Caused by the human papillomavirus, warts are outgrowths on the human body that can spread through close contact, cuts and/or scratches. Commonly found on hands and feet, warts can crop up on any part of the body and grow either in clusters or in isolation. Consisting of three types- the common warts, flat warts and plantar warts- they have a rough skin surface, usually with a visible black spot in the middle. While you could go to a treatment clinic to get rid of warts, it is much easier to use home remedies for warts and fade out these blots on your appearance.
Alternatively, you could wait for anywhere between six months to two years for warts to drop off naturally (they usually do). However, if you wish to eliminate them sooner, home remedies for warts are the easiest, safest and most natural ways of getting rid of’em without irritating your skin from a clinical procedure.
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Here are the most effective home remedies for warts:
1. Garlic
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Garlic has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties that help to keep infections at bay. You can crush a garlic clove, apply it to the affected area and cover with a bandage. You can leave it on for twenty minutes and rinse off. The caustic effect of garlic will blister the outgrowth and cause the wart to dry and fall off. Repeating this process twice every day for a week shall show significant results. Bigger warts can take longer.
2. Apple cider vinegar
Mixing two parts apple cider vinegar and one part water to create a concentrated solution is the first step for this remedy. You may want to use a cotton ball to soak in the mixture, apply on the affected area and cover with a bandage. Leave it on for twenty minutes and rinse off. Repeating the process for a few weeks will gradually turn the warts black, dry them up and make them fall off. The mark remaining behind shall disappear with time.
3. Vitamin C
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The acidic nature of Vitamin C can help wear the wart away and fight the infection, by speeding up recovery. Crush 2-3 Vitamin C tablets and make a paste in water. Apply the paste on the warts and cover it up with a bandage. Repeating this process twice in a week will yield significant results.
4. Hot water soak
Soaking warts in hot water can help soften them and also prevent them from spreading. You could also add white vinegar or Epsom salt to the water for more effective results. You could try sloughing the area with an emery board or pumice stone before treating it with a soak. Avoid using too hot water lest you scald your skin.
5. Baking soda
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The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties in baking soda can help combat the virus and dry out the warts. You need to mix 1tbsp of white vinegar with baking soda and make a thick paste to apply on your warts twice daily. Leave it on and cover with a bandage. Remove the bandage the next day and take a shower. Continue following the remedy for three weeks to see improvement. Alternatively, you could use baking soda in combination with castor oil to make the paste and do the same thing.
6. Aloe vera
The anti-inflammatory and cooling properties of warts can help clear out the warts and speed up healing. You need to extract aloe vera gel from the leaves, apply it on the wart and use a bandage or tape to hold it in place. You need to repeat the process daily to obtain results.
7. Tea tree oil
The anti-viral properties of tea tree oil make it an obvious choice to treat warts. You need to dilute tea tree oil with aloe vera gel or water before applying it to the affected area and leaving it on overnight. It shall fight the virus and help in wearing off the wart.
8. Castor oil
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Pure castor oil is used for treating many a skin disorders, including warts. Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, known to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can help fight warts, especially flat ones on the face and back of one’s hands. You need to apply castor oil on the wart several times during the day. You also need to follow up with castor oil soaks during the night and leaving it taped overnight. In the morning, you can take a hot shower and scrub off the dried skin with a pumice stone. Repeating the process for a few days will darken the wart and make it fall off.
9. Banana
The antioxidant properties of banana can be used to wear off warts. The essential oils and chemical compounds in the fruit can help dissolve the wart and bolster your immune system to produce more antibodies to fight the viral infection. You could use slices of bananas on the affected area for 15-20 minutes, every day to help clear out the wart. Alternatively, you could tape banana peels to the warts to help eliminate them. Using green banana peels as opposed to those from the ripe fruits shall prove to be more effective in treating the condition.
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10. Basil
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The antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of basil leaves make it an apt natural remedy to treat warts. You could simply rub freshly crushed basil leaves on the affected area to get significant results. Alternatively, you could grind them into a fine paste and apply it on your warts, cover it with a bandage and leave it on overnight. The process, repeated daily over a span of 2-3 weeks, can help to dry up warts and make them fall off.
Have a wart-free life!
Featured image source: healthline
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