Home Treatments for Warts
There are several types of treatments for warts available without a prescription, including:
- Salicylic acid – This is the common ingredient found in most over-the-counter wart treatments, but it should not be used to treat warts on the face or genitals. Look for a treatment that includes 17 percent salicylic acid. The acid slowly peels off layers of skin until the wart finally falls off. When using salicylic acid:
- Soak the wart in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes
- Rub it gently with a pumice stone or emery board, being careful not to cut into the wart. This softens the wart so it absorbs the medicine better.
- Brush the acid on the wart.
- Avoid getting the acid on the healthy skin around the wart, because it may burn and can irritate the skin.
Some products provide the acid on patches that look like bandages. Place the patches on the wart and change every two days.
- Cryotherapy – Some over-the-counter products contain liquid nitrogen, which freezes the wart and causes a blister. The blister eventually falls off, taking the wart with it.
- Duct tape – It sounds strange, and no one is sure why, but some people have success treating warts with duct tape. Place the duct tape (the very sticky, silver kind seems to work best) over the wart and leave for several days. Then, remove and replace it with a new piece of duct tape. The treatment gradually peels off layers of the wart. Since there are conflicting studies on whether duct tape really gets rid of warts, it’s a good idea to discuss this treatment option with a doctor.
Treating the warts at home doesn’t always work, so you might consider going to a dermatologist.
Molluscum bumps eventually will go away without treatment, usually after six months to a year, but it can take up to five years. Because there usually are quite a few bumps and it’s very contagious, you should make an appointment to see a dermatologist.
Next: How Dermatologists Treat Warts
