What you eat doesn't affect whether you'll get warts or how long they may stay. Like the common cold, warts are caused by a virus. The virus that causes warts is called human papillomavirus, or HPV. Warts commonly appear on several different parts of the body and are spread by contact with others.
Considerations
Warts are a non-cancerous skin growth that appear when HPV causes cells on the outer layer of your skin to grow rapidly. Children and young adults are among those most likely to develop warts after being exposed to HPV. Anyone with a compromised immune system is also at greater risk. Warts are usually harmless, but you might find them annoying or embarrassing. Some will go away on their own, but treatments are available to speed the process.
Types
There are different types of warts. Common warts often appear on the hands and fingers, as small, fleshy bumps that are rough to the touch. Plantar warts usually appear on the soles, or plantar surfaces, of the feet. They can be flesh-colored or light brown lumps with tiny dots, and may be painful, the American Academy of Dermatology explains. Flat warts are usually smaller and smoother than other warts, and appear most often on the face and legs. Genital warts appear in the genital area and are a sexually transmitted infection.
Treatment
Warts on children tend to go away on their own, but adults may have a tougher time getting rid of them. There are over-the-counter topical treatments, and doctors may "paint" the wart with cantharidin to form a blister under the wart, the American Academy of Dermatology reports, making it easier to remove. Warts also may be removed by freezing or minor surgery. Laser surgery may be used for particularly tough-to-treat warts. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe retinoids or immunotherapy or inject the wart with bleomycin. Consult your doctor about the proper course of treatment for your warts.
Prevention/Solution
Diet may not affect the growth of warts, but there are other steps you can take to help reduce your risk of getting or spreading warts. To help keep them from spreading, don't pick at warts or brush, clip or shave areas with warts. Don't bite your fingernails if you have warts nearby, or use the same clipper or nail file on warts as you use on healthy nails. Keep something on your feet in public locker rooms and showers.
Alternative and Folk Treatments
Food does come into play in some folk remedies for warts, but the foods are put on the wart --- not in the body. Some people may have believed that these treatments worked because warts in children typically go away on their own anyway. The Mayo Clinic reports that, as of 2010, there are only two alternative treatments that have shown any promise in clinical trials, and the results are not conclusive. The trials involved an oil-based garlic solution and topical vitamin D3 patches. Consult your doctor before attempting to self-treat warts with any vitamin or herbal supplements or topical applications.
