| Warts
are one of several soft tissue conditions of the
foot that can be quite painful. They are caused
by a virus, which generally invades the skin through
small or invisible cuts and abrasions. They can
appear anywhere on the skin, but, technically,
only those on the sole are properly called plantar
warts. Children, especially teenagers, tend to
be more susceptible to warts than adults; some
people seem to be immune.
Most
warts are harmless, even though they may be painful.
They are often mistaken for corns or calluses—which
are layers of dead skin that build up to protect
an area which is being continuously irritated.
The wart, however, is a viral infection.
Plantar
warts tend to be hard and flat, with a rough surface
and well-defined boundaries; warts are generally
raised and fleshier when they appear on the top
of the foot or on the toes. Plantar warts are
often gray or brown (but the color may vary),
with a center that appears as one or more pinpoints
of black. It
is important to note that warts can be very resistant
to treatment and have a tendency to reoccur.
Source
of the Virus
The
plantar wart is often contracted by walking barefoot
on dirty surfaces or littered ground where the
virus is lurking. The causative virus thrives
in warm, moist environments, making infection
a common occurrence in communal bathing facilities.
If
left untreated, warts can grow to an inch or more
in circumference and can spread into clusters
of several warts; these are often called mosaic
warts. Like any other infectious lesion, plantar
warts are spread by touching, scratching, or even
by contact with skin shed from another wart. The
wart may also bleed, another route for spreading.
Occasionally,
warts can spontaneously disappear after a short
time, and, just as frequently, they can recur
in the same location.
When
plantar warts develop on the weight-bearing areas
of the foot—the ball of the foot, or the heel,
for example—they can be the source of sharp, burning
pain. Pain occurs when weight is brought to bear
directly on the wart, although pressure on the
side of a wart can create equally intense pain.
Tips
for Prevention: |
