Warts are a growth on the skin cause by the human papilloma virus, more commonly known as HPV. These can include common warts that usually show up on the fingers, plantar warts that tend to appear on the soles of the feet, flat wars that show up in areas that people frequently shave or genital warts that are considered a sexually transmitted disease.

For most children, warts will fade on their own without intervention. Unfortunately, warts tend to linger on adults. Warts that are bothersome or appear to be spreading should be removed. Chemical, laser, freezing and surgical treatments can be used to help you get rid of warts. Home remedies for warts can also help to get rid of the condition.

Things to Remember Before Applying Home Remedies for Warts

1. Ensure it's a wart.

Before you start applying any treatment, make sure that the bump on your finger is a wart. Warts have a broken surface that will have several little red dots inside. These are the blood vessels that are feeding the wart. If the skin is smooth and regularly shaped, it may be a mole instead. Those that are rough or hard can be a callus or corn. If the bump is irregularly shaped and appears to be growing quickly, it could be cancerous.

2. Leave time for them to go.

While it can take some time, many warts go away on their own. The only problem is they tend to reappear later. Some believe that a "mother" wart will spread other warts along the skin. Some people also seem to be particularly susceptible to warts. In this case you may need to go ahead with treatment to see relief.

Home Remedies for Warts

1. Pads

Wart pads that are made from moleskin or doughnut shaped pads can be purchased at pharmacies. Place these around the wart to relieve pressure on the area. You can also place a pad in your shoe to help keep you comfortable while the wart heals.

2. Proper Footwear

Wear shoes and socks that are comfortable to avoid putting pressure on the wart. Especially avoid uncomfortable shoes like high heels that can put more pressure on your wart.

3. Nonprescription Medicines

Pain medications such as ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen can help take down the pain associated with warts. Don't give aspirin to those under the age of 20 because this can increase their risk of Reye syndrome.

4. Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is typically considered the most ideal treatment for warts because it is safe and generally quite effective. This treatment also has minimal pain compared to other treatments.

Soak the wart to loosen the skin, and then apply the acid before bed. Cover the affected area with bandages or a sock and then wash the salicylic acid away in the morning. This should make it easy to rub away the skin affected by the HPV virus. Use a pumice stone to gently remove the dead cells 1-2 times a week. Be careful when disposing of these flakes as these items and the pumice stone will be infected with the virus.

5. Tape Occlusion

Duct tape can be used to cover an area affected by a wart, smothering it. Ingredients in the glue can also help kill off the wart. This treatment will take around 1-2 months to complete.

6. Nonprescription Cryotherapy

Your doctor can perform cyrotherapy on warts on the body but you can perform this treatment at home to deal with wars on the hands and feet. To perform this treatment, apply two different chemicals using the foam applicator. Hold this applicator on the wart for a couple of seconds and then release. Do not use this treatment on pregnant or breastfeeding women or children under the age of four.

7. Other Home Remedies for Warts

How to Prevent Warts from Spreading

Apart from the home remedies for warts, it is imperative that you take some measures to prevent it from spreading as warts can find its way to the body easily.