Warts are growths on the skin that can occur on any part of the body. Located in the first few layers of the skin, warts are caused by the human papilloma virus, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Types of warts are common, flat, plantar and genital. They take months to incubate and usually resolve by themselves. But because they’re unsightly and sometimes painful, many people chose to remove them. Medications and surgery can remove warts as well as home remedies, which have also been shown to work.
Garlic
A piece of garlic used as a patch has been used to remove warts, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). The treatment involves taping a piece of fresh garlic to the wart and leaving it there overnight. When this process is repeated daily for a few weeks, warts have been known to blacken and fall off.
Banana Peel
The peel of a banana can also be used to remove warts, the UMMC says. The peel is cut into a small piece and taped over the wart with a bandage or tape. This is repeated nightly for a few weeks until the wart falls off. The UMMC also suggests drops of essential oil of known anti-viral plants–such as tea tree–to help speed the wart removal.
Duct Tape
The McKinley Health Center at University of Illinois Urbana recommends using duct tape to remove a wart, because it’s simple to apply and inexpensive. Though the treatment can cause skin irritation, Vanderbilt University suggests the following duct tape regime: Place the duct tape on the wart for six days, then remove it. The skin and wart area are then filed with an emery board or pumice stone.
Immune-Building Diet
Building immunity to viruses help the body ward off infection from the human papilloma virus, the UMMC says. Foods to boost immunity include green tea, grapefruit, probiotics (found in yogurt), and foods high in antioxidants (cherries, berries, squash and dark leafy greens).
