Plantar Warts: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and Natural Approaches

Plantar warts are painful foot lesions caused by a common virus.

Plantar warts appear as thickened skin with tiny black dots and may be painful, especially when walking. The Epoch Times/Shutterstock

Plantar warts, also known as plantar verrucae and foot warts, are common skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They develop when the virus infects the skin, typically appearing on the bottom—the plantar side—of the foot.

The virus is species-specific to humans, making people the primary reservoir for HPV. It is estimated that 40 percent of people are infected with HPV, and warts develop in 7 percent to 12 percent of those infected.