Home Remedies for Warts
Duct tape: One of the home remedies for removing warts, is the use of duct tape. Warts, located at positions other than the face, are covered with duct tape and left for a few days. When the tape is removed, the wart is cleaned with a pumice stone and then left uncovered overnight. The duct tape is then used again the next day. Care should be taken with the tape and pumice stone, to avoid touching anything else and spreading infection.
Salicylic acid: Over-the-counter medications for warts contain salicylic acid. In order to treat common warts, medications with approximately 17% salicylic acid are recommended. It is advisable to avoid using salicylic acid medications for warts on the face. Warts should be soaked in warm water (10 to 20 min) and dead cells need to be removed with a pumice stone, before application of salicylic acid medications or patches. Salicylic acid is known to eliminate warts within 3 months.
Other treatments for warts that are used under the supervision of a dermatologist are:
Retinoids: Vitamin A-derived retinoids interrupt the growth of skin’s cells in warts.
Bleomycin: An anti-cancer drug, bleomycin, can be used to eliminate virus infecting warts.
Chemical peels: Dermatologists recommend strong medications such as tretinoin, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid (higher concentration than in over-the-counter medications). These medications can cause peeling of the skin of warts.
Side Effects of Wart Removal
Warts can be eliminated by different methods based on the location and severity of the wart. However, treatment does not guarantee complete elimination of warts. Warts may reinfect treated individuals. Patients with a compromised immune system get infected with new warts, despite treatment.
There are side effects for certain treatments. Scarring may result in those who undergo surgery to remove warts. Certain individuals experience pain or irritation surrounding the area treated for warts. Human papilloma virus present in warts is shed during wart removal, and can cause an infection at another site resulting in new warts.
Patients with diabetes should never attempt to remove warts on their feet by cutting or burning the skin, as this could result in ulcers.
