Natural Wart Remedies: Treatments Straight from Your Kitchen and Bathroom

In spite of the popular old wives' tale, warts are not caused by handling toads. Warts are small, rough tumors caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Most frequently occurring on hands and feet, warts can also occur just about anywhere on the body. Warts can be very persistent, lasting sometimes for years, and are contagious upon contact.

If you go to your doctor for wart removal, he may suggest laser surgery, cryogenic removal (freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen), or even surgical curettage (scooping or scraping away the infected tissue). These procedures can be quite painful, often leave scarring, and are sometimes ineffective, so it's not surprising that many people look for more natural wart remedies.

Here's a list of some of the more common and effective natural wart remedies.

Banana peels.
This might sound like an unusual natural wart remedy, but lots of people swear by it. Rub the affected area with a banana peel daily. You can even apply a piece of banana peel directly to the wart and hold in place with an adhesive bandage of piece of sturdy tape, like duct tape. It may take several weeks to see any progress, so be patient.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Another natural wart remedy that you probably already have in your kitchen cupboard is apple cider vinegar. Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply to the wart duct tape or medical tape. Leave on over night. Because apple cider vinegar is very acidic, it may irritate the skin surrounding the wart. If it becomes too irritating, try apply the apple cider vinegar to the wart every other night rather than every night. This natural remedy may also take some time. You should see results after the first week or so.

Potatoes
As a natural wart remedy, few things are more natural than potatoes. Try rubbing freshly cut raw white potatoes on the warts several times a day. You should see results in a couple of weeks.