As we move into cooler months and start wearing shoes that offer more coverage, pesky foot problems like plantar warts and corns can cause discomfort. Learn how to identify these common problems and where to get treatment.

What Is a Plantar Wart?

Plantar warts are small, fleshy mounds on the bottom of the feet. They may look like callouses or a cluster of smaller warts, and they may have small black dots in the center.

These contagious warts, which are caused by a form of the human papillomavirus (HPV), can be spread by touch, through contaminated socks or footwear, and by walking barefoot.

Plantar warts are more common in children and young adults but can infect anyone at any age.

What Is a Corn?

A corn is a sometimes-painful lump of skin on the foot. Corns develop in an area that’s been repeatedly rubbed or had pressure applied, often by tight shoes. The friction causes the skin to thicken and harden. Corns are more common on the feet, but they will develop on hands that experience the same type of friction or pressure.

Types of Plantar Wart Treatment

Sometimes, plantar warts go away on their own. It’s often a slow process and can take months or even years. For faster plantar wart removal, other treatments are available:

• At-home plantar wart treatments, such as over-the-counter salicylic acid or “freezing” treatments, can be purchased at a drug store.
• Cryotherapy, also called “freezing” a wart, is administered medically by a professional. The skin is numbed and liquid nitrogen is applied to the wart. The deadened skin falls away after about a week, but it may take several treatments.
• Electrocautery involves numbing the foot and removing the wart surgically. Because it can cause scars, this treatment is often used when other methods fail. It decreases the likelihood the wart will grow back.

A provider at River’s Edge Hospital’s Urgent Care Department can examine your feet, recommend an over-the-counter treatment or refer you to a physician for a wart removal procedure.

Types of Corn Treatment

Medications such as gels and creams, as well as pumice stones and special pads, are available over the counter to treat corns. To prevent injury, avoid using razor blades or callus shavers. Prescription medications may help if at-home treatments are not enough or an infection is present.

Getting the Right Treatment

If at-home corn or plantar wart treatments aren’t doing the trick, it may be time to see a healthcare provider. Corns and plantar warts aren’t medical emergencies, so walk-in or urgent care centers such as River’s Edge Hospital’s Urgent Care Department are a great option for these minor, nonemergent health issues, and the staff there can identify and diagnose your problem. Choosing a walk-in clinic that’s affiliated with your hospital makes it easy to get treatment referrals for corns and plantar warts.

River’s Edge Hospital’s Urgent Care Department provides walk-in care for minor illnesses and injuries.