8 simple but effective ways to get rid of warts

Warts can be unsightly but many of us have them, and they can be very stubborn to get off. Luckily, there are some great natural ways to do so without resorting to extreme measures.

Warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which has over 100 types. Some strains (like the one that cause common warts) are relatively harmless, while others can have much more serious issues. Because warts are caused by a virus, they can be spread to other parts of your body and to other people as well. If mainstream methods have not worked for you (or you’d rather avoid treatments involving strange chemicals) try some of these natural home remedies for warts instead.

There are three main types of warts:

• Common warts – Found in areas where the skin has been broken, and look like they have little dots or seeds in them. They are usually small, flesh coloured, hard, look to have seeds in them, are raised and can be on fingers.
• Plantar warts – These do not stick above the surface the way common warts do and are usually found on the weight-bearing areas of the foot. They can be grey or brown, hard, flat and painful.
• Flat warts – The smallest of the warts and can be found in clumps of 20 to 100, usually on the face and neck, but also on the chest, knees, hands, wrists, and forearms. They look flat, smooth and can be either flesh-coloured, grey or brown.

1. Apple cider vinegar

ACV’s high acidity attacks the “flesh” that makes up the wart, kills the physical wart itself, and allows it to peel naturally from the skin. This should take the virus with it, and it shouldn’t return anytime soon. Apply with a cotton cloth daily and pumice stone remove any dried skin so it can penetrate.

Bananas contain a proteolytic enzyme that eats away at the wart. Twice a day, scrape the off the inside of banana peel and apply it to your wart. Wash your hands well afterwards to keep the warts from spreading. Repeat until the wart is gone.

3. Vitamin C

It is thought that applying Vitamin C directly to the wart will destroy the virus causing it. Using lemon juice not only gives an extra boost of vitamin C, but the acid helps kill the source of the wart.

Crush up a vitamin C tablet and add enough lemon juice or water to make a paste. Cover this with a bandage and reapply daily.

4. Basil

When you have a wart, basil can really effectively help to rid you of it due to its anti-viral properties. Crush ¼ cup basil leaves until they are juicy. Apply to the wart, cover and reapply daily until the wart is gone, about 1-2 weeks. You can adjust the amount if you need more or less.

5. Dandelions

The milk found in dandelions has been found useful in getting rid of warts. Simply pull the head off of a dandelion and rub the milk onto the wart, and cover it with a bandage. Do this twice daily until the wart is gone.

6. Potato 

One of the most common natural remedies for warts you will hear about is rubbing a potato on it. All you need to do is peel a potato and cut a round slice off of it. Rub the slice on your wart 3 times a day for as long as possible. You can also bandage the potato and leave it on, changing bandage daily.

7. Pineapple juice

Pineapple juice softens the wart as it has a high level of acidity, and a special enzyme to dissolve and eat away at the wart. It will sting at first but you just need to soak in juice for 3-5 minutes daily.

Warts are notoriously hard to get rid of because of a barrier that keeps the virus that causes them safe and undetected by your immune system. To tell your immune system to fight off the wart, simply ice the wart until numb and then hold a sharp needle over a flame to sterilise it. Poke it well into the wart and then all over. Now that your body is alerted, it will attack the virus that is causing the wart.

9. Garlic

Apply freshly crushed garlic directly to the wart and cover with a bandage. The caustic effect of the garlic will cause the wart to blister and fall off.

10. Duct tape 

Many people swear by using duct tape for six days, then soaking the wart in water and gently removing dead tissue with a pumice stone. You repeat the process until the wart is gone.

11. Onions

Cover the wart with a bandaid and leave it on overnight to soften it up. Cut a raw peeled onion in half and dip into salt, and rub into the wart three times a day.

Make sure you always wash your hands before and after touching your wart, and be careful not to touch anywhere else.

Do you know of any other ways to treat warts?