Why Do I Keep Getting Warts on My Feet?

Skin issues are a part of life. It is normal for any person to deal with various skin problems from time to time. One of the most common issues is having warts. They can grow anywhere on one’s body, with varying kinds, but are often seen on the hands and the soles.

Warts on the bottom of the foot are commonly called plantar warts. They are usually seen as tiny, black spots growing within the hard, flat, and rough-surfaced growth on the skin, though they also vary in appearance and may appear rough, skin-colored, dome-shaped, brown, or gray.

These become especially difficult to deal with due to some instances of warts growing in areas that bear one’s weight when walking. To avoid getting this skin issue,  Family Foot and Ankle Care can help.

So Why Does One Keep Getting Warts?

According to research, warts come in different varieties. These are all caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), entering the skin through minor cuts and weak areas.

The growth happens rapidly due to the infected broken skin. Additionally, plantar warts grow in weight-bearing areas of the sole of the feet due to the pressure these areas go through when walking or running. Sometimes, cuticle picking and shaving also cause warts.

On another note, there are rare instances when serious complications arise because warts can be a symptom of cervical, anal, and throat cancer. Immunocompromised people may also develop warts on various body parts, leading to disfigurement.

Fortunately, studies show that the strains of the virus that cause serious health complications are different from wart-causing strains. The types of HPV that cause warts are typically classified as low-risk.

Therefore, warts seldom pose a grave danger to one’s health. They are also usually painless unless found in a place where pressure is put, such as a finger or your heel. They also usually vanish on their own.

How to Stop Getting Warts on Your Feet

Below are some tips that can help anyone prevent getting warts:

Avoid Going Barefoot

If you keep getting warts on your feet periodically, you may be a fan of going barefoot. Note that the leading cause of contracting plantar warts is walking barefoot in public areas.

The virus that causes these warts thrive in warm, moist environments; therefore, places with water like swimming pools are quite often linked to contracting the condition.

Since places like locker rooms and water parks have high moisture levels, footwear and foot care help prevent them.

Avoid Direct Contact

The virus strains that cause plantar warts are not contagious enough to be easily spread from person to person through direct contact. Still, it’s important to avoid direct contact with them for good measure.

It is advised to wash your hands carefully after touching a wart, even your own. This practice lessens the possibility of spreading the virus to other healthy parts of your body with small cracks and cuts.

Using the same logic, it is also highly discouraged to pick or scratch your warts, much more those of someone else’s.

Practice Proper Hygiene

Proper hygiene is a big help in preventing the contraction of the HPV strains that cause plantar warts. Bad habits such as reusing socks are discouraged.

Keeping your feet clean and dry is a big help, too, as well as avoiding getting cuts under your feet, especially on weight-bearing areas.

As with any infection, grooming equipment such as nail cutters can spread the virus that caused the infection and even create small cuts in the skin. As such, it is generally advised when dealing with plantar warts that when grooming, don’t use the same equipment on both your infected body part and healthy ones.

Refrain From Sharing Personal Items

Part of proper hygiene practices is using only personal items for oneself. Razors, washcloths, towels should not be shared, as these can spread the virus from warts.

That said, it is also wise to protect your personal space if you’re living with other people in case someone has them (especially unknowingly).

Moving Forward

There are various ways to treat the condition, including cryotherapy or freezing, surgical removal, or more aggressive methods like immunotherapy.

Topical medicines with the chemical cantharidin can also work. This medication helps create blisters under the wart to cut off its blood supply. Laser treatment also helps kill warts.

However, it is unfortunate that these treatments do not always work. Even when warts vanish on their own, there are times when they come back or are spread elsewhere. That is why prevention is still better.

It is also advised to get the HPV vaccine to help prevent contracting the virus. We understand that this skin condition may cause embarrassment and discomfort, but at the end of the day, it can be manageable with the right advice from the doctor.