What Causes Plantar Warts?

It’s just as important to know what causes plantar warts, as it is to know how to treat them. Having said that, plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (or HPV for short).

Becoming infected with HPV, and thus developing plantar warts, can result from a variety of factors, including sharing shoes or socks with an infected individual, walking barefoot in communal showers, or because of a weakened immune system.

It’s highly recommended that you avoid the aforementioned to the extent possible, i.e. Don’t share footwear with others, always wear something on your feet while walking outdoors, and do what you can to keep your immune system healthy and functioning normally.

Needless to say, walking can become highly irritating when you have a foot (plantar) wart, and if this describes you, then expect your podiatrist to recommend their immediate removal.

This is good advice, given that warts usually take one or two years before disintegrating on their own, if at all. Not only that, the virus can spread to other parts of the foot, or even other parts of the body. Suffice it to say, it’s best to pursue treatment as soon as you notice a wart developing.

Some likely treatments your doctor will recommend are cryotherapy, laser surgery or electro-surgery. If you have insurance, then it’s likely that these procedures will be covered, given that the warts removal would be deemed a medical necessity. Of course, you can always check with your insurance provider if you’re concerned about any out of pocket expenses.

You’ll be pleased to know that wart treatment procedures can often eliminate a wart in a single session, but in severe cases, it may take two. The healing time varies depending on the procedure used, but in general, you can expect to recover fully within about two or three weeks.

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