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Complications of Plantar Warts

A plantar wart is a wart found on the bottom of the foot or toes. It is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and affects somewhere between 7 to 10 percent of the population at any given time. Although most plantar warts heal over time, some are quite stubborn or are left untreated, thereby leading to various complications.

  1. Severe Pain

    • The most common complication of plantar warts is extreme pain at the site of the wart and the surrounding area. Because plantar warts occur on the feet, such pain can prevent you from being able to walk, run or stand as you normally would. With proper medical care, however, you should feel relief and be able to resume your normal activities in a reasonable amount of time.

    Multiple Warts

    • If you do not treat your plantar wart from its onset, you may find that your one wart has turned into many. HPV is extremely contagious and can easily spread from one area of the skin to another. Therefore, if you do not treat a seemingly small plantar wart, it will likely grow and spread, forming clusters of warts all over your foot.

    Infection From Lack of Treatment

    • If left untreated, plantar warts can easily become infected. If your wart is red, swollen or bleeding, it is most likely infected. In this instance, you should seek medical advice immediately.

    Infection Following Treatment

    • Treatment for plantar warts involves either burning the wart with acid, freezing the wart to kill the virus or surgically removing the wart. All of these methods leave the inner layers of the skin exposed, which can become infected if not kept clean during the healing process.

    Complications Related to Diabetes

    • Diabetic adults and elderly people may suffer from additional complications related to their diabetes. In general, having diabetes makes it more difficult to heal plantar warts. The longer the warts remain, the more likely it is for a diabetic to develop serious foot complications that may lead to skin cancer.

    Cancer

    • Even healthy people can potentially contract cancer from untreated warts. Although highly unlikely, it is possible for untreated plantar warts to become cancerous over time. Thus, it is important to seek proper care for plantar warts from the beginning.

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