Warts can be very unsightly and, as in the case of plantar warts, can even be painful. Even though commercially available solutions do help minimize the appearence of warts, it is still difficult to beat natural alternatives, as these are cost effective, convenient, whilst being completely safe to. By having a clear understanding of what causes a wart and knowing how to naturally treat one, a person can avoid costly doctor’s visits and restore their skin’s health naturally.

The definition of a wart is as a growth or lesion that can appear on any part of the. Warts are caused by a virus which belongs to the human papilloma variety. Warts become established within the body by entering as small cut or abrasion, which more so than not is so small that the wart may appear as if by magic. A wart can grow for several days before it is recognized.

Most of us who suffer warts understand that they come and go, and can take anywhere from a few weeks to a good part of a year to go away on their own. There are many different treatments available for warts, and these include over the counter preperations that contain various acids that over time erode the skin component of this growth, inducing them to over time dissolve. This method is not recommended for genital warts, as tissue damage can result.

Some seek medical treatment to speed the skin’s recovery, which is usually done via cryosurgery (freezing) or by laser surgery depending upon the severity of the wart. In over the counter or medical options, more than one treatment is often needed before the wart is completely removed. Also, infection can recur if the original virus is still present on the skin or if a person comes in contact with the virus again.

On the other hand, natural treatments for warts are readily available and are easy to use. One of the most sucessful methods is using a piece of duct tape in removing the wart. With this method, the wart may be covered with duct tape for six days. After the six day cycle, the tape can be removed, the wart soaked and then scrubbed with a pumice stone (to exfoliate the skin on the wart) before drying the area thoroughly and reapplying more duct tape for another six day period. This method can be repeated several times with each cycle eroding the wart.

More than one type of tape can be used for this process in the same way. For instance, covering the wart with a band-aid is another useful, effective way to reduce its presence and may be more ascetically pleasing than duct tape. The band-aid can also be removed every six days and as much of the wart as possible should be scrubbed away in between changings.

Other natural treatments for warts include the following:

• Applying a banana peel to the wart and securing it with tape

• Daily applications of apple cider vinegar directly to the wart

• Daily applications of tea tree oil help reduce the wart and ward off the invading infection

• Rub the wart with a raw potato several times each day to speed recovery

Needless to say, the best strategy in dealing with warts is to entirely avoid them in the first place. This is best accomplished by maintaining a healthy immune system that protects the body against infection and disease. A healthy diet that avoids processed foods, white sugar, white flour, artificial flavorings, chemical additives, and food coloring is best.

As the wart is the rusult of a virus, it is best to avoid all types of food and such that may result in the dampering of the immune system. Besides avoiding unhealthy and overly processed foods, whilst increasing the volume of immune boosting foods such as natural fruits and vegetables. This keeps the body’s systems working at their best, as does adequate excercise and rest.