Facial warts and acupuncture have one thing in common -- longevity. Warts -- which are caused by a virus -- can last for months, even years, before they go away on their own. Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine that uses thin needles inserted into strategic points of the skin. It's been in existence for thousands of years, and is sometimes used to remove warts. A hint to acupuncture's success at removing warts is the fact that MayoClinic.com does not mention it as a possible treatment.
Cause of Warts
A wart is simply a growth of cells on the skin's outer layer caused by the human papillomavirus. Facial warts are typically flatter than those found on other parts of the body. Facial warts can be unsightly and cause embarrassment. However, they are typically harmless and usually go away without any type of treatment, although it may take a very long time.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an alternative treatment method popular around the world. The most well-known form of acupuncture uses thin metal needles, typically made of stainless steel, inserted into the skin by an experienced practitioner to stimulate different parts of the body. In theory, acupuncture heals by balancing yin and yang and restoring the flow of energy, or qi, in the body. Yin is negative life force and yang is positive, and qi is the vital energy derived from yang.
Treatment
For facial warts, the acupuncture practitioner inserts the needles in a circular pattern around the wart. Small facial warts usually require about four acupuncture needles. The wart is pulled up and the tip of each needle is placed near the root of the wart. They are usually left in for 20 to 30 minutes. Icing the area around the wart before the procedure is begun helps relieve discomfort.
The Results
Acupuncture is a personal choice, and the treatment remains popular. As for acupuncture's effectiveness in treating facial warts, MayoClinic.com does not mention the method as a viable option. In fact, according to MayoClinic.com, only two alternative treatments have shown promise in removing facial warts. In clinical trials, an oil-based garlic solution and topical vitamin D-3 patches were used on warts. Study results did not completely dismissed them as potential effective treatments. More research needs to be done.
