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Warts
are one of several soft tissue conditions of the foot
that can be quite painful. They are caused by a virus,
which generally invades the skin through small or invisible
cuts and abrasions. They can appear anywhere on the
skin, but, technically, only those on the sole are properly
called plantar warts. Children, especially teenagers,
tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults; some
people seem to be immune.
Most
warts are harmless, even though they may be painful.
They are often mistaken for corns or calluses—which
are layers of dead skin that build up to protect an
area which is being continuously irritated. The wart,
however, is a viral infection.
Plantar
warts tend to be hard and flat, with a rough surface
and well-defined boundaries; warts are generally raised
and fleshier when they appear on the top of the foot
or on the toes. Plantar warts are often gray or brown
(but the color may vary), with a center that appears
as one or more pinpoints of black.
It is important to note that warts can be very resistant
to treatment and have a tendency to reoccur.
Source
of the Virus
The
plantar wart is often contracted by walking barefoot
on dirty surfaces or littered ground where the virus
is lurking. The causative virus thrives in warm, moist
environments, making infection a common occurrence in
communal bathing facilities.
If
left untreated, warts can grow to an inch or more in
circumference and can spread into clusters of several
warts; these are often called mosaic warts. Like any
other infectious lesion, plantar warts are spread by
touching, scratching, or even by contact with skin shed
from another wart. The wart may also bleed, another
route for spreading.
Occasionally,
warts can spontaneously disappear after a short time,
and, just as frequently, they can recur in the same
location.
When
plantar warts develop on the weight-bearing areas of
the foot—the ball of the foot, or the heel, for example—they
can be the source of sharp, burning pain. Pain occurs
when weight is brought to bear directly on the wart,
although pressure on the side of a wart can create equally
intense pain.
Tips
for Prevention:
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