A plantar wart is a hard, round bump that forms on the weight-bearing areas of your feet. Plantar warts form when the human papillomavirus (HPV) infiltrates your body through scrapes or small breaks in your skin.

Plantar warts aren’t a serious problem, but if you have an underlying medical condition, like diabetes, they can increase your risk of complications, like an infection.

The symptoms of a plantar wart include:

• A tough, dome-shaped growth on the bottom of your foot
• Pain or tenderness when walking or standing
• Hard, thickened skin
• Discolored skin that’s brown or black

As the wart grows, you might also experience mobility issues that keep you from work or exercise.

Make an appointment with Dr. Hendrix if you have a wart and it doesn’t improve with over-the-counter treatments. That’s especially true if the wart continues growing or it affects your ability to do routine activities.

To diagnose a plantar wart, Dr. Hendrix reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms. Then, he will examine your feet and toes, checking the size, color, and appearance of each wart. Dr. Hendrix also collects a small sample of a wart and sends it to a nearby lab for biopsy.

Treatment of a plantar wart depends on various things, including your age, how many warts you have, and if you have any underlying health problems. Treatment can include:

• Cryotherapy (freezing the wart)
• Prescription-strength peeling medication (salicylic acid)
• Laser treatment
• Minor surgery

The goal of treatment is to remove the wart completely and prevent the infection from coming back. Plantar warts can be stubborn and require more than one treatment. 

There’s no way to prevent plantar warts entirely, but you can significantly reduce your risk by practicing good hygiene. Dr. Hendrix recommends keeping your feet clean and dry, wearing shoes in public areas, like locker rooms or gyms, and not sharing shoes or socks with others.