Plantar warts are caused by cutaneous types of HPV that specifically affect the soles of the feet. Depending on the type of virus, non-painful, confluent lumps with a rough surface, located superficially (so-called mosaic warts), and single, painful, bruised, deep warts of the Myrmecia type may appear on the feet.
While mosaic warts are most often chronic and infection can occur repeatedly, in the case of Myrmecia warts, spontaneous resolution is often observed, leaving a lasting immunity to further infection.
There are several over-the-counter (OTC) treatments available for plantar warts. The first is salicylic acid in various forms. It works by exfoliating the infected skin. It may take several weeks of consistent use to see results. The second method is cryotherapy kits, which use a freezing agent to destroy the wart tissue.
