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Causes & Risk Factors For Plantar Warts

Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can infect the soles and surrounding skin of the feet. This common virus causes thickening of the skin, due to the friction of walking or standing. Plantar warts can be painful if pressure is applied to them. Although they may appear to be callouses or corns on the feet, plantar warts can be distinguished by their raised cauliflower shape with tiny black dots, which are actually blood clots on the surface of the wart.

  1. Causes

    • Plantar warts are transmitted through direct skin contact with the human papillomavirus. Although the strain of HPV that causes plantar warts is not highly contagious, warm, moist environments, such as shower floors, encourage the virus to thrive. An infected person may scratch or touch his foot and then spread the virus by touching another person. Each person's immune system is different and not all people who come into contact with this strain of HPV will contract plantar warts.

    Mosaic Warts

    • If an individual has a weakened immune system or is particularly susceptible to the HPV strain that causes plantar warts, the warts may continue to spread. When the warts spread into clusters, called mosaic warts, they can be painful and debilitating. Mosaic warts can cause an individual to lose mobility due to the pain of standing or walking.

    Risk Factor #1: HIV and AIDS Patients

    • Individuals who have a suppressed or weakened immune system may be at a higher risk for contracting plantar warts. Those who suffer from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are particularly prone to HPV. People with HIV or AIDS are susceptible to mosaic warts. These clusters are resistant to treatment when HIV and AIDS patients have low white blood cell counts.

    Risk Factor #2: Lymphoma Patients

    • Lymphoma is a type of cancer that attacks the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is responsible for fighting infections in the body by draining excess fluids from tissue. Due to a weakened lymphatic system, lymphoma patients have a higher risk of contracting plantar warts. If these warts are inadvertently cut or scratched open, they may become infected and cause more strain on the lymphatic system.

    Risk Factor #3: Eczema Sufferers

    • Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a disease of the outer layers of the skin. The skin becomes chronically inflamed and itchy. Although not contagious, eczema sufferers find that the inflammation sometimes spreads to different parts of their bodies. Eczema sufferers are more susceptible to HPV and plantar warts, as the itching of eczema usually causes the sufferer to constantly touch and scratch the skin.

    Treatment

    • Depending on the size of the plantar warts and the patient's underlying medical conditions, simple over-the-counter remedies may be effective. These remedies usually contain a high salicylic acid content (up to 40 percent) in the form of adhesive disks that can be applied directly to the wart. If the warts are larger or in mosaic clusters, podiatrists may freeze them with liquid nitrogen and surgically remove them. There is no cure for plantar warts, as they may reappear, even while treatments are being applied. The virus, however, sometimes dies without any intervention or treatment, and the warts simply disappear.

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