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Warts are a very unpleasant skin condition that is painful, spreads easily and is not exactly pleasant to look at. If the warts are on the soles of the feet, they can also complicate walking or cause other problems. How to treat warts and prevent their recurrence?
Skin warts are very common, usually affecting about one in four people. Children aged 5 to 15 are most affected. In some cases warts can disappear on their own, while in others they can persist for months or even years and fail to heal. There are various dermatological treatments aimed at eliminating warts, but they are not always successful.
Warts look like small, benign bumps on the skin that occur after infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 60 types of HPV, some of which tend to cause skin warts. HPV stimulates the rapid growth of cells on the outer layer of the skin. They most commonly appear on the fingers, near the nails or on the hands. Some types of HPV can also cause the occurrence of warts in the genital area.
HPV can spread by personal contact or by direct contact with an object used by an infected person. The virus that causes warts can also spread to other areas of the body.
What types of warts exist
- Plantar warts: This type of wart usually appears as fleshy or light brown lumps that contain small spots that look like black dots. Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet most often of all.
- Genital warts: Genital warts can appear on the pubic area, on the genitals, in or around the anus, or in the vagina. They look like small, pink or red growths. However, they can also be very small and poorly visible. They often appear in groups of three or four and can grow and spread quickly. Some genital warts can cause mild pain, bleeding and itching.
- Flat warts: This type of wart is more common in adolescents and children than in adults. Flat warts are smoother, flatter and smaller than other warts and usually occur on the face. Flat warts can also appear on the feet, especially in women.
Methods that dermatologists use to remove warts can be painful and expensive, which is why we bring you this natural remedy that will help you get rid of them.
Natural remedy for warts
Warts can be treated in many different ways and you have surely already tried many preparations yourself. But if none have worked so far, do not worry – this method is reliable and has very good results.
What you will need:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cotton or a sterile compress
- A cotton swab
Just take a cotton swab, cover one of its two ends with a piece of cotton (or a compress) and soak it in apple cider vinegar. Squeeze off the excess vinegar and apply the soaked cotton to the wart, then let the area dry.
This procedure should be repeated twice a day for five to seven days, until the wart comes off the skin by itself. If there is still a piece of the wart at the site that has not fallen off on its own, don’t worry, because it will disappear in the following days.
Apple cider vinegar, thanks to its antibacterial and antifungal properties, is a great way to treat skin infections. On contact with the vinegar the warts swell, after a few days most of them darken, and after a week or two they fall off and disappear completely. However, the treatment must be truly regular for the effect to be lasting.
