Wart on the foot – causes, treatment, home remedies for warts on the feet

Proven content

A wart on the foot is a problem that can affect almost 10% of humanity. The wart on the foot most often affects adolescents, children and people with atopic dermatitis or reduced immunity. Probably more than one of us has felt what is associated with the formation of warts and what consequences it may have. What are the causes of warts on the foot, how to treat it and how to deal with this problem at home?

What is a wart?

The wart is also commonly known as a wart, which grows most often on the feet and hands, but can also be transferred to the face or torso. A wart on the foot is usually a benign skin lesion caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). The HPV virus is widespread in the environment and it causes the multiplication of a large number of skin cells, resulting in the appearance of a wart.

These changes are usually painless in the initial stage and not noticeable, but over time they can cause discomfort due to their unsightly appearance and location. Kurzajki may have a negative impact on the performance of daily activities, especially in the case of warts on feet, which are characterized by significant nuisance.

What are the types of warts?

HPV exists in many varieties and contributes to the formation of warts in many different places, with different structures, shapes, sizes and colors. The most popular types of warts are:

1. common warts – caused by infection with HPV-2, HPV-4 or HPV-7. This type of wart usually appears on the fingers, shafts, or under the nail plate. They are characterized by a pinkish color, sometimes reaching dark brown, with a rough and convex form, and the size ranging from 5 to 10 mm in diameter, they are usually located in larger clusters; 
2. flat warts – are otherwise known as juvenile flat warts because they are most common in children and adolescents. The wart is characterized by a smooth surface and convexity and, reaching a small size, up to a few millimeters, is usually located on the surface of the hands, forearms and face. The wart is caused by skin infection with HPV-3, and less frequently with HPV-10, HPV-27 and HPV-28;
3. genital warts – are caused by the HPV-6 and HPV-11 viruses, which are sexually transmitted, take the form of lumps that look like cauliflower;
4. warts feet – these are one of the most common types of warts, caused by the HPV-1 or HPV-2 virus, characterized by a hard, rough surface, a color similar to the color of the skin and reaching a size of up to 2 cm. They are most often located on the sole of the foot, which causes discomfort and may cause pain that makes it difficult to walk.

Types of warts on the feet and their characteristics

Kurzajki on feet are one of the most popular and most common warts. There are three types of warts on the feet: they are myrmecia warts caused by the HPV-1 virus, another type are mosaic warts caused by the HPV-2 virus, and the last type is periungual warts, i.e. ordinary warts caused by the HPV-1 virus.

1. The viral wart of myrmecia foot – it is a wart taking the form of irregular lumps, resembling cauliflower, usually they are few lumps or single eruptions. This type of wart appearing on the foot is often confused with an imprint, because the skin on the feet is sometimes calloused and quite thick. This wart makes fingerprints disappear in the affected area, which is a very characteristic symptom telling us that we are dealing with a wart and not an imprint on the foot. Initially, this type of wart on the foot begins with the appearance of a single viral wart that begins to spread. The wart is characterized by small dark spots in the central part, which are active blood vessels. The wart on the myrmecia foot penetrates deep into the skin causing inflammation and pain which is especially felt when walking. This wart usually disappears on its own and its reappearance is rather rare because the type of virus that causes wart on the myrmecia foot leaves a permanent immunity.
2. Viral wart of the foot – mosaic is a superficial lesion that is much more numerous than the viral wart of myrmecia foot. These Kurzajki are grouped in the so-called colonies, spread out over the foot, often taking the form of one larger wart surrounded by many smaller ones. This type of wart on the foot does not cause pain, but the course is chronic and has a tendency to recur. The changes in the feet do not go away on their own, and for people with foot hyperhidrosis, recovery may be difficult. The past infection does not give permanent immunity, making mosaic-type viral warts a common infection, especially in people with reduced immunity, e.g. patients with cancer, AIDS or people who have undergone transplants).
3. Viral wart on the nail – this type of wart is located on the feet mainly along the lateral skin folds, takes the form of hyperkeratotic lumps that can be spilled, on which point hemorrhagic lesions are located. This type of wart on the foot does not cause pain, but if the nail bed is infected, painful changes may appear, which may lead to detachment of the nail from the bed and damage the matrix, which affects the abnormal growth of the nail. 

