Do you have small, coarse patches of skin on your heels or the balls of your feet? Our podiatrists can’t diagnose a foot condition sight unseen, but there is a good chance you have plantar warts. If that’s the case, then we have good news:
- Plantar warts are common. About 10% of people have them. The incidence rate is as high as 20% for children and teenagers.
- Plantar warts usually go away on their own. Most cases of plantar warts resolve themselves after one or two years.
- Plantar warts are treatable. Want to get rid of plantar warts even sooner? Several medications and therapies are demonstrably effective at resolving the condition.
If you have plantar warts, then you want to know two things: how to treat them without visiting the podiatrist, and how to avoid getting them again. Here are the essential details.
How to Prevent Plantar Warts
Plantar warts have one cause: exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV). Plantar warts are specifically caused when HPV accesses cuts, breaks, lesions, or other weak spots on the feet. In other words, plantar wart prevention is primarily about protecting your feet against HPV infection.
- Thoroughly wash your feet each time you bathe.
- Thoroughly dry your feet after bathing or swimming.
- Regularly clean your footwear with disinfecting wipes or spray.
- Wear clean socks made of moisture-absorbing fabric: cotton, wool or synthetic.
- Never share towels, shoes, socks, or any other objects that come into contact with feet.
- Wear flip-flops or sandals in public spaces with wet floors: pools, saunas, locker rooms, etc. (This habit will also reduce your risk of athlete’s foot.)
If you already have plantar warts, then you should avoid touching them. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap if you do, and discard (or at the very least thoroughly clean) any tools you use to scrape dead skin off of your warts.
Does the HPV vaccine prevent plantar warts? It is not known to. The HPV vaccine was specifically developed to prevent genital warts. It has not been shown to prevent other types of warts.
How to Treat Plantar Warts at Home
Plantar warts usually go away on their own. But they are unsightly, and they can also be painful. Extreme cases make walking and standing uncomfortable. That’s why most people opt for some form of treatment, starting with ones they can do at home:
- Apple cider vinegar. This foodstuff contains acetic acid, which may treat warts. It does not treat the actual cause of plantar warts, however, and exposure to undiluted apple cider vinegar can give some people chemical burns.
- Tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is used as a topical disinfectant, and is known to have antiviral properties. Very limited scientific evidence exists to support the claim that tea tree oil removes warts, though many have reported success with it. Note that tea tree oil causes contact dermatitis in about 5% of people.
- Duct tape. It’s true: many people firmly believe that duct tape removes plantar warts. This method involves taping the wart, letting it remain taped for a few days, removing the tape, and repeating. No solid evidence supports duct tape’s efficacy at treating plantar warts, although it is considered harmless.
- Iodine. Many people treat warts with iodine: a trace element with multiple antibacterial and antiviral properties. Povidone-iodine has specifically been shown to remove plantar warts, but take caution: this treatment is not advisable without doctor supervision.
- Freezing spray. Freeze Away Max, Compound W Freeze Off, and Verruca-Freeze are just a few brand name over-the-counter freezing sprays. They all work the same way: creating a blister-like injury that may (or may not) destroy the plantar wart.
- Salicylic acid. This over-the-counter treatment removes plantar warts by gradually causing the skin around it to shed. Salicylic acid is slow, but it is demonstrably effective. Better yet, it is painless, although it is imperative to follow the instructions on the box.
Disclaimer: Twin Cities Foot & Ankle Clinic assumes no responsibility for adverse effects of plantar wart home remedies.
Be cautious if you choose to treat plantar warts at home. Do your own research, and be aware of potential side effects. Furthermore, note that home care for plantar warts is not advisable for all people. If you have any of the following, then it is safest to consult a primary care physician, podiatrist, or other specialist before pursuing self-treatment.
- Diabetes
- Many warts
- Warts on the face or genitals
- A weakened or compromised immune system
- Warts that itch, burn, bleed, or are especially painful
- A growth that may not be a wart, e.g. squamous cell carcinoma
If home treatment for plantar warts has not helped, consider visiting a podiatrist. They can administer more effective treatments than you are allowed to buy at the pharmacy, such as cryotherapy, pulsed dye laser, injection therapy, surgical excision, and Swift laser. All of these treatments are available at Twin Cities Foot & Ankle Clinic in Golden Valley, MN. We encourage you to contact us today to learn more about how our podiatrists can help!