What does a wart look like?

A wart can grow anywhere on the body but they’re really common on hands and feet. When they appear on your feet, they’re called plantar warts. They can feel soft and spongy, or hard, flat, and rough. Their color is brown or gray. If you look closely within the wart area, you might see small specks of red, black, or brown.

How did I get a wart?

There are some myths out there about how you can get a wart, thanks to some very imaginative and persistent fairy tales. But believe us when we tell you that kissing a toad will not give you a wart. The only cause of warts is a virus called HPV (human papillomavirus). The virus enters through small breaks in the skin, causing abnormally quick growth on the skin’s outer layer.

The best way to avoid the HPV virus is not to go barefoot. This time of year, it’s common to want to walk barefoot at the pool, the water park, or the public locker room, but these warm, moist places populated by lots of people are exactly where you’ll find HPV.

Are warts dangerous?

Warts can hurt, but these skin lesions on your feet won’t turn cancerous (another myth).

Are warts contagious?

Yes. Warts are spread through touching, scratching, and even sharing infected towels. You can spread warts to another person or to another part of your own body.

What should I do to treat warts?

Home treatments for warts are readily available, but what river region podiatrists Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts and Dr. Heidi M. Christie want you to understand is that warts are difficult to remove on your own. The virus has a tendency to stick around in your system and warts recur, even after being removed. For best results, make an appointment with us at our office in Montgomery, AL. We have several ways to wipe out warts and make sure they don’t return.

How do I prevent plantar warts?

Protect your feet with shoes or sandals when walking in dirty or wet areas. Wash and dry your feet thoroughly and put on clean socks and shoes every day.

All of us at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists invite you to give your warts – and all other ailments of the feet – expert, professional treatment.  Call us at (334) 396-3668 or visit us online.