How to Treat Warts Naturally with Garlic

Use onions. Similar to garlic, onions also work to treat warts. Grate 1/8 of a medium-sized onion. Apply the onion to the wart and cover it with a gauze or bandage if you like. Apply fresh onions every day, cover with a new bandage.

• As with garlic therapy, use a nail file to clean the skin on the wart after each application. ^[8]

Soak the wart in vinegar. Vinegar is dilute acetic acid, which is said to break down cell membranes, then the acidic environment will destroy the virus. Wet a cotton ball with white vinegar and apply it to the wart. Apply tape to keep the cotton pad in place over the wart. You can leave it like that from 2 hours to 2 days. Repeat if necessary.

• File the skin over the wart with a disposable nail file after each vinegar treatment. ^[9]

Use dandelion. Dandelion sap contains several ingredients that work against warts, including antiviral agents. These substances have the ability to destroy virus-infected cells. Pick a dandelion or two from the lawn, break off the branches, and squeeze the sap over the wart. Use a bandage or bandage to cover the wart. Let stand for 24 hours. Repeat if needed.

• File the skin over the wart with a disposable nail file between treatments. ^[10]

Apply banana peel. Banana peel contains a number of enzymes that break down cell membranes. Apply the inside of the banana peel to the wart, then cover it with a gauze or bandage and leave it overnight. Repeat as needed.

• Besides, banana peels also contain carotenoids, also known as precursors to the synthesis of Vitamin A. Vitamin A has antiviral effects.
• File the skin over the wart with a disposable nail file between treatments.

Try fresh basil. Basil contains several antiviral substances that are believed to kill the virus that causes warts. Crush a fresh basil leaf and apply it on the wart. Cover the basil leaf on the wart with a bandage or tape and let it sit for 24 hours. Repeat as needed.

• File the skin over the wart with a disposable nail file between treatments.

Clean skin. Regardless of the treatment you use, you should always wash and dry your hands before and after touching the wart. You should limit the contact of healthy skin with over-the-counter medications. These therapies usually work within a few days. If the wart does not shrink or change within 6-7 days, you should consult your doctor. You may need another, stronger therapy.

Use salicylic acid. Salicylic acid works by breaking down and killing HPV-infected cells without attacking normal cells. You can buy salicylic acid products like Compound W or Dr. Schpl’s Clear Away as a patch or solution at the pharmacy. Thoroughly wash the affected area and pat dry. Apply a patch or solution to the wart as directed. Do this daily until the wart disappears. This process takes about 2-3 months. ^[14]

• Avoid getting the medicine on other areas of the skin.
• For the acid to be more effective, soak and file the skin over the wart to allow the medication to penetrate deeper into the skin.
• You can get a prescription from your doctor to buy a stronger concentration of salicylic acid. ^{[15] [16]}

Use cryotherapy. Over-the-counter cryotherapy uses ethyl ether and propane to freeze the wart. In essence, the medication freezes the wart and kills the infected skin cells and sloughs off the wart. Medicines used in cryotherapy such as Compound W’s Freeze Off or Dr. Schpl’s Freeze Away is available in pharmacies. Use according to manufacturer’s instructions. This therapy can take up to 2 months to be effective. According to the FDA warning, this drug is flammable. ^{[17] [18]}

• A recent study has shown that cryotherapy can be effective in treating warts for up to 2 months. ^[19]

Try tape therapy. This is a home remedy that many people claim is very effective against warts, although its mechanism of action is still unknown. Some people believe that the adhesive contains a substance that helps break down skin cells, then the skin will peel off when the tape is removed. For this treatment, you need to buy silver tape and stick a small piece on the wart. Leave the tape on the wart for 6-7 days, then peel off the tape and soak the wart in water. “File clean” the wart with a disposable nail file.

• Leave the wart open overnight or for 24 hours, then re-apply the bandage for 6-7 days. Do this therapy continuously for 2 months.
• You can apply onion or garlic juice to the wart before applying the tape.
• A study has shown that adhesive therapy is actually more effective than cryotherapy. ^{[20] [21] [22]}

Identify warts. Warts are a form of skin growth caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts can appear anywhere on the body, but they only infect the outermost layer of skin. Common warts usually grow on the hands and soles of the feet. ^[23]

Understand how HPV is transmitted. The HPV virus can be easily transmitted from one person to another. You can also spread the virus on your body if you touch a wart and then touch other areas of skin. Warts can also be spread by sharing towels, razors, and other personal items that come in contact with warts.

• Some people are prone to warts. You’re more likely to get warts if you have a weakened or less effective immune system. ^[24]

Recognize the symptoms. Warts are usually raised bumps on the skin, although some are flatter and smoother. Warts also come in many shapes and sizes. Warts are usually painless, but some warts on the soles of the feet can make walking difficult. Warts on fingers can also cause discomfort due to increased hand activity and more irritation of the warts.

• In general, a doctor can diagnose warts based on their shape and location without taking a sample.

Distinguish types of warts. Common warts can spread to the genitals and anal area, but this type of wart is usually caused by a different strain of HPV than genital warts. Unlike genital warts, common warts are not associated with cancer risk.

• You should see a doctor to make sure it’s a common wart.
• If you have warts on your genitals or around your anus, you need to see your doctor to determine which strain of the virus is causing the warts. ^[25]

Ask your doctor if you are not sure if a lump on your skin is a wart. You will only worsen your condition or cause potential health problems if you treat a tumor other than a wart with wart treatments. It’s best to see your doctor for diagnostic testing and to make sure the lump is a wart and is being treated properly. ^[26]

• Note that some signs of skin cancer can look like warts, so it’s important to be sure it’s actually a wart. ^[27]

See your doctor if the wart causes pain or bleeding, changes shape, or causes discomfort. Most warts have no symptoms, so you should ask your doctor if a wart is painful, itchy, or bothers you with daily living. They can determine that the lump is definitely a wart and offer treatment options to quickly remove it. ^[28]

• For example, a wart can interfere with daily activities if it grows on your finger, making it difficult to hold a pen and make it difficult to write.
• Signs of a wart change include: an increase in size, change in appearance or color. If the wart changes shape, it could actually be skin cancer, so it’s best to see your doctor to get it checked. ^[29]

Seek medical treatment in case warts persist or spread. Some cases of warts do not respond to home remedies. If a wart persists and won’t go away, you may need medical treatment. Your doctor can help if you start to have new warts appear, whether in the same location or on other parts of your body. ^[30]

• In rare cases, multiple warts can appear on the body at the same time. If you’re an adult, see your doctor to determine the cause. Maybe your immune system has a problem.

See your doctor if you have diabetes or a weak immune system. This is especially important if you have nerve damage from diabetes. Your doctor can monitor the wart and recommend appropriate treatment. ^[31]

• If you have a weak immune system, it will be difficult for you to get rid of warts because your body is not able to fight off the virus that causes warts. Medical treatment can help in this case.
• Some people have rather poor sensation in their hands and feet due to diabetes. If this is the case, you may not feel any pain or damage on the wart, which can happen if not treated properly. ^[32]