Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a contagious virus that can spread from person-to-person, as well as by self-infection at a new site. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that flat facial warts are more commonly found on the faces of children than adults. While they are smaller than other types of warts, flat facial warts often appear in clusters, sometimes up to one or two hundred together.
Many natural "remedies" for warts exist. Not all of these are effective. One that has been shown to be effective in treating warts, according to the "Journal of Young Investigators," is the use of duct tape.
Step 1
Soak a cotton ball in warm water and hold to the flat facial wart for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Use a new cotton ball to pat skin dry.
Step 3
Use the emery board to gently file the wart site. Take care not to abrade surrounding skin.
Step 4
Wet another cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and apply to the flat facial wart.
Step 5
Use scissors to cut a length of duct tape that is large enough to cover the wart site.
Step 6
Apply this duct tape over the wart.
Step 7
Cover the duct tape with adhesive bandages. Note: covering the duct tape with an adhesive bandage is for cosmetic purposes only.
Step 8
Leave the duct tape on for six days. Re-cover the wart if the duct tape falls off during that time.
Step 9
Remove duct tape and adhesive bandage.
Step 10
Wet a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and disinfect the site.
Step 11
Wait 24 hours and repeat the process for six more days, if the warts remain. This remedy may take up to two months to resolve.
Tips and Warnings
- If the wart is not elevated enough above the surrounding skin to file the wart without injuring the surrounding skin, skip this step.
Things You'll Need
- 4 cotton balls
- Warm water
- Emory board
- Rubbing alcohol
- Duct tape
- Scissors
- Adhesive bandages
