Dealing with Plantar Warts and Athlete's Foot - Common Among Swimmers

You swim several times a week and take a shower right after you finish swimming laps. So why are your feet so dry and cracked? And what are those clusters of dark spots on the bottom of your feet?

Plantar warts are fairly common (but very rarely spoken of) among swimmers. Like athlete’s foot, it is fairly easy to get the virus which causes plantar warts from showers, the pool deck, or the locker room. Because plantar warts are caused by a virus, the ointments, creams and powders intended for athlete’s foot fungus are destined to fail.

If you already have plantar warts, you want to keep them from spreading. Because plantar warts are caused by a virus, they spread easily and fast. The goal is to get them to dry up and fall off. Try using one or more of the following methods to get rid of these unsightly, and sometimes painful, outbreaks.

• The first attempt to rid your feet of plantar warts should be to apply acne medication (salicylic acid) which will help dry the wart. Clearasil wipes actually work well.


• If the bottom of your feet can handle it, you can try to scrape the warts off with a pedicure file, callus scraper or pumice stone.


• If the warts are already getting out of hand, products like Freeze-Off by Compound W are a great option for blocking the virus from spreading and helping the infected skin dry out. This can be somewhat uncomfortable, but works fast if applied according to the directions on the package. *** If you feel like you cannot do this yourself, you can have a dermatologist, or a general practitioner, do it for you (but the product they use is basically the same).


• Dr. Scholl's Medicated Pads (medicated anti-wart padded discs which cover the wart using an adhesive) in combination with a freezing product will quicken the process.

In a few days, you will notice the warts changing appearance as they dry up. After several days, most fall off by themselves. In some cases, you may have to remove them manually, but this should not take much effort and since the skin is dead at that point it causes very little discomfort.

The BEST treatment for plantar warts is to take steps to prevent them. Keep your feet clean and dry them thoroughly (don’t forget the skin between the toes) before putting on socks or shoes. Always wear shoes on the pool deck, in the showers and in the locker room. Crocs are great for this, as are flip flops.Even when you have not been in a swimming pool for a few days, your general routine should include keeping your feet clean and moisturized so they do not crack or peel. The virus that causes plantar warts gets into your body through tiny openings in the skin barrier.

*** Although treating athlete’s foot is different, preventing athlete’s foot is basically the same. Proper foot care and minimizing contact with the fungus is key.