I had a bout with a couple of warts a couple of years ago. I tried most if not all of the OTC products available. These included different forms of salicylic acid. They did not work very well. I even went to a dermatologist that thought it would be a great idea to freeze them off. She used a canister of liquid nitrogen to spray on it. Not only did it hurt, but it caused my skin to blister. Eventually the blisters popped and it took almost 2 weeks for the skin to heal. It was not pretty. To top it off the warts came back!
I did some research and tried all sorts of home remedies. Even using urine on my hand. Yes, I did. And no, it did not work. I came across Apple Cider Vinegar(ACV) and read many positive reviews about it. I decided to give it a try as it was not costly and seemed to work relatively quickly. The following will be a quick guide of what I use and recommend to my customers and/or friends.
ITEMS REQUIRED
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Cotton ball/Q-Tip/Gauze Pad
- Duct Tape, Athletic Tape, Band-Aid
DIRECTIONS
I recommend doing this overnight unless you are able to leave this applied to your wart for an extended period of time with no interruption.
First thing you want to do is take your piece of cotton and soak it with ACV. Make sure to shake the bottle up if it has the “mother.” If you use a Q-tip, I recommend cutting the tip off the stem. You can of course cut the cotton ball, swab, or gauze pad to size. Once soaked, squeeze out the excess so it does not leak out everywhere when the tape is applied. Place the piece you just soaked and place it over the wart. Place tape/band-aid over the cotton and leave on overnight. Upon waking, remove the cotton and band-aid and wash area. Repeat again later that night. You will see the wart initally turn white. As it starts to die it will turn black. This usually happens within the first few days. Once it hardens, it becomes a scab and will eventually fall off. Do not stop doing this until the scab falls off. Voila!
PRECAUTIONS
There is a possibility of burning the skin as the ACV is acidic. If you feel any any pain or burning, I would suggest stopping the treatment and speaking to your doctor. An option to minimize burning is diluting the ACV with water.
Use this technique with the common wart that can be found all over your body but mostly on your hands, fingers, or feet. Plantars warts may take longer to remove as they will grow inward and have a layer of skin over them. Do not use this technique for genital warts or warts found on the face.
Do not at any point pull, bite, scrape or cut away the wart. Doing any of those things can potentially lead to the spreading of the virus.
WHERE TO BUY
The product I like to use is Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar. It seems to be the gold standard of ACV. You can get it online or in most supermarkets for a relatively affordable price. The product is organic and claims to be free of arsenic and pesticides. Great news if you like to drink it for it’s health benefits!
Find on Amazon here:
***Disclaimer: I have used this product with success for this type of treatment. Results my vary from person to person. Please consult your doctor or the manufacturer if you have any questions regarding the use of this product for this or any other type of ailment.
