Home Remedies to Get Rid of Warts

Warts is a skin condition caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) which is one of the most common viruses that attack humans. Warts are very common in young age but adults also get them. In fact, almost anyone has had warts sometimes in their life. We are constantly exposed to different types of HPV viruses and it depends upon our own immune system whether or not we will be infected. People with strong immune system will not catch HPV virus even if they get in contact with it.

There is a number of medical treatments to cure warts and they are all performed by the professionals at the doctor's office. Often, several treatment sessions are needed but they will not guarantee that you will be completely cured from warts because in some cases warts can reappear. However, if you are not suffering from recurrent warts or if you do not have a serious warts infestation, you can consider treating your warts with home remedies first.

Home remedies can be as effective as doctor's treatments, they are less stressful, more affordable and more convenient because you can apply them at home.

One of the most effective home remedies is salicylic acid. The acid will make the wart shrink and fall off after several treatment sessions. Remedies with salicylic acid come in the form of liquids, gels and bandages that are very practical to apply. OTC remedies for warts containing salicylic acid can be purchased in any pharmacy.

Cryotherapy is a very popular treatment that is performed at the doctor's office but there are also home cryotherapy applicators that can be purchased in the pharmacy. The use of these applicators is very simple and usually several treatment sessions are needed for a wart to freeze, blister and completely fall off. It is very important to follow the directions that go with the product to avoid hurting the healthy skin around the wart and scarring.

Thuja Occidentalis is a homeopathic medicine that is very effective in curing warts. You will have to paint Thuja ointment onto your wart several times during the day and during the night you should soak it in ointment and bandage it. This treatment can take up to two months but the good side of it is that it is completely painless.

Sometimes reduced zinc levels in the body can lead to warts occurrence. Oral zinc sulphate supplements in 10mg/kg dose will help to reduce and cure warts. If you notice nausea or feel like going to vomit, decrease the dose or quit the treatment. The treatment should make warts disappear within one or two weeks.

Duct tape is somewhat unusual but effective cure for warts. Cut and paste a small piece of tape over the wart and leave it there for six days. After six days, clean the wart thoroughly and let it dry. The following morning paste another piece of duct tape and leave it there next six days. Repeat the procedure over and over again until the wart is gone. This treatment should trigger off the immune system reaction which will kill the virus.

These are just some of the numerous cures for warts. Whatever you do, visit your GP first to make sure that you do have warts and not some other skin condition that can be confused with warts.

Warts are stubborn but curable. If one treatment does not prove 100% effective, move on to another until you discover the one that is the best for you.

How to Recognize Warts

Warts are small skin growths that are caused by a highly contagious human papilloma virus, or HPV. This virus is very common, it can be found anywhere around us, which means that we are almost in daily contact with it. If you have normal hygiene habits and healthy immune system you will be safe from contracting warts even if you do come in contact with the virus. If, on the other hand, you happen to contract a wart, it is a clear sign that your immune system has grown weak either due to some illness, because of too much stress or too many unhealthy lifestyle habits.

The most common warts are those that appear on hands and fingers.

Common warts appear on hands as round skin-colour growths with hard top surface. They have dark spots inside which are in fact blood vessels that feed blood to the skin cells forming the wart.

Periungual warts are very similar to common warts but they grow around nails, on fingers and toes. They have rough surface and are either slightly darker or slightly lighter than the surrounding healthy skin. They can be painful to touch and are very difficult to eradicate.

Another type of warts that can cause a lot of emotional suffering is warts that appear on face and neck.

Flat warts usually appear on face but they can sometimes appear on the body as well. They are round or oval in shape, skin-colour or brown and smooth to touch. Sometimes there is hair growing out of them. They can easily spread if scratched or cut while shaving.

Filiform warts grow outward from the skin in the stalk-like form. They are skin colour and may have rough top. They are also known as skin tags. They can grow alone or together in the form of a small cauliflower. They usually appear on the neck and around eyes.

Maybe the most painful are the warts growing on the soles of your feet. They have to sustain the weight of your entire body pressing down on them so sometimes they can hurt so much that you will not be able to walk without a limp.

These warts are called plantar warts because the sole area of a foot is called 'plantar area'. Plantar warts are usually round and lighter in colour than the healthy skin around them. If you press a plantar wart you will be able to see light area inside your foot which is actually the internal part of the wart.

The most dangerous are genital warts because if left untreated, they can cause cervical cancer.

Genital warts grow in the form of tiny skin-coloured bumps. They can also develop tiny stalks and grow together and become rough to touch. They appear in the genital areas, on and around penis, vagina and anus. Sometimes they spread inside the vagina or anus which makes them difficult to discover. They spread through sexual contact and are highly contagious. If you are suspecting you have genital warts, consult your doctor and start the treatment as soon as possible, before they spread and cause you even more trouble. Do not try to treat them at home using OTC or home remedies without consulting your doctor.

Warts always start as a small spot and then develop into a big wart or even spread to form a cluster of warts. Most of them will appear and disappear by themselves but since they are very contagious it is always advisable to treat them as soon as you notice them. With so many different warts treatments available, there is really no reason for you to host these unsightly growths for months or even years.