Herbal Remedies for Warts on the Face

A wart is a manifestation of a virus, usually a form of human papillomavirus, or HPV. Warts can spread to your face from other parts of your body through touch, hand towels, and other objects you might use on your face. Because the face is a sensitive area, warts on the face can be difficult to get rid of, but there are some herbs and natural remedies that might work for you. One remedy might not work for everyone, and if the wart isn't going away or is getting worse, you should see your doctor.

Safety

• Because the skin on your face is very visible and often more sensitive than skin on the rest of your body, you will want to do a spot test for each remedy before you try it. To do a spot test, simply try the remedy on a small part of your skin that's in an inconspicuous place. That way, if you do have skin irritation, you'll know the remedy isn't for you, and you won't have the irritation on your face.

  Before you begin treating the blemish, be absolutely sure it's a wart and not a corn, callus, mole, or cancer. If you have any doubt about the spot, ask a doctor before attempting to treat it at home.

Remedies

• Some people find that if you "starve" a wart by cutting off its air supply, it will eventually fall off. According to Natural Home Remedies for Warts, add extra toxicity by crushing a clove of garlic, placing the paste on the wart, and then covering that with a bandage. Change the bandage every day, but don't allow the wart to be exposed to the air for very long. After several days, the wart might loosen from your skin, and you might be able to carefully pull it off.

  Natural Home Remedies for Warts also suggests that acidity might help to remove warts. Do not use treatments with citrus ingredients or acids near your eyes in order to avoid irritation. Fresh-cut pineapple applied to the wart twice a day alone might help, but you can also try adding salt or vinegar to the solution for a stronger treatment.

  According to Natural Home Remedies for Warts, applying natural tea tree oil to the wart daily for seven to ten days will cause the wart to "melt" off.

  Because moisture might allow the wart to soften and eventually fall off, you might want to try soaking a bag of green tea in water, allowing it to cool, and applying it to your face twice daily. The green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties.