Home Remedy for Genital Warts
What are the home remedies or treatments for genital warts?
There are several home remedies available for the treatment of genital warts. They vary greatly in effectiveness and safety, however, and whenever possible a medical professional should first be consulted.The first and simplest remedy is to simply keep the affected area clean and dry. Genital warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the same virus that causes all warts, and it thrives in moist areas. Care should be taken to prevent trauma to the area, as this can cause irritation, bleeding, and further infection, which will slow the body’s natural ability to heal the wart. Picking or squeezing the warts should be avoided as well, as this can cause irritation.
Aside from topical medications that may be obtained from a medical professional, there are several “grass roots” treatments that may be undertaken. Any individual thinking of using these methods, however, should be aware that they are not medically tested, and though they may prove useful, they could also have no effect or worse, irritate and inflame the area, making the problem worse.
For common warts, probably the most widely accepted home remedy is to cover the wart with duct tape. This method has long been touted as a miracle cure for common warts, and has been rumored to have similar success with genital warts. However, one should take care when using this method on genital warts, as the areas affected by genital warts are often much more sensitive than those affected by plantar warts, and can become inflamed.
One method is to apply a small amount of apple cider vinegar to the wart, using a cotton swab. Cover the area with an adhesive bandage, and leave it overnight. Repeat this procedure for two weeks or until some progress is seen. A similar method replaces the apple cider vinegar with castor oil.
Another similar method involves dabbing or dropping a very small amount of bleach on the wart. Again, this has been rumored to work with genital warts, but is extremely dangerous given the location and sensitivity of the affected area.
The safest home remedies are those that seek to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight the virus behind the warts by means of improving one’s diet, taking nutritional supplements, and ceasing smoking or other behaviors that weaken the immune system. In addition to regular vitamins and minerals, buckthorn, chaparral, mandrake, mullein, niacin, PABA, red clover, and zinc have all been rumored to speed the disappearance of warts.
Again, there is no medical evidence that home-grown, “grass roots” remedies are effective or safe. If possible, it is always preferable to see a health professional before attempting to cure genital warts personally.
There are also several home remedies for genital warts in the form of topical medications prescribed by a medical professional. Each of the different medications works in a different way, and has different benefits and risks. An evaluation by a medical professional is needed to determine exactly which treatment will work best on each affected individual.
Podofilox is used to treat genital warts, and comes in both a cream and solution formula. The gel is mainly used to treat warts between the genitals and the rectum, while the solution is not. The medicine works by destroying the skin affected by the wart. The treatment method is to apply the medicine to the affected area twice a day for a period of three days, followed by a four day rest period, and can be repeated until the warts are gone, for a maximum of eight weeks. Side effects for Podofilox include skin irritation and redness.
Another medicine sometimes used for genital warts is 5-Fluorouracil, which is also used to treat Psoriasis, Solar Keratoses, Bowen’s disease, and other skin conditions. Like Podofilox, it works by attacking the skin cells affected by the disease. The medication is often used with Tretinoin cream, which effectively peels away the top layer of skin, allowing the 5-Fluorouracil to be more effective. Treatment is administered by applying the cream twice a day for a length of time determined by a medical professional based on the severity and size of the warts.
A relatively new treatment is Imiquimod, which works in a different manner than other creams. Instead of attacking the skin affected by the wart, Imiquimod helps the body to fight the virus causing the warts. This leads to varying effectiveness, again depending on the individual and the characteristics of the warts. In limited clinical trials (limited due to the relatively short period of time that this medication has been available), it appears that Imiquimod has a lower rate of recurrence of warts. It is applied to the warts before bed, left uncovered, and then washed off in the morning. It should be used on an every-other-day basis, and can be used for up to 16 weeks, or until the warts disappear. Reported side effects of Imiquimod are redness, swelling, and irritation.
All of these medications are for external use only, and should not be applied to warts inside the anus or vagina. Furthermore, sexual intercourse should not be attempted while any of these medications is actually present on the skin, and pregnant women should not use any of these. And as with any other remedy for genital warts, they only treat the wart itself, rather than the virus that causes it.
