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Have you ever had a wart?
Those little bumps can pop up just about anywhere on our skin with very little warning. While they’re not considered a high-risk medical issue, they aren’t very attractive and they can make you feel self-conscious.
I know, because I’ve had a few throughout my life.
I’ve tried just about all of the over-the-counter products, and I’ve even paid quite a bit to have them removed by a doctor. But these treatments didn’t always work.
I was recently told to use apple cider vinegar for warts. I didn’t think such an affordable product would do anything, but I was completely wrong!
Read on to learn how to use apple cider vinegar on warts and get rid of those pesky bumps for good.
What Is a Wart?
The first time that I saw a strange bump on my hand, I had no idea what it was.
Was it a bite? An allergic reaction? Maybe it was always there and I just never noticed it.
A quick trip to my doctor revealed that the pesky little bump was a wart. I was happy to know that it wasn’t anything too serious, but I wanted it gone right away!
Warts are simply raised bumps on the skin caused by a virus. The virus, called the human papillomavirus, is transmitted easily through skin-to-skin contact.
Once it enters the top level of skin, it causes rapid growth of the cells, creating a fast-growing bump that seems to pop up out of nowhere.
There is no cure for the virus, and there are dozens of strains.
The virus could cause one wart or many; everyone’s reaction is different. For most, the virus will eventually become dormant and no longer cause any problems. But for some, they can struggle with warts for years.
If this is your case, you’re probably sick of the high cost of doctor treatments and the stigma that comes along with warts. If you haven’t tried apple cider vinegar on warts in the past, you’re sure to be impressed with the crazy-fast and effective results.
Warts are nothing new. In fact, the little bumps have been found on 3,000-year-old mummies! They’re not dangerous but they can be painful and embarrassing.
Let’s learn a bit more about them and how to use apple cider vinegar for warts.
How Do We Get Them?
Let’s go into a little more detail than before.
Warts occur when we are infected with a virus. We can get this virus if it comes into contact with our skin, especially if an open cut is present or the contact is near a mucous membrane.
Some people are more prone to warts than others and dermatologists aren’t exactly sure why.
We do know that children are more likely to develop warts compared to adults because their immune systems don’t have a strong enough defence against the human papillomavirus.
This is why warts can spread quickly through a family. They’re very contagious.
If children share a towel or touch similar surfaces throughout the day, the virus can be easily passed from an infected child to his or her siblings.
Want to know how I got my wart?
I guess I’ll never know for sure, but this is my theory. My family and I had gone on vacation and decided to take our last day away from home a bit easy. We stayed at the hotel and spent the day in their indoor pool.
Since it was a pool, we walked around barefoot most of the day. Sure enough, both me and two of my children developed warts on the bottom of our feet a few weeks later.
Like I said, I’ll never know for sure, but this was the only time we were all barefoot at the same time.
It doesn’t take much to contract the virus that causes warts. The best way to prevent infection is to practice safe hygiene. Keep cuts and sores covered and wash your hands frequently.
While you can’t completely prevent warts, you can take proper precautions to lessen your chances for infection.
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made from apple cider. It’s a thin liquid and has a medium amber color.
When it comes to using apple cider vinegar for warts, you’ll want to use an unpasteurized or organic version that contains mother of vinegar.
It should be labeled this way, but you can also tell by the vinegar’s appearance. It should have a cobweb-like effect going on. This is normal and doesn’t mean that the product has gone bad.
If your apple cider vinegar is easy to see through, it might not have the beneficial factors needed to tackle warts or other health issues that it can help with.
You might think that apple cider vinegar is only for cooking, but there are several apple cider vinegar health benefits.
It’s great for making homemade beauty products and even cleaning products. It’s safe for skin when used appropriately and packs a powerful punch when it comes to certain skin conditions, like acne and dandruff.
But more importantly, it’s a natural treatment that can remove warts in a flash. Generations before us have been using it for this purpose for centuries.
Removing warts won’t rid your body of the virus. But you should still do what you can to remove the bumps from your skin.
For one thing, they’re unsightly and can be embarrassing. Shaking the hand of your potential new boss during an interview is nerve wracking enough. You don’t want them to spot a wart on your hand just as they let go.
Also, remember that warts are contagious. And not just between other people. In other words, a wart from your hand can cause a wart just about anywhere else on your body if it comes into contact with it.
You also don’t want to spread the warts to your family or friends. In families, warts are often in the center of a constant circle. A child gives the virus to a sibling, that sibling gives it to another and just as the first child is getting rid of their wart, they’re infected again from a sibling.
