How to Treat Warts at Home

Are you frustrated with embarrassing warts? Don't despair. There are things you can do to get rid of warts quickly at home. Warts are the result of a skin infection known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are hundreds of strands of HPV that cause different conditions from common skin warts (usually found on hands and feet) to genital warts and even certain types of cancer. Unlike more serious strands of HPV, common skin warts usually only result in a cosmetic condition that will eventually go away on its own. But it can take months to even years for some warts to disappear without treatment. If you don't have time to wait on your body to fight off common warts, follow these steps to speed up recovery and get rid of warts fast. The following treatments are not for treating genital warts and should only be used in the treatment of common skin warts. Home wart removal doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. Read on to discover the best ways to get rid of warts in as little as a few days.

Things You'll Need

• Regular bar soap
• Loofah
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Sterile guaze, surgical tape and q-tips
• Salicylic acid wart treatment (or apple cider vinegar)

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep warts clean and dry at all times. Warts thrive in warm, moist environments. Despite their dry appearance, moisturizing warts is a very bad idea and can actually make them worse. To kill warts, keep them sterile and dry until they shrivel up and fall off. Wash them several times per day with a plain soap, such as Ivory. Antibacterial soaps will not help cure warts, as HPV is a virus and not a bacterial infection. You can also use a loofah or soft skin brush each time you cleanse your warts to exfoliate the rough tissue that covers them. After cleansing, pat dry with a clean towel each time.

• 2

  After cleansing, apply hydrogen peroxide to warts with a sterile q-tip. Hydrogen peroxide is not just a disinfectant solution, it's also a very powerful oxidizer. Studies have indicated that when hydrogen peroxide is present on skin, the body responds by sending white blood cells to the affected area. This collection of white blood cells is thought to destroy viruses that commonly infect skin. Because wart causing HPV is a virus, stimulating white blood cell accumulation could make a dramatic difference in the time it takes to cure warts. Undesired results that can occur when using hydrogen peroxide for warts include a mild-moderate lightening of skin color and a temporary burning sensation of the application site.

• 3

  Treat warts with an acidic solution and cover the treated area before bed. Salicylic acid is the most commonly used acidic treatment for warts. You can find salicylic acid wart treatments in most stores. Follow the package directions to apply the wart removal cream/gel. Then tightly cover warts with a sterile gauze pad and surgical tape before going to sleep at night. Remove wart covering and follow steps one and two again in the morning until warts begin to peel off.

  If you prefer a more natural home remedy for warts, you can use apple cider vinegar in place of commercial salicylic acid wart solutions. Many people have had success using apple cider vinegar as a home remedy for warts. Use caution when applying apple cider vinegar to the skin as it can be highly irritating and may burn and sting sensitive tissue. If the pain becomes unbearable, stop use, cleanse the area thoroughly and try an over the counter wart remedy instead.