A plantar wart is a hard lesion or bump that grows on the heels area of your feet. They form a thick layer on the skin called callus and can cause pain and discomfort. HPV virus causes planter warts and they penetrate the skin through tiny cuts or wounds on the feet. Plantar warts are of no concern as long as they do not cause pain. They are benign (harmless) skin growth on the feet developing due to viral infection. You can get it removed either by medication or by surgical procedure.
Symptoms Of Plantar Wart :
Plantar warts appear as tiny rough growth resembling a lesion or bump on your feet. It is actually accumulation of hardened skin where the wart grows inward. Some people would have black spots on their feet called wart seeds. It is nothing but a blood clot which exists as pinpoints on the feet.
Plantar warts are not always painful. For some people it may cause pain/discomfort while walking. Plantar warts occur as single and also in group in the form of clusters and they differ in size, shape and color. You can visit the clinic if you have pain due to plantar warts or if the lesions change its color or if the warts appear again even if you have removed it.
Plantar Wart Causes :
Plantar warts are viral infection caused by human papilloma virus. It spreads from one person to another either by direct or indirect contact. A person having a wart on his hand/feet would touch an object or walk barefooted in his bathroom. When another person uses the same object or gets into the bathroom he can easily contact the virus. However not each person touching the same object will get plantar warts. It depends on his immunity and antibodies secretion. The chances of getting infected warts are more if the immunity of the person is weak. Every person in the community will show different response to the virus.
The virus thriving on plantar warts would remain latent in warm and moist environment. When the situations become favorable it gets into the skin of another person causing infection. There should be suitable point of entry on the skin like cuts or injury or open wound for the virus to gain entry. Even small cracks on the foot or scrapes on the skin is enough for the virus to penetrate the skin.
Who Are At Risk ?