Unless it becomes painful, you may not even notice that you have a plantar wart, which can look like calloused skin. In fact, some can come and go without needing treatment. But when they don’t go away, they can become annoying and unsightly. Taking your shoes off, especially at a friend’s house during summer would feel like a no-no.

So what can you do about it?

First, be sure to spread love, not warts. Plantar warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious through direct contact, shared towels and clothes, or while walking barefoot in locker room floors. The virus enters the skin through any breaks in the skin, such as cuts or scrapes. To prevent spreading warts, make sure you don’t share towels or socks, and use flip-flops in communal areas.

Second, you can try some home treatments using over-the-counter items.

• For some, duct tape occlusion therapy can work. By keeping duct tape over the wart, it “treats” it by smothering it.
• Salicylic Acid drops, ointments, or bandages are available to treat warts. Follow the instructions on the box, which include a warm foot soak to soften the warts, and then filing down the wart with an emery board or pumice stone (unless it causes pain)
• Over-the-counter cryotherapy treatments are also available – begin with the same foot soak and filing for more effective treatment.

Third, if over-the-counter treatments do not work, our podiatrist can treat you in the office using stronger cryotherapy or chemicals. He can also safely surgically remove some of the hardened skin.

Finally, take prevention measures. If you’ve been infected, the virus may live on in your body and reappear. However, to prevent a new infection, make sure to keep your feet clean. Wash your feet each day and fully dry them. Moisturize if necessary and treat any cuts or scrapes. Also, wear flip-flops in communal areas in which people might be going barefoot. And don’t be part of the problem – don’t go barefoot in communal areas when you’ve got an active plantar wart!

Do you have wart problem that won’t go away or has gotten out of hand? Come see our podiatrist, Dr. Jonathan M. Kletz of Texas Foot Works. Make an appointment today at any of our Abrams (Dallas), Athens, and Gun Barrell City, TX offices.