Natural treatments for warts
Natural treatments for warts aim to address these benign skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can appear on various parts of the body. While warts often resolve on their own as the immune system combats the virus, several natural remedies are proposed for those that persist. Common options include hypnotherapy, which has shown promise in studies for promoting wart regression, and duct tape, utilized for its ability to deprive the wart of oxygen. Other treatments include topical applications of garlic, aloe, bloodroot, colloidal silver, and essential oils, although scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited.
Additionally, zinc and apple cider vinegar are mentioned as potential remedies, with garlic noted for its antimicrobial properties. While some natural approaches are widely used, there remains a lack of substantial evidence demonstrating their superiority over more conventional treatments. Overall, individuals seeking to explore natural treatments for warts should consider the diversity of options available, keeping in mind that results can vary and consulting with healthcare providers is advisable for persistent cases.
Natural treatments for warts
DEFINITION: Treatment of a common, benign skin growth caused by a viral infection.
PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Hypnotherapy, aloe, bloodroot, colloidal silver, echinacea, essential oils, greater celandine, neem, tea tree oil, zinc, apple cider vinegar, duct tape, garlic, castor oil, clear nail polish
Introduction
A wart is a noncancerous skin growth that occurs when the human papillomavirus (HPV) infects the surface layer of the skin. Warts usually have a roughened surface and a clearly defined boundary. They most commonly occur on the fingers, hands, and arms but can occur almost anywhere. Warts on the bottom of the feet are called plantar warts, and those in the genital area are called genital warts.
Warts are usually painless. However, they can become extremely tender when they occur in an area that causes them to be subjected to pressure or rubbing, such as the bottom of the foot (plantar warts). Genital warts that occur on the cervix are associated with a significantly increased risk of cervical dysplasia.
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
Warts can disappear on their own as the body's immune response attacks them, but if they do not, several natural remedies may aid in the wart's retreat. Salicylic acid of a concentration between 17 and 40 percent may be applied to the infected area following a warm soak. The wart may be filed down gently, and the acid reapplied daily for two weeks. Duct tape is also suggested to eliminate warts by depriving the area of oxygen. It is a popular option as it is very low cost, and most homes already have duct tape available.
Hypnotherapy is the deliberate use of the power of suggestion for therapeutic benefit. In three controlled studies enrolling 180 people with warts, the use of hypnosis caused warts to regress to a significantly greater extent than no treatment, placebo treatment, or (in one of the studies) salicylic acid treatment. Another study found that fake treatment with a fake X-ray machine can cause children’s warts to disappear.
Conventional treatment for warts primarily involves various methods to remove them directly. Over-the-counter topical salicylic acid treatments gradually dissolve the wart but may take many weeks to work. (One should not use this method on genital warts.) Podophyllin, trichloroacetic acid, and cantharidin are other substances that may be applied to a wart to remove it and may be more effective. Still, they are generally applied only by a physician in an office setting. Other wart removal methods include freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy), burning the wart, removing it with a laser, or cutting it out.
A completely different approach involves stimulating the immune system to destroy the wart. The drug Aldara (imiquimod) is the most common approach of this type, although injections of the immune-stimulating substance interferon are also sometimes tried.
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
Numerous herbs and supplements are marketed as part of topical products said to help remove warts. However, little meaningful scientific evidence has indicated that any of them are effective. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, garlic proved modestly effective in treating warts, likely due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The herb bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is traditionally made into a paste and applied directly to the surface of a wart to dissolve it. Other proposed topical treatments include aloe, colloidal silver, greater celandine, neem, apple cider vinegar, castor oil, garlic, tea tree oil, and other essential oils. The herb echinacea is also sometimes recommended because it is thought to have immune-stimulating effects. However, there has been no meaningful evidence that these approaches have greater wart-removal powers than placebo therapy. One poorly conducted double-blind study hinted that high doses of the mineral zinc, taken orally, may be helpful for warts.
Bibliography
"How to Get Rid of Warts." Harvard Health, 24 May 2023, www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/how-to-get-rid-of-warts. Accessed 15 Sept. 2024.
Meineke, V., et al. "Verrucae Vulgares in Children: Successful Simulated X-Ray Treatment (A Suggestion-Based Therapy)." Dermatology, vol. 204, 2002, pp. 287–89.
Rouf, Razina, et al. "Antiviral Potential of Garlic (Allium sativum) and Its Organosulfur Compounds: A Systematic Update of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Data." Trends in Food Science & Technology, vol. 104, 2020, pp. 219–34, doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2020.08.006. Accessed 15 Sept. 2024.
Spanos, N. P., V. Williams, and M. I. Gwynn. "Effects of Hypnotic, Placebo, and Salicylic Acid Treatments on Wart Regression." Psychosomatic Medicine, vol. 52, 1990, pp. 109–14.
Sullivan, Debra and Kirsten Nunez. "16 Natural Home Remedies for Warts." Healthline, 13 Feb. 2024, www.healthline.com/health/home-remedies-for-warts. Accessed 15 Sept. 2024.