This article includes photos and detailed descriptions of plantar warts. It explains how to tell what’s on your foot and what you can do to get rid of it.
Common traits include:
Round: Because they are circular, they’re sometimes mistaken for corns or calluses. Flat: Other growths on the foot may be more raised. Rough, tough outer layer: These warts are covered by the tough skin from the sole of your foot. They might also have a rough, grainy surface texture. Little black dots near the center: This characteristic feature is the wart’s blood supply.
Warts can occur singly or in clusters. In some cases they stay small, while other people might develop giant plantar warts. Most often, they appear on the heel or ball of your foot where you place your weight when standing or walking.
While at a glance they have similar appearances, warts have a few distinguishing features that calluses do not.
If the circular patch is well-defined, interrupts the natural skin lines, and has a black dot at the center, it’s not just a callus; it’s a wart.
Warts might be scattered around the foot in different spots. However, they can also appear grouped together as a cluster.
However, not all people with plantar warts have these same results. More research is needed.
A cluster of warts is called a mosaic wart. A large cluster of warts can be very painful and make it uncomfortable to walk or run.
It’s more difficult to treat a larger cluster, and it can take more time to eliminate all of them.
However, in some instances, it’s best to see your doctor immediately when you realize you have a wart. This is especially true if you have certain underlying conditions:
Diabetes Poor sensation in your feet A weakened immune system
If you do try at-home treatments, watch the area for signs that you should see your doctor. If the wart changes appearance or color, if it is bleeding, or if you have multiple warts, you should call your doctor.
Your doctor may use a stronger preparation of salicylic acid to get rid of the wart. You may also receive cryotherapy, which involves applying liquid nitrogen to the wart to freeze it off.
Other treatment options that may be used include immune therapy, minor surgery, and laser treatment.
You can use over-the-counter medication to get rid of the wart as long as you don’t have any serious underlying conditions. However, if the wart spreads or gets worse, see a doctor to have it removed professionally.
A Word from Verywell
Warts are unattractive and painful and sometimes very difficult to get rid of for good. The problem can be made worse if you treat a wart incorrectly, thinking it’s a callus or something else. Check the growth closely to be sure you know how to care for it. When in doubt, see a doctor as soon as possible.
Common warts: Can appear as rough bumps on the fingers, near nails, and back of hands. Flat warts: Can show up anywhere, but have a tendency in children to appear on the face. Men usually see them appear around the chin, and women usually see them on the legs. Filiform warts: Look like thin, fleshy protrusions that usually appear around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Genital warts: These flesh-colored warts can be bumpy or flat and are located in the genital area.
