These viral growths are unsightly and embarrassing and they can actually cause you physical discomfort—or even outright pain—if they happen to be located in just the right spot where friction and pressure combine to irritate neighboring tissue.
And, frustratingly, they seem to take forever to go away on their own. Without treatment it could be months or even a year or two—plenty of time for that wart to spread to other parts of the feet or hands, or in some cases even other people.
Even with treatment, it could take a couple of sessions and a few weeks to fully eradicate the growth.
So it goes without saying that prevention is the best strategy when it comes to warts on feet. Although we can’t guarantee 100% effectiveness, the following tips should help you decrease your risk.
How to Avoid Getting Warts in the First Place
Warts are skin infections caused by several different forms of the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Not all types of HPV cause warts, and different people with different immune systems may respond differently to the virus.
But to keep this in simplified terms, in order to cause an infection, basically two conditions need to be met:
- Exposure to a warts-causing virus
- A way in (cuts, breaks in skin, etc.)
Prevention, then, is centered around limiting your risk of exposure and keeping your skin healthy. The virus tends to flourish in environments that are warm and moist, and can spread through both direct and indirect contact.
To reduce your risk of getting warts in the first place:
- Wash your feet every day, using warm water and gentle soaps.
- Use moisturizing creams or lotions as necessary to avoid dry, flaky, or cracking skin. Treat any cuts or injuries to the feet promptly.
- Avoid wearing wet shoes and socks. Swap them at least daily, or even more frequently if they start feeling damp. Give shoes a full 24 hours to dry after wearing them for a day, or whenever they get damp.
- Don’t go barefoot in public, particularly in areas that are humid (pool decks, locker rooms, etc.). You should always have at least a thin layer of protection for your feet, such as flip flops or shower shoes.
- Don’t share clothes, unwashed towels, or nail and skin care tools with anyone else.
If you do already have any pesky foot warts you need help dealing with, please visit us as soon as possible. We’ll be happy to help.