- Pain – Calluses are painful whenever direct pressure is applied. Warts are typically painful when the wart is squeezed side-to-side
- Location on Foot – Warts can occur anywhere on the foot where as a callus forms due to pressure spots on the bottom or sides of the feet
- Timing – warts usually come on “all of a sudden” a callus can take months to develop. Warts are a form of viral infection, HPV. These forms of HPV infections are sudden, painful and covers a small surface area on the foot. Multiple warts can form if not treated appropriately.
- Color – A wart usually has small little specks of black dots. These dots are small blood vessels that have been taken over by the wart and are bringing blood to the plantar wart.
- Skin Lines – Skin lines are the “fingerprint of the foot.” Whenever there is wart tissue these skin lines disappear. With calluses the lines are still evident.
Author Garrett Kalmar, DPM, AACFAS