Warts, Common

A circumscribed cutaneous elevation resulting from hypertrophy of the pupillae and epidermis. The term plantar wart is applied to a wart on pressure-bearing areas, especially the sole of the foot.

Causes

Caused by a papillomavirus. Highly contagious, they can be spread by picking, trimming, biting, or touching them. They can also be spread on the face, underarms or legs by shaving.

Symptoms

These warts can be found on the hands, feet, forearms, and face and range in size from a pinhead to a small bean. They can also occur on the voice box or the larynx and cause hoarseness. They are rough, irregular skin growths, and are caused by a virus. They may be flat or raised, dry or moist, and have a rough and pitted surface that is either flesh colored or darker than the surrounding skin. They typically do not cause pain or itching and can be left to disappear on their own unless they become bothersome.

Nutrients

Vitamin B complex, 50 mg. 3 times per day, is important in normal cell multiplication. Vitamin C, 4,000-10,000 mg. per day, has a powerful antiviral capacity. L-Cysteine (amino acid), use as directed on the label, is needed for normal skin. Vitamin A, 25,000 IU per day, is needed for normalizing skin and epithelial membranes. Vitamin E, 400-800 IU per day (can be applied to common warts. Cut open a capsule or apply oil every day. Vitamin or enzyme cream can also be applied directly to common warts.) Zinc, 50-80 mg. per day, increases immunity against viruses. Multivitamin and mineral complex, taken as directed on the label, helps normal cell division.

Herbs

Alder buckthorn, bark
Arbor vitae
Bitter root
Bittersweet
Bloodroot
Brucea
Buttercup (external use)
Cactus, prickly-pear
Calendula
Castor bean, oil
Cedar, northern white
Celandine, greater (external use)
Chaparral
Corn-cockle (external use)
Crowfoot, marsh
Cypress
Dandelion
Fig tree
Garlic
Houseleek
Jewelweed
Lemon
Lettuce, wild
Milkweed
Mullein
Onion
Poke root
Princess-tree
Sage, wild, lyre-leaved
Sarsaparilla
Spurge
Sundew
Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Thuja
Walnut, black
White weed
Willow bark

Recommendations

For removing common warts, some people have had good results with crushed garlic clove placed directly on the wart. Cover with a bandage for 24 hours. Blisters will form and then the warts will fall off in about a week. Applying castor oil to the wart is also successful.

Diet should include: asparagus, citrus fruits, eggs, garlic and onions, and desiccated liver tablets.

Vitamin C daily is most important in maintaining effective immunity against warts.

Suggestions

Freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen and fulguration with electrical cautery are other commonly use treatments for warts. Fulguration uses heat to destroy the warts.

Remedy for plantar warts:
This type is more deeply imbedded than warts on other areas of the body. External applications of wheat germ oil or castor oil are reputed to disperse plantar warts. A pad of cotton saturated with the oil is bound on the wart at bedtime and allowed to remain on overnight. This is repeated nightly until results are achieved (generally about 3 to 4 weeks).