How to Remove Warts

The human papilloma virus causes the common wart, which often appears on hands or fingers and, though unsightly, is usually quite harmless. Most warts disappear with home treatment and don't require medical attention, but prompt removal by a physician may prevent them from spreading or reoccurring. Here are some home remedies for wart removal (though not necessarily cures, as the virus may still be present after the wart is removed).

Instructions

1. Apply apple cider vinegar to the wart and cover it with an occlusive dressing every night before you go to bed. It'll take about 2 weeks for the wart to disappear.

2. Place a piece of duct tape over your wart and leave it in place for 1 week. When you remove the tape, the wart should be gone. Some people have had success by covering the wart with clear nail polish before covering it with the duct tape.

3. Moisten a piece of inner bark from a willow tree and tape it in place over your wart. Change it every day for 1 week or until the wart dissolves. Salicylic acid is an approved treatment for wart removal and the source for this substance is the bark of a willow tree.

4. Find plants or fruit that contain the proteolytic enzyme, which is supposed to digest and dissolve the wart. Papaya, pineapple, banana, figs and milkweed are some of the sources for the enzyme, and many of the folk remedies include the milky liquid that comes from them. Use the inner peeling of the banana and the white liquid from the fig and its stem. The milkweed speaks for itself. As with most of the other wart removal treatments, apply it several times a day for 1 or 2 weeks.

5. Rub the oil of yellow cedar on your wart every morning and night for 2 weeks. The yellow cedar contains antiviral compounds, which may be one reason it's worth a try.

6. Pick some dandelions from the yard. People have used the milky sap for years as a wart removal ointment.

Tips & Warnings

• All warts can spread to other parts of your body. Genital warts are highly contagious and require medical attention. Seek medical advice about wart removal if you are unsure of the type of wart you have or if it worsens in any way.

• If you experience any redness or irritation from these home remedies, wash your skin and discontinue the treatment.