Plantar warts are growths on the soles of the feet. They can be small, rough bumps or larger flat growths with either a smooth or rough surface. Usually you can see a small black dot in the wart; this is nothing more than clotted blood vessels. Sometimes there’s a temptation to “squeeze” the black dot in an attempt to bring it to the surface. Don’t. There’s a blood supply there, and squeezing, poking with a pin, or any other attempt to “open” the plantar wart will result in bleeding and can spread the virus.
Plantar warts usually develop at pressure points, such as the heels or balls of the feet. They’re caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which gets into the body through cuts or scratches or other breaks in the skin. Many times the HPV lies dormant and never produces a plantar wart; other times one or more plantar warts develop.
Anyone can develop a plantar wart, but children, teenagers, and people with weakened immune systems seem to be most susceptible.
Plantar warts are noncancerous and are rarely considered a health problem, unless they become painful. If medical treatment is sought, the doctor may first recommend a combination of over-the-counter remedies. If that doesn’t produce results, any combination of freezing (cryotherapy), electrodesiccation and curettage, laser surgery, immunotherapy, or prescription creams and medications may be recommended.
Before attempting any home therapy or remedies, it’s a good idea to first make certain it’s a plantar wart you’re treating. Once that’s established, the following home therapies have been successfully used.
Duct tape. In a well-publicized 2002 “duct tape therapy” study, duct tape got rid of more warts than freezing (cryotherapy) did. The plantar warts were covered with duct tape for six days, then soaked in warm water. After soaking, the warts were rubbed or buffed with an pumice stone. After no more than two months of this process, every wart disappeared. It’s hypothesized that by irritating the wart and the surrounding tissue, the body’s immune system responded and subdued the virus and dissolved the wart.
Vicks VapoRub. Rub Vicks into the wart each night, cover with a bandage, and leave on until repeating the process the following night. The plantar wart should disappear within eight weeks.
Garlic. Crush a garlic clove and apply the garlic directly on the wart. Cover it with a bandage and leave it in place for 24 hours. Blisters should then form and the wart should fall off in about a week.
Castor oil and baking soda. Make a paste from castor oil and baking soda. Apply to the wart before bedtime and cover with a bandage. There should be positive results in three to six weeks.
Apple cider vinegar. Soak the plantar wart in a basin of apple cider vinegar each night for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the wart has softened. Then rub briskly with a towel. There should be a positive result within five to six weeks.
Plantar warts can be resistive to treatment, and no one therapy (home remedy or doctor prescribed) works all the time for everyone. But there are many options available, and no indication that plantar warts are untreatable.
