Plantar warts

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Plantar warts (Verrucae plantares, plantar warts) are warts on the sole of the foot, heel or between the toes. They are very painful and can even make walking impossible. From the outside they look quite small, but they usually reach deep into the subcutaneous tissue. Read everything you need to know about plantar warts here: What do they look like? What is causing it? How can you treat plantar warts?

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. B07

How to recognize plantar warts

If you have painful warts on your feet, they are most likely plantar warts (verrucae plantares). Usually these warts colonize the soles of the feet or heels, sometimes also the space between the toes.

In contrast to common warts (Verrucae vulgares), plantar warts generally barely protrude above the surface of the skin: Because of their location on the sole of the foot or heel, the body weight rests on them. Therefore, they cannot form hemispherical skin nodules (like common warts). Instead, the plantar warts are pressed inwards: They usually reach deep into the subcutaneous tissue. On the outside there is only a slightly thickened horny layer with a soft, smooth surface and a brownish-gray color. The latter is the result of closely spaced black dots. These are traces of blood leaked from superficial, finest blood vessels (capillaries).

Note: Plantar warts are also called plantar warts, plantar warts or piercing warts. If several plantar warts are very close together, one speaks of mosaic warts.

Plantar warts: cause & contagion

Plantar warts are caused by certain types of the human papilloma virus (HPV). They are considered very contagious. You become infected with the pathogens by walking barefoot, for example in the swimming pool, in the sports hall, changing room or communal shower.

This is how you can treat plantar warts

If you want to remove plantar warts, you need patience: The skin tumors can be quite stubborn. Consistent treatment is advisable, especially if the plantar warts cause great pain when walking. Because of the pain, some patients step with the affected foot only very carefully and, if possible, in such a way that the plantar wart is not stressed. Over time, this gentle cycle can cause long-term consequences such as foot misalignments. In addition, there is a risk of injury if you don't walk properly.

There are several ways to treat plantar warts:

In order to dissolve the horny layer of a piercing wart, a plaster containing salicylic acid can be stuck on for at least 48 hours. The acid softens the horny layer. After removing the patch, take a long foot bath with lukewarm water. Then you can gently sand the softened horny layer with a nail file or a pumice stone. If necessary, the whole process can be repeated. Then you can also apply an acid solution to destroy the wart tissue - possibly in combination with 5-fluorouracil, a cell poison.

Another way to remove stubborn plantar warts is cryotherapy - freezing with liquid nitrogen. In principle, the opposite process is electrocoagulation: The plantar warts are "burned" with an electric current. In addition, plantar warts can be removed by heating them up with a laser and thus destroying them (laser therapy).

Finally, the doctor can remove the plantar warts with a special surgical instrument (the sharp spoon).

Whichever treatment method you choose: If you were able to remove the plantar warts successfully, the problem is usually not finally resolved. Unfortunately, the warts often come back.

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