Home wart removal products usually contain salicylic acid as their active ingredient or involve freezing off the growth with liquid nitrogen. There are also many natural ways to remove warts, and at least one appears to be as effective as traditional methods. Natural wart removal involves items and substances that can be found in most homes. The procedure is similar no matter which natural wart remedy you select.
Definition
A wart is a small skin growth caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, explains the Mayo Clinic. It makes skin cells grow abnormally fast in the affected area until an irregular bump appears. It may be white, pink or flesh-colored and be seeded with dark blood vessel spots. Warts usually appears on the hands or feet, but can also affect other body parts.
Function
Natural wart removers function by getting rid of the skin growth. They do not get rid of the causal virus, so new warts may appear in the future, the Mayo Clinic advises. This is also true of chemical remedies like salicylic acid and freezing. The wart itself is gradually peeled away by the treatment until only clear skin remains.
Natural Removers
Health911.com, an alternative medicine website, cites a wide variety of natural wart removers. Some of the most common include garlic, aloe, castor oil, potato slices, lemon juice, banana and baking soda. The Mayo Clinic cites duct tape as a proven remedy which removed warts more quickly than freezing in a scientific study. The warts were completely removed in an average of two months. Researchers believe the tape might have stimulated study participants' immune systems to help them fight the wart-triggering virus.
Procedure
Virtually all natural wart removers are used in a similar manner: the substance is applied directly to the wart; liquid remedies like oil or juice are dripped onto the wart, or solid remedies like garlic or potatoes are rubbed onto the affected area; the wart is then bandaged and left alone for at least a day; it is uncovered and soaked in warm water for several minutes, then filed lightly with a pumice stone or emery board to slough off dead skin; finally, it is treated and covered again, and this cycle goes on until the wart is finally gone.
Time Frame
The Mayo Clinic explains that natural wart remedies often take many weeks to completely get rid of the growth. This is comparable to over-the-counter remedies, which often require weeks of acid application or several freezing treatments. The removal process must be done consistently to ensure success. The filing will slowly but surely reduce the wart's size over the weeks of treatment. You may switch to chemical treatment if the natural method doesn't seem to be working. The delay won't cause any problems, according to the Mayo Clinic, because warts are medically harmless.
