Warts Specialist

Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates

Podiatry & Foot and Ankle Surgery located in Mission Viejo, CA

If you regularly walk around barefoot at your local pool or gym locker room, you’re more likely to develop foot warts. Foot warts aren’t a serious health problem, but they can be painful and affect your mobility and quality of life. At Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates, their team of skilled podiatrists offers safe and effective wart treatments to people of all ages. To request your podiatric foot wart consultation, call the office or book online today.

949-364-2525

Warts Q&A

What are foot warts?

Foot warts or plantar warts are small, flesh-colored nodules that usually develop on the soles and balls of your feet. They can also develop along the toes. Standing and walking put pressure on them, causing a hard, calloused exterior to form.

Warts are unsightly and, depending on their location, may cause you pain. If you have diabetes or another immunocompromised condition, you’re also at a higher risk of recurrent warts or warts that don’t respond to traditional treatments.

What are the symptoms of warts?

The symptoms of warts vary depending on their size and location. Telltale signs of foot warts include:

A small fleshy or grainy lesion
Hard, thickened skin over a bump or spot
Small scattered black dots along the lesion that bleed with debridement
Pain when walking or standing
Tenderness when walking or standing

The black dots are clotted blood vessels that provide the wart with oxygen.

Who is at risk of getting warts?

Anyone can develop a wart, but certain factors increase your risk, including:

Being a child or teenager
Having a weakened immune system
Having a history of warts

You’re also more likely to get warts if you don’t wear protective footwear. Warts occur as a result of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV thrives in warm, damp conditions like locker rooms, pool sides, and saunas. You can significantly lower your risk of warts by wearing sandals or water shoes in public spaces.

How are foot warts diagnosed?

To diagnose warts, your provider physically examines your feet and toes. If it’s not obvious that the lesion is a wart, they might also pare the lesion with a scalpel to look for the black dots or take a biopsy and send your sample to a laboratory for further testing.

How are warts treated?

The podiatrists at Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates treat stubborn warts first by using topical, pain-free options. For more persistent or stubborn infections, they provide extensive eradication options.

Your provider might first recommend an in-office treatment with cryotherapy (freezing) or special type of acid. If your warts return or your symptoms don’t improve, your podiatrist might recommend a minor surgery excise and remove the wart.

To learn more about the various treatment options for foot warts, make an appointment at Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates today. Call the office or use the online scheduling tool at any time to schedule an appointment.