Common Warts are the most typical type of foot wart. They are usually small, firm bumps with a rough grainy surface and can appear anywhere on the foot, but are most found on the toes and balls of the feet. They can range in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters. Common warts are usually skin-colored but can sometimes have a yellow hue.

Plantar Warts are similar to common warts, but they are found on the soles of the feet. They can be painful, especially when pressure is applied to them when walking or standing. They usually have a black dot in the center and are surrounded by calloused skin. Plantar warts can be very difficult to treat, and may require multiple treatments with prescription medications or even surgery.

Filiform Warts are long, thin warts that tend to grow on the top of the feet or around the ankles. They are usually skin-colored, but can sometimes have a yellowish hue. They may have small, finger-like projections that make them look like small strands of hair.

Flat Warts are small, flat bumps that tend to grow in clusters. They are usually skin-colored, but can sometimes be slightly brownish or yellowish. They are most commonly found on the toes and soles of the feet. 

Periungual Warts are warts that grow around the nails. They can cause pain, discomfort, and difficulty in trimming the toenails. These warts can be difficult to treat, and may require multiple treatments with prescription medications or even surgery.

Mosaic Warts are clusters of several smaller warts that are usually found on the soles of the feet. They are usually yellowish-brown in color and have a rough, grainy surface. These warts can be difficult to treat and may require multiple treatments with prescription medications or even surgery.

Various warts found on the foot, like Plantar warts and Common warts, are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This viral invader enters through tiny cuts, weak spots, or wounds in your foot. Once infected, warts are contagious and can be painful, embarrassing, and difficult to treat.

Not everyone who comes into contact with HPV winds up with a wart outbreak, but you have a higher chance of suffering from foot warts if:

• You’re younger (warts are common in children and teens)
• You have a weakened immune system due to chronic disease
• You’ve experienced warts on the feet in the past

Because viral organisms that cause plantar warts love dark and moist environments, your chances of coming into contact with HPV are higher if you walk around barefoot in a gym locker room, public showers, or near a pool deck. 

Although foot warts can develop anywhere along your soles, they most commonly form along the balls of your feet and between the bottoms of your toes. As you continue walking on them, eventually, warts start growing inward and thickened calluses start forming over them.

Because warts stem from a viral infection, they can be stubborn to treat. Plus, if you don’t properly treat them, warts tend to come back again and again. 

For these reasons, the team at Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco & Plano recommends scheduling an evaluation and starting medical treatment as soon as you notice signs of foot warts. Your wart treatment at Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco & Plano can include:

• Liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart
• Topical acid solutions
• Pulsed dye laser treatments
• Surgical excision of the wart

Although these methods don’t prevent future warts from recurring, surgical excision has a low rate of recurrence and a high success rate. Making simple changes in your life can also help prevent future wart infections. This includes wearing shoes in public showers and locker rooms and avoiding direct contact with people who have warts.