So you see a growth on your foot, but you’re not exactly sure what it is. Well, it might be a plantar (foot) wart.
Calluses, corns and other skin ailments can develop on the feet, but warts on the feet are unique (click here to learn more) because they’re brought on by a virus. The virus is known as the human papillomavirus. This is the same virus that causes warts to turn up on other areas of the body.
You get the warts virus thru the skins surface. Meaning, it gets into the body through breaks in the skin. Some people get foot warts on the tops of their feet. But a number of folks also get them on the soles of their feet, as well. For the most part, they look a lot like other kinds of warts. They have a raised, cauliflower like appearance. They’re usually a little darker than you regular skin tone. Sometimes just one warts develops, but they also can develop in clusters.
The one possible exception when it comes to appearance is when a wart is located on the bottom of the foot. The wart likely appears flat. As you might imagine, this comes from the force created by walking on it all day. Another unique characteristic of these warts is their well defined edges.
Other skin growths don’t form a distinct shape, so if your does, then it’s very likely a wart. Another way to distinguish warts from other kinds of growths is the speed at which they grew. Warts develop much quicker than other kinds of growths.
Okay, now let’s discuss how you can remove plantar warts (click here to learn more).
Of course, you should begin by treating your warts, but you should also try to keep any new warts from developing. For one, you want to be careful to avoid spreading the virus to other parts of your body. This means if you already have warts, then be sure not to touch them directly.
Keep your feet covered whenever walking in public. In particular, avoid walking barefoot in the places where other people typically walk barefoot, like locker or shower room floors as well as swimming pools. It’s also best to keep your feet dry whenever possible.
There are many ways to effectively get rid of warts. Doctors typically suggest salicylic acid or duct tape as a first step of treatment.