Zobacz: Calluses – the best home remedies for calluses

What do warts look like on the feet?

The warts on the foot are most often located on the sole or on the underside of the toes. The warts on the feet are often confused with the prints that appear at the point of pressure, and the lesion is flat and smooth. The warts on the feet are characterized by a rough surface, sometimes with bloody spots.

In the initial stage of the development of the infection causing the wart, the lesion on the foot is barely noticeable and is often mistaken for an imprint, which is why it is often underestimated. The virus attacks subsequent cells and begins to grow, which causes the wart on the foot to reach a diameter of up to 3 cm. The wart on the foot becomes darker in color and its surface closely resembles cauliflower.

The reasons for the formation of warts on the foot

There are many reasons for the formation of warts on the feet, which is related to the fact that the skin of the feet is often infected with infections, infectious diseases and mycoses caused by the HPV human papillomavirus. The ideal conditions for the development of viruses and bacteria is an environment characterized by heat and moisture, which is generated inside unsuitable footwear and in people suffering from hyperhidrosis of the feet.

The appearance of warts on the feet is caused by an infection with HPV-1 and HPV-2 viruses, which are easily infected through superficial contact with an infected person or a dirty object. The main factor that influences the susceptibility to infection with the virus that causes warts on the foot is the decreased immunity of the organism resulting from improper diet, excessive stress, overwork, past infections, transplants, cancer or AIDS.

Check: Corns – how to remove them? Home remedies to get rid of corns between the toes

The easiest way to get infected with warts located on the foot is in public swimming pools, where, due to moisture, the stratum corneum is loosened, which makes it easier for the virus to penetrate the epidermal barrier. Another group of people exposed to infection with the virus that causes warts on the feet are people struggling with hyperhidrosis of the feet and microcirculation disorders. The main causes and source of foot wart virus infection are:

1. use of public utility places without foot protection, such as: swimming pool, showers, gyms, saunas, changing rooms, changing rooms;
2. infection in people living together in a household;
3. putting on and trying on footwear previously worn by other people,
4. self-infection of the foot with warts from an earlier disease;
5. performing pedicure and sterilized tools.

The best remedies for getting rid of warts on the foot?

After diagnosing the wart on the foot, we begin to wonder how to get rid of it. The first steps are then directed to the pharmacy where you can find various preparations to combat warts on the feet. It is worth remembering that before making a decision to buy a preparation, it is worth consulting a dermatologist or pharmacist because many of them are available only on prescription.

One of the popular preparations used to combat warts on the feet is brodacid, which comes in the form of a varnish that is applied with a stick. This preparation includes lactic and salicylic acid and dimethylsulfoxide, the task of which is to facilitate the penetration of acids into the epidermis. This drug causes the wart on the foot to change color to white, after which the wart falls off. Be careful when using this preparation because it has caustic properties.

An alternative to brodacid is a duofilm containing lactic acid and salicylic acid. Another preparation is verrumal, which is available only on prescription. It is a gel drug that is applied with a brush. Verrumal consists of fluorouracil and lactic acid. The preparation, when applied to the wart located on the foot, dries up to form a thin shell.

A preparation that can be used at home to get rid of warts on the foot is Wartnerwhich has a cooling effect. The method of using the preparation is quite simple, just put a disposable tip on the applicator, which soaks it with liquid nitrogen, and the frozen tip is placed on the wart on the foot for several seconds. Sometimes an invisible blister appears at the site of freezing, which later falls off. This procedure can be repeated after 2 weeks if the skin lesion persists.

A more safe preparation that is not caustic and does not irritate healthy skin is Aldara cream available on prescription, whose task is to stimulate the immune system that will fight warts on the feet. It should be remembered that the treatment time with preparations may be different and depends on the size of the wart and the systematic use of the drug. When treating warts on the feet, it is worth helping with preparations that will support the immune system, such as homeopathic granules: Thuia occidentalis, herbal tablets Esberitox N, capsules containing fish oil or omega-3 acids.

Homemade warts on feet?

The first thing when ailments occur is to look for home remedies to cure or alleviate symptoms. The treatment of warts on the feet can also be helped with home remedies. Are they effective? It cannot be stated unequivocally, but it does not hurt to try to use the methods used by our grandmothers.

