Warts vs Corns
WARTS VS CORNS: Can you tell the difference?
On a daily basis our clinic treats many patients with painful lesions on their feet. Two of the most common are warts and corns. Although similar in appearance to the untrained eye, their treatments differ significantly and a correct diagnosis is essential to achieve optimum resolution.
WARTS (Verruca Pedis/Plantar Warts):
Warts on the feet are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus and can occur in singular or multiple lesions.
Signs and symptoms:
- Painful to squeeze from the sides.
- Present in both weight bearing and non-weight bearing areas on the foot.
- Cauliflower like appearance that grows between the skin striations.
- Petechiae – small black dots indicating small blood supply to the viral tissue.
- Overlying callous may be present contributing to pain on weightbearing.
CORNS (heloma durum):
Corns are caused by direct pressure. This may result from a prominent bony area under the foot, malaligned toes, biomechanical overload, or compressive footwear.
Signs and symptoms:
- Painful on direct pressure.
- Overlying callous with skin striations over the top.
- Circular in appearance.
- Typically occur in high pressure areas on the foot.
If you are unsure about any strange lump, bump or pressure point on your feet it is very important that you have your feet checked by a podiatrist. Both corns and warts are known to aggressively grow in size if left untreated. Book an appointment today at OnePointHealth and don’t put up with the pain any longer.
