Warts, Common
Definition
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
TB
- 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).
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