Warts of the foot, AKA plantar warts or verruca plantaris, are a viral infection caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Plantar warts can affected people of all ages but tend to be more common in adolescence or immunocompromised individuals. These lesions present as either a solitary wart or a cluster or warts called a mosaic wart. They tend to be painful with side to side compression, have an absence of skin lines through the lesion, and have small black dots in the center called “hyphae” which are actually dry blood contained within the capillaries of the wart. If you think you have a wart you should consult with your podiatrist right away as warts not only can multiply but can also spread from person to person by contact. When you come to the podiatry office your doctor will talk to you about the different treatment options for plantar warts including topical kerolytics (AKA cantharidin or salycyclic acid, the ingredient found in most over the counter medications), cryotherapy, or laser therapy.
The above picture depicts a plantar wart. Notice the absence of skin lines through the wart as well as the central hyphae. These clinical clues help determine that this lesion is a wart.