Plantar warts: recognise, treat, prevent

Warts on the sole of the foot – so-called plantar warts or verrucas – are caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV). Because body weight pushes them inwards, they can sting when walking like a small stone in your shoe.

How do I recognise a wart?

• rough, hardened patch, often on the ball of the foot or the heel
• tiny black dots in the middle – these are small, clotted blood vessels
• pain is worse when squeezed from the sides than with direct pressure

A corn looks similar but has a glassy core and no dots. If in doubt, we will take a look.

How is it transmitted?

The viruses enter through tiny injuries in the skin – especially where many people walk barefoot: swimming pools, saunas, showers and changing rooms. Damp, softened skin and a weakened immune system make infection more likely.

Treatment: patience pays off

Many warts disappear on their own after months. Bothersome or painful warts are usually treated with special solutions or plasters from the pharmacy; stubborn warts are frozen or otherwise removed by a doctor, e.g. a dermatologist. It is important to stick with the treatment.

Please don’t cut them open or out yourself – this spreads the viruses and can lead to inflammation. With diabetes or circulation problems, only use wart remedies after professional advice.

How we help

We gently remove the hard skin over the wart. This relieves the pressure pain and helps wart remedies penetrate the skin better. We work with sterile single-use or reprocessed instruments so that nothing spreads. And we advise you when a visit to a dermatologist makes sense.

Prevention

• Wear flip-flops in swimming pools, saunas and communal showers
• Dry your feet well after bathing, including between the toes
• Use your own towels and nail tools
• Cover warts so they don’t spread to other areas or people