# Plantar warts > A plantar wart (verruca) is a thickened, often flat patch of skin on the sole caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). It's usually harmless and many clear on their own, though it can take a long time. Wart paint is the usual first step, and a podiatrist can offer other treatments. Guide in [Skin and nails](https://footanklelowerlimb.com.au/learn/topics/skin-and-nails), from Foot Ankle Lower Limb: https://footanklelowerlimb.com.au/learn/plantar-warts Reviewed by Andrew Schox, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod (Podiatrist) on 27 October 2026. Next review by 27 October 2027. - **It's a skin growth on the sole,** caused by a virus (HPV). It's usually harmless, often flat, and can be sore to walk on. - **Many warts clear on their own,** though it can take a long time. - **Wart paint from a pharmacy is the usual first step,** and a podiatrist or GP can offer freezing and other treatments. - **No treatment works for everyone,** and warts can come back. - **A spot that bleeds, changes or looks dark** is worth getting checked. ## What is a plantar wart, and how common is it? A plantar wart (a verruca, or verruca plantaris) is a thickened patch of skin on the sole of the foot, caused by infection with human papillomavirus, or HPV [1]. It's usually harmless and tends to go away by itself in time [2]. Warts of all kinds are common, with about 7–12% of people affected [3]. A plantar wart can appear on the sole, heel or toes. Your body weight pushes it into the skin, so it's usually flat rather than raised, and it may hurt when you walk [4]. ## What causes plantar warts, and who gets them? Plantar warts are caused by HPV infecting the skin of the sole [1]. Warts can occur at any age [3]. The virus spreads through direct skin contact, or from contaminated surfaces such as swimming pools and gyms [4]. It's more likely to spread when skin is wet or damaged [5]. It can help to take extra care with cuts, cracks and wet skin where surfaces are shared. ## What does a plantar wart feel like, and how is it diagnosed? A plantar wart often looks like a white area of skin with one or more tiny black dots in the centre [4]. The dots are small blood vessels, and they're easiest to see once hard skin is pared away [6]. The normal lines of your skin are also broken up across the wart [7]. Verrucas are more likely than other warts to hurt, a bit like standing on a needle [5]. Diagnosis is mostly by a podiatrist or doctor looking at the foot [8]. Callus and other skin conditions can look similar [8], so a podiatrist may look closely before treating. ## What helps first? If a wart isn't bothering you, waiting is a reasonable option. Many warts clear without treatment: in primary schoolchildren, about half were wart-free within a year [9]. The usual first step is wart paint or gel containing salicylic acid or lactic acid. You apply it daily, and it can take many weeks to work [4]. Salicylic acid is the usual first-line treatment you can buy without a prescription [10]. A pharmacist can explain how to use it safely [11]. A podiatrist or GP can also offer cryotherapy (freezing the wart). It can cause blistering, scarring, delayed healing and changes in skin colour [3][12]. Using acid paint and freezing together did better than either alone [13]. Be realistic about results: cure rates for plantar warts are modest, and no treatment works for everyone [14]. The evidence for freezing is mixed, though firmer freezing seems to work better than gentle freezing [13]. ## What helps if that isn't enough? If paint and freezing haven't worked after a fair trial, it's better to move on than to repeat the same treatment. A podiatrist or GP can discuss other options, including injections into the wart (such as vitamin D3, Candida antigen or bleomycin), laser, and prescription antiviral or chemotherapy-type medicines. Reviews report that these can work better than freezing [12][1][14]. Comparisons of the injection treatments haven't found a clear winner [10], so the choice is best made with your clinician. A painful wart that has lasted at least two years and hasn't responded to paint and freezing is a reason to be referred on [6]. ## How long does a plantar wart last, and will it come back? How long a wart takes to go varies from person to person. Plantar warts often come back after treatment [3]. Freezing is often repeated every three weeks, for up to 10 treatments [6]. If a wart returns, it's worth going back early rather than waiting it out. Smoking is linked with warts coming back after successful treatment [15]. If you smoke, your GP or pharmacist can help with cutting down or quitting. ## When to see a podiatrist See your GP or a podiatrist the same day if you have diabetes and notice a wound, sore, blister or colour change on your foot, or if you notice spreading redness, heat, swelling or pus in your foot. For urgent advice when it isn't an emergency, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (24 hours a day), or go to a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. See your GP soon if a spot on your sole is dark or pigmented, bleeds, or is changing in how it looks, if an open sore on your foot isn't healing, or if you're worried about a growth. Some skin cancers can look like warts [16][17]. Don't assume these are warts. See a podiatrist or your GP if your wart keeps coming back, is very large or painful, or