All About Plantar Warts

Plantar warts are hard, grainy growths that appear on your heel or balls of your feet. Plantar warts are named because they most commonly grow in the plantar fascia, which is the wide band of tissue that spans the bottom of the foot. SteriShoe does not prevent plantar warts, but it does use a powerful UV light to eliminate bacteria living in your shoes. SteriShoe fights foot infections, foot and shoe odor, toenail fungus, and athlete’s foot infections by sanitizing your shoe with this clinically-proven shoe insert. The UV light used in SteriShoe kills up to 99.9% of germs living in your shoes, and is so powerful that it has earned the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance. 

What Are Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are small growths that usually appear on the heels and other weight-bearing areas of your feet, and are caused by HPV when the virus enters your body through tiny cuts, breaks, or other weak spots on the bottom of your feet. Because of all of the pressure on the wart, it can grow inward and be hidden under a thick layer of skin. Plantar warts can be painful at times, growing until they eventually make it uncomfortable to stand and walk. While they aren’t a serious health concern, and can be treated at home, it is important to know when you should see a doctor for medical treatment. 

What Causes Plantar Warts?

Plantar warts are caused by an infection with HPV in the outer layer of skin on the soles of your feet. HPV is very common, and more than 100 kinds of the virus exists, but only a few of them cause warts on the feet. Other types of HPV are more likely to cause warts on other areas of your skin or on mucous membranes. HPV thrives in warm, moist places, such as locker rooms floors and around swimming pools. Those little puddles on the surface of pool tiles are the perfect breeding ground for HPV.

Symptoms of Plantar Warts

The signs and symptoms of plantar warts are going to include a small, fleshy, rough, or grainy growth on the bottom of your foot, usually at the base of the toes or on the heel. Hard, thickened skin will form over a well-defined spot in the skin, where the wart has grown inward. You may see black pinpoints, which are commonly called wart seeds, but are actually small, clotted blood vessels. You may also experience pain or tenderness when walking or standing. 

Preventing Plantar Warts

To reduce your risk of plantar warts, there are a number of steps you can take, like avoiding direct contact with warts, including your own. Be sure to wash your hands carefully after touching a wart. Be sure to keep your feet dry and clean, changing your shoes and socks daily. Furthermore, avoid walking barefoot around swimming pools and locker rooms, because this is the perfect place for HPV to live. 

Treating Plantar Warts

There are plenty of over-the-counter medications you can use on plantar warts, but prescription strength may work best if you experience prolonged or persistent wart activity. At-home remedies can include applying duct tape to the wart and leaving it on for a week. This shows mixed results, but a low-risk treatment that may be worth trying. There are also wart freezing techniques that you may be able to find at your local drugstore. However, it is encouraged that you visit a dermatologist if the problem persists. 

While SteriShoe doesn’t prevent plantar warts, it is highly effective in sanitizing your shoe from the bacteria that love to live in that environment. Using UV light, this shoe insert kills up to 99.9% of germs that cover your feet every time you put your favorite shoes on! Plus, it fights foot odor and foot infections, and is so effective that it has earned the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance. Try SteriShoe for yourself today by shopping our products now.