Plantar Warts
Medical Author:
Gary W. Cole, MD
Gary W. Cole, MDDr. Cole is board certified in dermatology. He obtained his BA degree in bacteriology, his MA degree in microbiology, and his MD at the University of California, Los Angeles. He trained in dermatology at the University of Oregon, where he completed his residency. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Treatment OverviewNot all warts need to be treated. They generally go away on their own within months or years. This may be because, with time, your immune system is able to destroy the human papillomavirus that causes warts. You may decide to treat a wart if it is:
The goal of wart treatment is to destroy or remove the wart without creating scar tissue, which can be more painful than the wart itself. How a wart is treated depends on the type of wart, its location, and its symptoms. Also important is your willingness to follow a weeks- or months-long course of treatment. SOURCE: Plantar Warts OverviewWarts are a result of the most common viral infection of the skin. Plantar warts grow on the plantar surface, or the sole, of the foot. They can be found anywhere in this area but tend to produce symptoms in areas of pressure and friction. The virus that causes warts, the human papillomavirus, infects only the superficial layer of skin, producing a thickened callus-like growth that, if located in an areas subjected to pressure, can become quite tender. Although warts characteristically resolve spontaneously, it may become necessary to treat warts that negatively affect an individual's ability to walk. The incubation period (the period of time between infection and the production of the visible skin lesion) is unknown but has been estimated to vary from months to years. Historical evidence is of little benefit in attempting to determine how one's wart was acquired. There are at least 120 different types of human papillomavirus (HPV), and only certain types are responsible for skin warts. Certain virus types tend to infect specific anatomical areas, like the plantar surface of the foot. Other HPV types infect the genital tract and are a cause of cervical and other genital cancers. Warts are ubiquitous infections, with least one-half of adults infected during their lifetime. The current prevalence of plantar warts in adults is unknown, but it is a fraction of the estimated 7%-10% of adults with all types of wart infections.
Viewer Comments & ReviewsPlantar Warts - TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What was the effective treatment for your plantar warts? Plantar Warts - ExperienceThe eMedicineHealth physician editors asked:What was your experience with plantar warts? |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Skin Problems and Treatments Resources
Featured Centers
- Ask the Nutritionist: Weight Loss Tips
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Plantar Warts
Leg Pain Overview
While leg pain is a common occurrence after an injury, there are many nontraumatic causes of leg pain. Pain in the legs may be present because of conditions that affect bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves, and skin. Most often, inflammation of tissues is the end result of these diseases, and the inflammation is the source of pain. Back ailments may also present with leg pain.
Anatomy of the Leg
The structure of the leg begins with the skeleton. The large bones of the leg are the femur (thighbone) and the tibia and fibula of the shin. Smaller bones are found in the feet and toes, and the kneecap (patella) is also a bone found in the leg. Major joints include the hip, knee, and ankle, but the small joints in the feet and toes also are important since they help support the body and cushion the force that is generated by walking.
The joints are stabilized by thick bands of tissue calle...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Warts, Plantar »
Plantar warts are hyperkeratotic lesions on the plantar surface.
Featured Topics
Medical Dictionary
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick,
easy,
pill identification
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including
24 hour
pharmacies