you're not sure it's a wart [5][6]. > [!see] If you have diabetes, poor circulation or a weakened immune system > See a podiatrist or your GP about a verruca rather than treating it yourself [11][18]. Some pharmacy products may not suit you, so follow the product instructions carefully. ## Common questions ### How is a plantar wart different from a corn or callus? A callus is thickened skin from pressure or rubbing. It usually lacks the tiny black dots of a wart, and the normal skin lines carry on across it. A wart tends to break up those lines and may hurt more. The two can look alike, so a podiatrist can tell you which you have. ### Does freezing a plantar wart hurt? It can be uncomfortable, and it can be distressing for young children, so it may not suit them. It's best done by trained staff. Ask what to expect and how you'll care for the area afterwards, including what to do if it blisters. ## Further reading - [Plantar warts on Clindice](https://clindice.com/plantar-wart) - [How To Identify Warts](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15045-warts), Cleveland Clinic - [Verrucas – Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH)](https://www.rdash.nhs.uk/services/podiatry-foot-protection/general-foot-care/verrucas/), NHS - [Warts](https://medlineplus.gov/warts.html), MedlinePlus - [Warts and verrucas](https://111.wales.nhs.uk/Wartsandverrucas/), NHS - [Verrucae treatment](https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/our-services/service-finder-z/podiatry/verrucae-treatment), NHS ## Sources 1. Emerging Intralesional Treatments for Plantar Warts: A Systematic Review · Martin A, Thatiparthi A, Nourmohammadi N et al. · Journal of Drugs in Dermatology · 2022. https://doi.org/10.36849/jdd.6735 2. Different skin wart types, different human papillomavirus types? A narrative review · Skubic L, Breznik V, Poljak M · Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica, et Adriatica · 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38126099/ 3. Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous warts (2022) · Zhu P, Qi RQ, Yang Y et al. · Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine · 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/jebm.12494 4. How to treat warts · Healthdirect Australia · 2026. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/wart-treatments 5. Warts and verrucas · NHS. https://111.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/w/article/wartsandverrucas 6. Viral warts · NHS. https://www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/dermatology-pathways/viral-warts/ 7. Skin disorders · NHS. https://www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/borders-ref-help-toolkit/podiatry/skin-disorders/ 8. Diagnostic techniques in HPV infections and the need to implement them in plantar lesions: A systematic review · Aldana-Caballero A, Marcos-Tejedor F, Mayordomo R · Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics · 2021. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737159.2021.2004889 9. Natural course of cutaneous warts among primary schoolchildren: a prospective cohort study · Bruggink SC, Eekhof JAH, Egberts PF et al. · Annals of Family Medicine · 2013. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1508 10. Comparative analysis of different treatment modalities for management of cutaneous warts: A systematic review and network meta-analysis · Irshad T, Ali S, Usman M et al. · Medicine · 2026. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000047484 11. Warts and Verrucas: Visit Your Local Pharmacy First · NHS. https://avonsidehealthcentre.nhs.uk/warts-and-verrucas-visit-your-local-pharmacy-first/ 12. Efficacy of cryotherapy for plantar warts: A systematic review and meta-analysis · García-Oreja S, Álvaro-Afonso FJ, Tardáguila-García A et al. · Dermatologic Therapy · 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.15480 13. Efficacy of topical treatments for cutaneous warts: a meta-analysis and pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials · Kwok CS, Holland R, Gibbs S · The British Journal of Dermatology · 2011. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10218.x 14. Topical treatment for plantar warts: A systematic review · García-Oreja S, Álvaro-Afonso FJ, García-Álvarez Y et al. · Dermatologic Therapy · 2021. https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.14621 15. Risk factors for recurrence after successful treatment of warts: the role of smoking habits · Bencini PL, Guida S, Cazzaniga S et al. · Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology · 2017. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.14086 16. Dermoscopy of skin infestations and infections (entomodermoscopy) - Part II: viral, fungal and other infections · Bakos RM, Leite LL, Reinehr C et al. · Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia · 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abd.2021.04.008 17. Warts and verrucas · NHS · 2017. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/warts-and-verrucas/ 18. Self Care Information for Patients: Warts & Verrucas · NHS. https://swlimo.southwestlondon.icb.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Self-Care-Information-for-Patients-Warts-and-Verrucas-V1.1.pdf --- This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you. For advice about your own feet or legs, see a podiatrist or your doctor. In an emergency, call 000.