What You Should Know About Warts

Warts are a fairly common skin condition caused by HPV – or human papillomavirus. It occurs when the virus causes extra growth of the outer layer of skin cells in a certain area. There are several types of warts and they are most often found on hands and fingers or feet. While some home treatments are for all kinds of warts, there are also some just for more specific types. While many home remedies are worth trying, they may not work and a doctor may need to treat them or write a prescription.

Flat And Planter Warts

Some of the more common types are planter warts and flat warts. The differences are in appearance and who they usually appear on. A planter wart is found on the sole of the foot as a brown or skin-colored bump. They will show evidence of small blood vessels that have clotted and may appear as small black dots. A flat wart is most likely to be on the face but can also be on the legs. They are most likely to occur in children and teens but occasionally on adults as well. They are smooth and flat rather than bumpy, and are smaller than a planter wart.

Home Remedies

Some home remedies include rubbing garlic on the wart in the hopes of killing the virus and any bacteria present. To remove the wart some people apply castor oil and baking powder or a vitamin C paste. Another home remedy is applying duct tape to the wart and leaving it on for days while others soak their feet and exfoliate with a pumice stone or something similar. While these home remedies have gained popularity by those who say they work, it’s a personal choice and they may or may not work.

Treat And Remove

There are also several treatments available in local drug stores. The two main kinds are based on salicylic acid to kill the wart and allow easy removal. Often this takes a few weeks. Another option is to freeze the wart off. The expectation is for the cold temperature to slow and stop the cell growth and then kill the remaining cells, which should then come off on their own. These over-the-counter remedies have limited success but are easily available and do not require a prescription.

Warts can be simply described as an overgrowth or fast growth of extra skin cells that gather in one spot. While they are fairly common and not very dangerous, they can be unsightly and uncomfortable so they should be treated and removed. If home remedies are not successful, a doctor is able to  supply a prescription for a cream, freeze it off using liquid nitrogen, or use acid or laser to remove it. No matter what type of wart, the removal processes and home remedies remain the same.

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Written By:

Kassandra Foreman has been writing freelance for five years now and enjoys learning about new things to write about. When not writing she teaches yoga and meditation with a focus on health and fitness.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

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