What is it?
Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) entering through small breaks in the skin. On the sole they are pushed inward by body weight and can become painful.
What causes it?
- Walking barefoot in communal areas
- Small cuts or cracks in the skin
- A weakened immune response
What does it feel like?
- A rough, grainy growth on the sole
- Tiny black dots (small clotted blood vessels)
- Pain when squeezed from side to side
- Clusters of warts
How is it diagnosed?
Usually diagnosed by exam. Lesions that look unusual, bleed, or change may be biopsied.
When should you see a podiatrist?
- A wart that is painful or spreading
- A growth you are not sure is a wart
- Any foot lesion with diabetes
Nonsurgical treatment
- Topical acids
- Applied over weeks, often after professional debridement.
- Cryotherapy
- Freezing the wart in the office.
- Other in-office treatments
- Several prescription treatments are available for resistant warts.
When is surgery considered?
Excision or other procedures may be considered for warts that do not respond to other treatment.
What is recovery like?
Warts often need several treatments spaced a few weeks apart.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a wart or a callus?
Calluses have normal skin lines running through them and hurt with direct pressure. Warts interrupt skin lines, have tiny black dots, and hurt more when squeezed.