Why You Shouldn't Remove a Wart on Your Own

A plantar wart is uncomfortable, embarrassing, and painful. If you have one on the bottom of your foot, you might be tempted to remove it on your own. A wart seems like a minor issue. After all, plenty of over-the-counter (OTC) options for common warts exist. 

However, when it comes to plantar warts, which only occur on the bottom of your feet, OTC treatments usually don’t cut it — and trying to remove them on your own can do more harm than good. 

At Align Foot & Ankle Center in Camarillo, California, Dr. Hai-En Peng provides exceptional care for plantar warts. Here’s what makes plantar warts different from common warts and why you should avoid removing them on your own:

What makes plantar warts unique

Plantar warts typically grow on the soles of your feet or the bottom of your toes. They extend deep into your skin due to the pressure placed on your feet when you walk or stand. 

Unlike warts that form elsewhere, plantar warts can develop layers of thickened skin over them, making them challenging to treat. 

You might notice a small, rough patch on the sole of your foot, but underneath, the wart’s roots go much deeper. This makes them more stubborn and painful, especially if they’re left untreated or treated incorrectly.

Why you should never try to remove a plantar wart at home

Without the right tools or techniques, you might miss part of the wart, causing it to grow back even worse than before. Plus, because plantar warts grow deeper into the skin, trying to remove them on your own can be extremely painful. 

Attempting to treat a plantar wart on your own — either through topical salicylic acid or cutting it — also increases your risk of infection. Professional treatment is your best bet for safely removing the wart and preventing it from returning.

Professional treatments for plantar warts

Align Foot & Ankle Center offers multiple medical-grade treatments for plantar warts. At our office, your options may include:

Prescription-strength salicylic acid

Topical salicylic acid is a medication you apply to your wart each day. Each use slowly peels away the wart. Over time, the wart completely peels away, leaving you with clear and blemish-free skin.

Canthacur

Canthacur is a topical treatment that involves applying a blistering agent directly to the wart. This medication causes a blister to form beneath the wart, lifting it off the skin as the blister heals. The wart eventually falls off, taking the virus with it. This highly effective treatment typically requires just a few office visits to fully resolve the wart.

Wart surgery

In more severe cases, wart surgery completely removes the plantar wart. The wart is carefully cut away from the skin during the procedure, ensuring all the viral tissue is gone. While it’s usually a last resort, surgery is a fast and effective solution for warts that don’t respond to other treatments.

If you have a plantar wart, don’t risk infection and pain trying to remove it at home. Contact Align Foot & Ankle Center in Camarillo, California, to schedule wart removal treatment.