A popular method for warts on the feet is the use of celandine, that is, the swallow herb that grows on the edges of forests, in meadows, gardens and roadside roads. The juice in the stem of this plant has healing properties, so after breaking the stem, apply the juice leaking from it to the wart on the foot. This treatment should be repeated twice a day until the lesion disappears or falls off.

Another plant that can be used to treat wart on the foot is dandelion, which is a weed that can be found almost everywhere. The method of application is the same as in the case of celandine, as the juice from its stem also has healing properties.

Another home-made method is to smear the wart on the foot several times a day with tea tree oil, which you can buy at a pharmacy or herbal store.

Also read: Salicylic acid – properties and application in care

For the treatment of warts, you can reach for it in our kitchen Garlic called a natural antibiotic. It is enough to put crushed garlic on the wart on the foot and cover the place with a plaster.

One way that requires more time from us is making bathing in salt solution. The preparation of the solution is very simple, it is enough to dissolve about 6 to 7 tablespoons of salt in a liter of water and soak the foot with warts in it for about 30 minutes.

Folk medicine also knows other ways that seem rather ancient superstitions. One of them involves tying a wart with a thread, and another one involves tying as many knots on a string as you have warts, and then such a string should be buried under the stone or thrown away. When this string rots, the warts are said to disappear. Paramedical medicine also has its own ways of getting rid of warts from the feet by hypnosis.

Treatments used to remove warts?

Warts on the feet are an ailment that often causes pain that prevents everyday activities. When treatment with home remedies or with the use of preparations from the pharmacy does not bring the desired results, it is worth going for a dermatological consultation and undergoing surgery.

One of the most popular treatments performed by a specialist in the office to remove warts from the foot is cryotherapy, that is, freezing with liquid nitrogen. This treatment is used on a small area on one foot because a blister filled with serum often forms, which can make walking difficult and cause pain. Sometimes the treatment needs to be repeated several times, especially if the wart on the foot is large and old. You can now buy Help4Skin warts and warts on Medonet Market – an aerosol that allows you to remove warts on your own at home.

Another treatment is electrocoagulation which consists in removing the wart on the foot with the help of a current, which causes shearing of the protein located in the wart. This treatment is long-lasting as the wound may heal for about 7 days, leaving visible scars.

Read: Coagulation (thermolysis) – what is it, what is its use in cosmetology and medicine?

One of the most effective methods of treating warts on the foot is laser removal. This method is quick and painless, it consists in evaporating the lesion through the laser light, leaving a small erosion on the skin which heals quickly. In the case of warts located on the feet that are resistant to the effects of non-surgical preparations and treatments, a specialist may perform the so-called curettage. This procedure is a mechanical wart removal with the use of surgical instruments under local anesthesia.

The costs of the treatments are quite varied and depend on the number of changes and their extent, and may vary from several dozen to several hundred zlotys.

How can I prevent warts on my feet?

As a popular saying goes, prevention is better than cure. So how can you prevent warts on your feet?

It is very difficult to prevent warts on the feet, as HPV is very contagious and spreads easily. However, we can take steps to reduce the risk of contamination and prevent warts on the feet.

The main way is to follow the rules of hygiene. Seemingly simple and obvious, and how often neglected by children but also adults. An important rule is frequent and thorough washing of hands, especially when in contact with other people. We should also observe hygiene rules in places of public use, such as swimming pools, showers, saunas, changing rooms, etc. on the feet. It is important to always use your own towel and use your own mat in the gym or training room.

Have you ever measured barefoot shoes in a shoe store? If so, then you have created the perfect conditions for infection with the virus that causes warts on the feet. Remember, never try on shoes that other people have worn or measured without your socks.

Another easy way to catch foot warts is to perform non-hygienic foot treatments at home or at a pedicurist’s. Remember, do not use someone else’s accessories, pumice stone, foot brushes, pedicure tools. Always check whether the beautician performing the service disinfects the tools after each client or whether he uses disposable tools.

An important issue in the prevention of warts on the feet is to take care and control the condition of your feet. It is very important to moisturize them so that you avoid cuts and abrasions to the skin, through which the virus can get very easily. Also take care of the condition of the immune system through a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding prolonged and excessive stress and regular physical activity.