Apple Cider Vinegar & Warts

Apple cider vinegar is not only a flavorful acid used for culinary purposes such as salad dressings, but some manufacturers claim it has medicinal uses as well. Claims that apple cider vinegar can aid in digestion, lower blood pressure and promote weight loss are largely rooted in the acetic acid content of the product. It is from this same origin that manufacturers propose apple cider vinegar as a topical cure for warts.

Anecdotal Evidence

The primary driver behind claims of apple cider vinegar treating warts is anecdotal evidence. As an example, registered nurse Bonnie McMillen of the University of Pittsburgh notes that she soaked her feet in vinegar every night for five to six weeks to treat plantar warts. After soaking them, she would rub them with a clean towel to remove any dead skin cells from the surface of the wart. Though she claims this treatment completely cleared up her warts, there is very little scientific evidence that the acidic content of apple cider vinegar is strong enough to treat warts.

Clinical Trials

Though apple cider vinegar may be ineffective at treating warts, its main active ingredient --- acetic acid --- is one way that physicians can treat warts. Medical professionals may use an alternative form of acetic acid, such as trichloracetic acid, or stick with acetic acid at a very high concentration to burn off the warts. A 2003 study appearing in the "Journal of Reproductive Medicine" showed 26 of 30 patients having resolution of genital warts after the warts were excised and treated with a 99 percent acetic acid solution. This surgery required patients to be under anesthesia and is not practical as a home remedy.

Vinegar Acid Content

The amount of acid in a particular type of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, may be slightly higher than traditional table vinegar, but it still has a relatively low acidity. The University of Wisconsin reports that most vinegar ranges between 4 and 8 percent acetic acid, and this acid is responsible for vinegar's distinct odor and flavor. This is significantly below the level of acetic acid in the "Journal of Reproductive Medicine" study, and even falls below over-the-counter wart remover medications, which typically use salicylic acid.

Vinegar Applications

The "Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology" reports that applying an acetic acid solution such as apple cider vinegar to skin believed to be infected with the humanpapilloma virus can reveal warts at an early stage by altering the color of the lesions. A 1999 evaluation of this low-cost method in Zimbabwe appearing in the journal "Lancet" showed that a vinegar wash has an average detection rate of 77 percent for genital warts. The vinegar wash does not provide any kind of treatment for the warts, however.