How to Treat Warts With Alternative Remedies

Warts are small, lumpy skin growths caused by human papillomaviruses, also called HPV. There are at least 70 different strains of this virus and it can be passed from person to person through broken skin. There are different kinds of warts. Common warts are usually on the elbows, knees, fingers, hands, face and arms. Genital warts are soft, "cauliflower-like" and appear in or near the sexual organs or anal area. Plantar warts are often painful, hard in the center and occur on the bottom of your toes or the soles of your feet. With the exception of plantar warts, there is usually no pain involved. While some warts go away within a year, others may remain or keep returning. Your doctor may suggest options for getting rid of a wart, such as freezing it, cutting it off or using chemicals. There are also a few alternative treatments you should consider using, as well.

Things You'll Need

• Birch bark
• Aloe vera gel
• Vegetable oil
• Castor oil
• Pineapple juice
• Cotton ball
• Nitric acid
• Dulcamara
• Thuja occidentalis
• Causticum

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Instructions

• 1

  Try birch bark, which contains salicylic acid, as well as betulinic and betulin, which are antiviral in nature. Birch bark comes from a tall tree, native to the northern United States. The white bark from the tree is used medicinally, as well as for making canoes, soaps and some culinary products. It can be taken both internally or externally, but should only be used externally for the purposes of clearing up your wart. Get a piece of the bark, wet it slightly, then tape it to your wart for a 24-hour period. Replace it with a new piece of bark and repeat the process again. You may need to do this a few times until you receive results.

• 2

  Mix some aloe vera gel with a small amount of vegetable oil and dab it on your wart. Aloe vera gel comes from a short-stemmed plant that originally came from North Africa. The gel is taken from its sliced lower leaves and used to treat skin conditions. It possesses antiviral qualities, so using it on your wart can help to get rid of it. You need to rub the aloe vera gel on your wart three times every day until you see improvement.

• 3

  Consider castor oil. Castor oil comes from the castor bean plant, found in tropical climates. It has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, both internally and externally. Mix together castor oil with baking soda and make it into a thick paste. Apply it to your wart and put a bandage on it. Apply a fresh "coating" every night at bedtime. Within a month and a half, your wart should be gone.

• 4

  Go for the pineapple juice, for its healing enzymes. Soak a sterile cotton ball in the juice and apply it to your wart. This may need to be done every day until the wart disappears. Use a clean cotton ball with each application.

• 5

  Use homeopathic remedies. Helpful ones for getting rid of warts include nitric acid, dulcamara, thuja occidentalis and causticum. Since the remedy you use must be specific to your individual set of symptoms, consult a homeopathic practitioner to advise you on which one will work best for you, as well as for proper instructions on strengths and dosages.