Depending on their placement, warts can also be painful. This is usually motivation enough to get rid of them.
Want to know how? Check out our apple cider vinegar wart remedy. I’ve had tremendous results with it and recommend it to everyone I know.
Why Does It Help to Remove Warts?
Just as removing the wart won’t rid your body of the virus, apple cider vinegar alone won’t kill the virus either.
So just what does it do?
The acid present in the vinegar will attack the warts, starting with the top layers and cells, which will help them slowly peel away and allow healthy surrounding skin to take over.
If done correctly, you won’t be left with an unsightly scar. No one will ever know that you had a wart.
You can use this method with just about any type of wart except genital warts. While also caused by the human papillomavirus, these need to be treated by a healthcare professional.
The affected areas are too sensitive for an acid treatment administered at home.
This treatment will work best on a few different types of warts. It’s best for common warts, which are most likely the category for those found on the hands.
Plantar warts are found on the bottom of the foot and while this method will treat them, it might take a little longer than common warts. It will also work for flat warts.
If a wart is near a sensitive part of the body, such as the mouth or eye, an apple cider vinegar remedy should not be used as there is a higher risk of irritation.
Apple Cider Wart Remedy
There are two main methods when it comes to using apple cider vinegar for warts. One is an overnight remedy, while the other is a soaking method. Let’s start with the overnight remedy.
- Thoroughly wash and dry affected areas. Make sure to wash your hands as well.
- Apply pure apple cider vinegar to a cotton ball. Make sure that the ball is soaked but not dripping.
- Place the cotton ball on the wart. If you have more than one, use more cotton balls as needed.
- Place a bandage over each cotton ball, securing them in place.
- Leave cotton balls and bandages on overnight.
- Repeat process every night, removing cotton balls and bandages every morning.
When it comes to soaking the warts, this remedy will only work if the warts are on your hands or feet. Otherwise, it can be quite uncomfortable.
- Thoroughly wash and dry affected areas. Make sure to wash your hands as well.
- Pour a cup of apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Dilute with water.
- Place the affected area in the bowl of apple cider vinegar mixture and allow it to soak for about 20 minutes.
- Repeat this process every day.
How to Use This Remedy to Remove Warts
Whichever remedy you choose, the most important thing to remember is that consistency is key.
Once you start to see an improvement, don’t just stop using the apple cider vinegar. I would recommend continuing the treatment for a bit even after the wart is even gone, just to ensure that it’s gone for good.
How Long Does It Take for Apple Cider Vinegar to Work on Warts?
Some begin to see results from apple cider vinegar right away, while others might need to be a bit more persistent.
There are a few apple cider vinegar wart removal stages that warts go through when being treated with apple cider vinegar. Understanding these will help you gauge your results.
Stage 1
- During this stage, the wart will begin to swell. Don’t be alarmed if it throbs a bit. If the pain is excessive, stop treatment and seek medical advice if necessary, but for most, there is little to no pain involved with an apple cider vinegar treatment.
Stage 2
- By now, you should start to notice a change in the appearance of the wart. It might begin to turn black. This is normal and a good sign that the treatment is working.
Stage 3
- During the final stage, the wart will begin to flake away. Don’t try to force the removal by picking or peeling at the wart. Let the apple cider vinegar do the work for you. If you try and remove the wart on your own, there’s a good chance you’ll leave a piece behind and it will simply grow back. Be patient.
When I used apple cider vinegar to remove my own warts, I began to see improvement after three or four days. By the tenth day, the wart was virtually gone. I continued treatment until the two-week mark just to be safe.
Side Effects of Using Apple Cider Vinegar on Warts
While rare, there are a few side-effects you can experience when combining apple cider vinegar and warts. The most commonly reported side effect is discomfort.
While some don’t notice any sensations when treating their warts, others experience significant pain or throbbing.
Another common side effect is burning or irritation on the skin around the wart. Take extra precautions to make sure you are only applying the vinegar to your wart and not the surrounding skin.
If you are using the soaking method to remove your warts, try diluting the vinegar more to avoid irritation. In severe cases, apple cider vinegar can aggravate the skin so much that it leaves behind scars, so always monitor your skin while administering treatments.
Mixing apple cider vinegar and warts is considered to be a very safe and effective treatment. It’s also incredibly affordable.
If you’ve been looking for a way to avoid more intense treatments, such as freezing or the use of a cautery pen, apple cider vinegar could be the right treatment for you.
Don’t suffer with warts any longer. Pick up some apple cider vinegar and start enjoying smooth skin again.
