Free Home Remedies for Warts

Warts are infections of the skin caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Warts are rough, skin-colored growths. Check with a dermatologist to be sure the growth is a wart and not a mole or skin cancer. Since they are benign, warts can be left alone but they need attention if they multiply or if they're in an uncomfortable location.

Home Remedies Can Work

• Common warts generally occur on the fingers or elsewhere on the body, while plantar warts show up on the feet and may be painful.

  Medical remedies for removal of warts by a physician include freezing with liquid nitrogen; chemical removal with cantharidin; surgery; or laser removal. Freezing and chemical removal may require several treatments, while surgery and laser can be expensive and painful, and could leave a scar.

  Over the counter treatments--such as wart freezing preparations and salicylic acid wart removers--and home remedies can be as effective as medical remedies.

Duct Tape

• A popular home remedy for removing warts at no cost involves duct tape. A study by Dr. Dean Focht, reported in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (archpedi.ama-assn.org), concluded that the duct tape method is actually more effective than treatment with liquid nitrogen.

Be Patient

• Use ordinary gray duct tape found in most households. Cut a piece large enough to cover the wart completely. Leave the tape in place for six days. After six days, remove the tape and soak the wart in warm water. When it's dry, file it gently with an emery board.

  Repeat the process until the wart has disappeared. It may take two months or longer.

  This method removes dead skin while also removing the virus that causes the wart. One theory is that the duct tape may irritate the wart causing it to attack the virus.

  If the skin underneath the duct tape becomes very red and irritated, remove the tape and allow the skin to rest. Once it's healed, apply the tape again.

  As an alternative, apply a drop of castor oil to the wart before applying the tape, or apply a paste made of castor oil and baking soda.

Apple Cider Vinegar

• Anecdotal reports indicate that apple cider vinegar also can be an effective and inexpensive remedy for warts.

  Soak a small piece of cotton or the end of a cotton swab in apple cider vinegar. Squeeze out the excess, hold the cotton on the wart and cover it with a Band-Aid.

  Apply apple cider vinegar every day. The wart eventually should turn dark brown or black. Allow the wart to dry out completely and then peel it off.

Vitamin A

• While not "free," the vitamin A method is a less costly over the counter treatment than medical intervention. Use the capsule form of vitamin A from fish oil. Break open the capsule, squeeze the oil onto the wart and massage it in. Repeat the process once a day. Results may take a month or longer. Other home remedies include applying vitamin E oil or aloe vera juice.