What is the difference between plantar warts and regular warts

According to the AAD , common warts often develop on the fingers, nails, toes, or the back of the hand. Sometimes, common warts develop on the knees. Common warts usually occur in areas of broken skin, such as around bitten fingernails or where someone has pulled a hangnail. Common warts are rough in texture and can vary in size from a pinhead to pea size. Some common warts contain tiny, seed-like black dots.

Plantar warts usually occur on the feet or ankles. Doctors often refer to plantar warts that grow on the soles of the feet and toes as verrucas.

Plantar warts resemble thick, calloused skin, often with black dots on the surface. Because plantar warts tend to develop on the soles, they are often flat , and a person can push them inward as they walk. According to a article , mosaic warts appear in clusters, usually on the ball of the foot or the toes.

However, mosaic warts can cover areas anywhere on the sole of the foot. Flat warts , or plane warts, are slightly raised and smooth in appearance.

Flat warts can be light brown and develop most often on the forehead and cheeks. However, flat warts can also develop on the hands, lower arms, and legs. According to the AAD , filiform warts are long and spiky and often appear around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Filiform warts grow quickly. Periungual warts grow around the finger and toenails, usually spreading underneath the nail.

According to an article in Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy , the location of periungual warts can make them difficult for a person to treat. Genital warts are a form of sexually transmitted infection STI. However, depending on the size and location, they can cause pain or itchiness. Genital warts range in color from pink to dark brown and can be flat, bumpy, or grow from the skin on stalks.

Our doctors will assist you with all of your foot and ankle needs. Plantar warts are the result of HPV, or human papillomavirus, getting into open wounds on the feet. They are mostly found on the heels or balls of the feet.

While plantar warts are generally harmless, those experiencing excessive pain or those suffering from diabetes or a compromised immune system require immediate medical care. Plantar warts are easily diagnosed, usually through scraping off a bit of rough skin or by getting a biopsy. To help prevent developing plantar warts, avoid walking barefoot over abrasive surfaces that can cause cuts or wounds for HPV to get into. Avoiding direct contact with other warts, as well as not picking or rubbing existing warts, can help prevent the further spread of plantar warts.

A: A common wart should not bleed unless it is scraped, scratched or injured in some way. If a wart bleeds without a clear cause or bleeds profusely after injury, it is important to consult a doctor without delay.

Q: Can common warts be painful? A: While most warts do not cause pain, some can, especially if they grow in an area which is pressed on often, e. If a common wart is painful, it is recommended that you see a doctor to make sure it is not serious and to receive appropriate treatment. Q: Can a common wart get infected? A: A wart itself is the result of infection of the skin with HPV.

Warts do not generally become infected with bacteria, unless they are scratched, cut or otherwise injured in some way. In such cases, it is possible that bacteria may enter the wart or surrounding area, and a bacterial infection may result, causing pain, discoloration and other symptoms.

If you are concerned that a wart may be infected, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Q: Should I be concerned about common warts during pregnancy?

A: No, infection with HPV should not pose any risk to your baby. As in any case of common warts, no treatment may be necessary, though options are available over the counter and from doctors. Q: Does duct tape work on common warts? A: Occasionally recommended as a home remedy for warts, duct tape has not been confirmed as an effective treatment. Research is conflicting, but some people believe that doing the following may help to get rid of a common wart:.

Results may only be seen after a number of weeks, if at all. Duct tape can cause skin irritation, bleeding and pain when removed. It should never be used in sensitive areas, such as the underarms or face.

Q: What are the signs that a common wart is going away? This may happen on its own or with treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed October 16, Mayo Clinic. Accessed August 15, Accessed August 17, NHS inform. Accessed February 24, American Academy of Dermatology.

Accessed August 16, Journal of drugs in dermatology. The Egyptian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology. Warts are growing or spreading rapidly despite treatment. Signs of infection develop. These may include: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness. Red streaks leading from the area. Pus draining from the area. A fever. A plantar wart becomes too painful to walk on. You have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease and you need treatment for a wart on a leg or foot.

You have warts on your genitals or around the anus. Watchful waiting Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. Treatment Overview Treatment Overview Most warts don't need treatment. But if you have warts that are painful or are spreading, or if you're bothered by the way they look, your treatment choices include: Using a home treatment such as salicylic acid or duct tape.

You can get these without a prescription. Putting a stronger medicine on the wart, or getting a shot of medicine in it. Freezing the wart cryotherapy. There is an over-the-counter medicine you can use at home. Or you can have your doctor freeze it for you. Removing the wart with surgery electrosurgery, curettage, laser surgery. Self-Care Self-Care Use salicylic acid or duct tape as your doctor directs.

You put the medicine or the tape on a wart for several days and then file down the dead skin on the wart. You use the salicylic acid treatment for 2 to 3 months or the tape for 1 to 2 months. If your doctor prescribes medicine to put on warts, use it exactly as directed. Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine. To avoid spreading warts Keep warts covered with a bandage or athletic tape.

Don't bite your nails or cuticles. This may spread warts from one finger to another. Reducing pain caused by plantar warts Plantar warts can be on any part of the foot. Wear comfortable shoes and socks. Avoid high heels and shoes that increase pressure on your foot. Pad the wart with doughnut-shaped felt or a moleskin patch. Try nonprescription medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen such as Advil , or acetaminophen such as Tylenol to help relieve pain.

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