If you start noticing grainy lesions on the bottom of your feet, especially if they have a black pinpoint center, you may have a case of foot warts. Since warts can spread to other areas of your body and even cause pain, it’s important to schedule a wart evaluation with R. Jeffrey Doyle, DPM, or H. Aden Huynh, DPM, at North Star Foot & Ankle Associates as soon as you notice an abnormal growth. Book your warts evaluation online or call the Garland, Texas, clinic directly to speak with a team member.
Foot warts (plantar warts) begin developing when human papillomavirus (HPV) enters your skin. The HPV strain that causes foot warts is most commonly found in warm, moist areas, such as the communal shower or sauna at the gym.
Walking barefoot in these types of areas can increase your chances of contracting wart-causing HPV. Your risk of struggling with a foot wart outbreak is also high if you:
Warts can be stubborn to treat and can develop into clusters, so it’s important to have them evaluated by a trained podiatrist, rather than trying to treat them on your own.
Your wart treatment plan from North Star Foot & Ankle Associates depends on the severity of your warts and any related symptoms, like pain or tenderness. Treating foot warts can include:
North Star Foot & Ankle Associates also provides cantharidin treatments. This wart treatment involves painting a cantharidin solution on top of your wart. This causes a blister to form under your wart, which makes it easier for your podiatrist to remove the wart entirely.
You may not be able to prevent every case of warts, but there are certainly several steps you can take to lower risk. The expert podiatry team at North Star Foot & Ankle Associates recommends:
It’s also important to avoid sharing pedicure tools, such as a pumice stone or emery board. If you go to a nail salon for pedicures, make sure the tools they’re using are one-time-use only or are disinfected, or bring your own.
Your dedicated podiatrist at North Star Foot & Ankle Associates can teach you other simple lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of a future foot wart outbreak.
If you have a case of foot warts, get started on treatment at North Star Foot & Ankle Associates right away. Click on the online scheduler or call to book an appointment.