Coppell Wart Services

If you find a suspicious growth on your foot that you think may be a wart, it is best to consult a podiatrist to ensure a correct diagnosis. The podiatric physicians at North Texas Foot & Ankle, located near Coppell, can help effectively diagnose warts and recommend the best treatment for each patient.

Warts are a painful condition caused by a virus that can appear anywhere on the skin. Warts that develop on the sole of the foot are known as plantar warts. Children and teenagers tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults, while some people seem to be immune.

The wart-causing virus typically invades the skin through small or invisible cuts or abrasions. Plantar warts, for example, are sometimes contracted by walking barefoot on dirty surfaces or littered ground where the virus is. The virus thrives in warm, moist environments such as communal bathing and swimming facilities.

Warts that are left untreated can grow to an inch or more in circumference. Warts that spread into clusters of several warts are called mosaic warts. Like any other infectious lesion, plantar warts are spread by touching, scratching, or even through contact with skin shed from another wart. Warts that bleed create another route for possible spreading. Warts occasionally disappear after a short time and can also recur in the same location.

Plantar warts on the feet

Plantar warts are usually hard and flat, with a rough surface and boundaries that are well-defined. Warts on the top of the foot or toes are generally raised and fleshier, whereas plantar warts are often gray or brown with a center that appears as one or more pinpoints of black.

When plantar warts develop on the weight-bearing areas of the foot, such as the ball of the foot or heel, they can cause sharp, burning pain when weight is put down on the wart. Pressure on the side of a wart can also be painful.

Diagnosing Warts

On rare occasions, malignant or cancerous lesions such as carcinomas and melanomas can appear on the foot and be misidentified as a wart. A podiatrist can ensure a correct diagnosis and recommend treatment.

Your podiatric physician may prescribe and supervise your use of a wart-removal preparation. The simple surgical removal of warts, performed under local anesthetic, may also be an option along with laser cautery in more severe cases.

Contact our Coppell podiatry office at 214-574-9255 or request an appointment online if you find a growth on your feet that may be a wart or plantar wart.