Plantar Warts

Plantar warts most often develop in weight-bearing areas on the soles of the feet, such as the heels or balls of the feet. These spots experience frequent pressure, which can cause the warts to grow inward beneath thickened skin.

• Hard, thickened skin growths - These growths may resemble calluses due to pressure buildup but are caused by viral infection. They often feel firm and rough to the touch.
• Lesions that disrupt normal skin lines - Plantar warts interrupt the natural ridges and lines (dermatoglyphics) of the skin on the sole, which helps distinguish them from corns and calluses.
• Pain with pressure or walking - Warts on weight-bearing areas (like the heel or ball of the foot) can be painful, often described as feeling like "a pebble in your shoe."
• Flesh-colored or grayish bumps with black pinpoints - The surface of the wart may appear grainy with small black dots—these are thrombosed (clotted) capillaries, a common identifying feature.
• Isolated or clustered lesions - Warts may appear singly or in a mosaic pattern (a cluster of smaller warts grouped together in a plaque-like formation).
• Tenderness when squeezed - Unlike calluses, plantar warts often elicit pain when pinched side-to-side, not just when pressure is applied directly.

Before proceeding with more invasive treatments, the duct tape method may be recommended under podiatric supervision:

• Apply duct tape over the wart for seven consecutive days
• Remove the tape for one day, then repeat the cycle
• After 1–2 weeks, the wart may begin to detach from the skin and stick to the tape
• As the primary wart resolves, the body often begins to fight off additional surrounding lesions
• A podiatrist should monitor progress and debride dead tissue as needed to support healing

Surgery offers an effective solution for people who have struggled with persistent plantar warts that don’t improve with conservative treatments like salicylic acid, liquid nitrogen, or duct tape. By targeting the wart tissue at its source, this minor surgery removes both the visible growth and the deeper root structure, significantly lowering the chance of recurrence.

Patients often experience rapid pain relief, especially when the plantar wart is located on weight bearing areas that make walking or wearing shoes difficult. Because the procedure can be performed in-office using local anaesthesia, it allows for same-day wart surgery in many cases, helping you return to normal activities sooner while preventing further spread of the human papillomavirus.

Following surgical wart removal or hyfrecation, you may experience mild discomfort for a few days, which is easily managed with over the counter treatments like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Keeping your foot elevated for the first 24 hours helps minimize swelling.

You’ll need to protect the surgical site with a clean bandage, avoid prolonged standing, and wear supportive shoes until the skin heals. Normal walking is typically possible within a day or two, though complete skin recovery may take 2–4 weeks. Following all of Dr. Lang's aftercare instructions promotes a smooth recovery and lowers the risk of recurrence.

• Avoid direct contact with warts - Do not touch, pick at, or scratch warts—this includes your own—as it can cause the virus to spread to other parts of your body or to others.
• Never walk barefoot in public places - HPV thrives in warm, moist environments. Always wear sandals or shower shoes in communal areas such as locker rooms, pools, saunas, and public showers, where the virus may be present on surfaces.
• Keep feet clean and dry - Wash your feet daily with soap and water, then dry them thoroughly—especially between the toes. Moisture creates an environment where HPV can flourish.
• Change socks and shoes daily - Wearing clean, dry footwear reduces moisture buildup and helps prevent the virus from lingering.
• Check children’s and teens’ feet regularly -Adolescents are particularly susceptible due to barefoot exposure in gyms and locker rooms. Inspect feet periodically and consult a podiatrist if any wart-like lesions appear.
• Use separate tools for wart care - If you're using home treatments like the duct tape method, do not use the same emery boards, pumice stones, or nail files on unaffected areas. Use disposable or dedicated tools to prevent spreading the virus.
• Wash your hands after touching a wart - HPV can spread via direct contact. Hand hygiene after treating or touching a wart is essential to avoid self-inoculation or passing the virus to others.