Warts are unattractive and the worst part is they can’t be treated permanently. However, advanced medical science has designed therapies but they have side effects and are not a permanent cure. If you go for laser treatments or electrosurgery or cryotherapy, they can be expensive and painful but not really effective. They may even leave you repulsive scars that might embarrass you socially. It is rather advisable to practice certain home treatments regularly when you want to get rid of these frightful outgrowths.
Warts are fleshy outgrowths, skin colored or cauliflower like appearance that are usually painless caused by the HPV. Here we have certain home treatments that you can try at home to get rid of them.
Wart Removal Using Vinegar
Warts develop mainly on hands and feet, sometimes even facial warts develop that have flat tops and are very repugnant. It is advised not to touch them because they can grow rapidly and contagious. Also never share wet towels. Do stand barefoot in the shower area for there might be virus left from the previous user. Using Apple Cider Vinegar is a very popular home remedy and it is easy to practice.
How Does the Apple Cider Vinegar Works?
Vinegar doesn’t actually cure the HPV infection; it only peels off the visible outgrowth of the cells. The acetic acid penetrates the tissues that are viral infected and soaks the acidic content into them, as a result the outgrowth begins to uproot and finally gets peeled off. With the upper layer the virus is also removed from the skin.
How to Remove the Warts with the Vinegar?
It is actually a very simple and cost effective method, here is a step by step instruction that you need to do:
- Wash the affected area thoroughly and disinfect it.
- Rub the wart area with a pumice stone and remove the dead skin.
- Clean it with the towel and wait for 20 minutes till it dries completely
- Now soak a cotton ball in the Apple cider vinegar
- Apply the soaked cotton ball on the affected area and cover it with a duct tape.
Repeat the process regularly until the wart dries up and fall.
Stages of the Wart Removal
No doubt that you will feel the pain at the initial stage, but you can take painkillers if needed. You will notice the change in color of the wart gradually starting from the third day. After a week or more, the wart will eventually turn black and fall off, this is the core removal. Do not peel of the ripened black core as you might interrupt the process and prevent it from coming out completely. In that case, the wart will reappear so let it dry off on its own.
Apple Cider Vinegar Aftermaths
It’s the acidic content of the vinegar that swells up the virus infected cells and causes them to deplete. The process can be painful at the initial stage but don’t discontinue the application. The pain however depends on the size of the wart; you can definitely use a pain reliever if it becomes unbearable.
Milkweeds are abundantly found in the northern regions of America. They come quite handy when it comes to home treatments for the warts. The milk sap that came from the leaves of the milkweed can be directly applied to the region having the clusters of wart. Cover the area with a bandage after application. Repeat the process twice every day for best results. Slowly the wart dries up and falls off leaving a light scar that heals gradually with time.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is another very effective natural ingredient that can wipe off the war. It has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties that make it a perfect healing agent for eruptions such as acne and warts. It is also used in many medications and cosmetics for treatment of acne. Apply the oil over the warts directly; dilute it with water if any irritation occurs. You need to repeat the process twice or thrice daily to get the results. It works by drawing out the wart from the skin.
Duct Tape Method
Duct tape can be really close-at-hand when it comes to removal of warts. All you need to do is to cover the wart completely with a duct tape and leave it in place for six days. Later remove the duct tape and soak the wart in warm water. Then scrub the area with a pumice stone to remove all the dead tissues. After cleaning the area, reapply the duct tape, keep repeating the process until the wart completely dries up and falls.
Another very easy home treatment that comes very handy is salt water. Steps in treating the wart using salt water:
- Heat a bowl of water and mix a tablespoon of sea salt in it.
- Stir the solution till the salt completely gets dissolved in water.
- Soak the wart in this salt water solution for about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the solution and rub the wart with a nail file.
- Scrub the affected area till the wart gets flushed out with the dead skin.
Repeat the process every day until you visibly get the good news that the wart is gone.
Salicylic acid ointments are readily available. It is a good home remedy that you can be very useful. What you need to do is to wash the affected area ideally with a disinfectant, then soak it for 15-20 minutes and let the wart dry. Then remove the dead skin with a pumice stone or towel. Follow it with topical application of salicylic acid commonly available at drug stores. Go over the process twice a day regularly for weeks until the lesion is controlled.
You can find salicylic acid either in concentrated bottles or adhesive pads from the medical store. It might cause stinging sensation but discontinue it= if it irritates and pains a lot.
Disadvantages of Using Salicylic Acid
Though a cost effective and easy to perform method, salicylic acid does have certain setbacks.
- It heals in a very slow process and it takes days together to start getting results.
- It is a front-line treatment and doesn’t work in severe cases.
- Not a permanent cure and the warts can certainly reappear.
It is always advisable to apply salicylic acid only after thoroughly cleaning the area. It is the most effective measure to cure flat warts, common warts, plantar and facial warts.
Lime Juice Treatment
Lime juice contains citric acid and works on the warts the same way as apple cider vinegar does. The acidic content of the lemon swells up the virus infected cells and causes them to deplete. The citric acid penetrates the tissues that are infected and soaks the acidic content into them. This will result in him uprooting of the outgrowth and then finally gets peeled off. The upper layer the virus is also removed from the skin.