If you have a wart on your foot, do not touch or scratch the wart. See Dr. Smith for in-office treatment. He may medicate the wart to remove it or remove it physically with a special instrument.