Then, one day, you realize the dermatologist’s waiting room is looking awfully familiar these days and more than likely, you’re there because the wart is back on your kid’s finger. These fleshy little growths (the wart, not the kid) are caused by the papillomavirus, of which there are thirty different types. Interestingly, all the different warts you’ve read about (common wart, plantar wart, genital wart, and so forth) are essentially the same, but their appearance changes according to their location on the body. Because the virus invasion is confined to the topmost layer of skin, it manages to elude the radar screen of the immune system. When a wart does disappear spontaneously, it probably just got ‘noticed’ and appropriately zapped. Neither conventional nor alternative medicine wins any prizes when it comes to wart control. We’ll talk about a few of the hundreds of folk remedies, as well as the current conventional ones. Then I’ll reveal what finally worked on my own warty kids.
Since the papillomavirus lives in the skin for several months before an actual wart appears, using local treatment to get rid of one wart offers you absolutely no guarantee that others won’t follow soon. Unless it’s in an unsightly spot, you may just want to leave it alone, using the nutritional supplements to build up your immune system. Most conventional treatments are variations on the theme of separating it from you. This can be done in a variety of ways: burning it with a laser or acid; freezing it with liquid nitrogen; or just cutting it off with a scalpel. The alternative treatments offer two approaches. First, nutritional supplements directed to build up your immunity so that your ‘factory installed’ disease fighting mechanisms kill the virus. Second, direct applications of liquid vitamins and herbs considered to be antiviral by themselves. The number of substances that can start killing off the wart virus seems endless. Any of the following can be applied directly to a wart.
If you’re using a liquid, you may want to soak a little piece of cotton with it and tape the cotton to the wart with a piece of adhesive tape Long term treatment and prevention Vitamin A 50,000 I.U. daily for a month, then reduce to 10,000 I.U./day (NOTE: this dose is too high for children or pregnant women. Vitamin C 1,000 mg twice a day Zinc 30 mg./Copper 2 mg./day Echinacea 200 mg three times a day Reishi/Miatake mushrooms 500 mg. reishi/200 mg. maitake BID All the supplements listed above are used routinely by nutritionally oriented physicians to jump-start the immune system and initiate the body’s own defense system against warts. The program can also be used during the cold and flu season to build your resistance against viral invasion in general. One month of this program should suffice, although maintenance on Vitamins C and E is never a bad idea. Strengthen your immune system by eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially onions, garlic.
Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli all supply sulfur. Avoid sweets, processed foods, junk foods Herbal teas (to stimulate immunity): echinacea/goldenseal, pau d’arco Homeopathy: Thuja, Causticum, Calcarea, Nitric acid (all 6C, two pellets TID for ten days) Chemical (salicylic acid), electric or laser burning, freezing (liquid nitrogen) Imiquod (Aldara™) is FDA approved for genital warts but is being increasingly prescribed by dermatologists for common warts. It’s mechanism of action is not known but may somehow increase local levels of the bodies own antiviral substance interferon Cimetidine (Tagamet™) is, of course, mainly used for treatment of duodenal ulcers. It’s effect on warts was discovered by accident and seems to be effective. Since Tagamet is available without a prescription, the recommended dose is 400 mg twice a day My son Benjamin began getting warts (along with several of his classmates) around age 10. Naturally, his nutritionally oriented physician-father suggested he eat more fruits and vegetables, a therapy rejected with lightening speed by the patient himself.
For topical application, I began with garlic oil (it smells just like you’d think it smells), applied twice a day. It began shrinking the wart, but made him a social outcast (I really should have thought of that!). In approximate order, we tried vitamin E oil, lomatium isolate, vitamin C powder, and pau d’arco tincture as well as reduced doses the listed supplements.But as soon as one crop of warts would begin to shrink, more appeared. Finally, Ben insisted on a “real doctor,” (obviously not his father), a dermatologist, and returned one day proudly showing me where they’d all been burned off with a laser. In two months, all the warts were all back again. Since the laser had hurt, he wasn’t enthused about salicyclic acid, but being a good patient dutifully applied the little medicated patches to each and every wart. One wart would shrink, and a neighbor would appear. Finally, the dermatologist suggested that we apply the new prescription drug Aldara and at the same time start taking the ulcer medicine Tagamet.
Neither of these is FDA approved for common warts. This is called “off-label prescribing,” and finally each and every wart permanently disappeared. When his kid brother, Nicholas showed up with warts on his hands and feet, he did not take well to my suggestion of amputation. This time, I’m keeping it simple: diet, vitamins C and E, echinacea, and Aldara, adding the Tagamet only if things fail to improve. For product recommendations and orders click here for the Natural Apothecary or call 773-296-6700 ext. 2001.Warts are small growths appearing singly or in clusters on various surfaces of the body. Common warts, plantar warts and genital warts are all caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Regardless of the type of wart, there are several vitamins that may help kill the virus and heal the affected area. The following dosages have been recommended for adults by certified nutritionist Phyllis Balch in her book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Be sure to check with a qualified health-care professional before attempting high-dose supplementation with vitamins.
Part of the reason why Vitamin C is recommended during cold and flu season is its strong antiviral capacity. Supplementing with 4,000 to 10,000 mg daily in divided doses can help bolster the immune system, specifically promoting antiviral activity. Choose vitamin C with additional bioflavonoids for best results. Consult your physician before taking high doses of vitamin C. Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin and epithelial membranes. Balch recommends supplementing with a form of vitamin A containing mixed carotenoids at 100,000 IU daily for one month. Reduce vitamin A intake to 50,000 for the second month, 25,000 IU for the third month or until warts disappear. Be aware that vitamin A in high doses can be toxic so use caution when supplementing. For those who prefer a topical treatment, chiropractor and acupuncturist Dr. Ben Kim suggests taking Vitamin A gel-caps, pricking them with a pin, and applying the oil to the warts every night at bedtime. Do not exceed 10,000 IU per day orally or topically if pregnant.
Consult your doctor before taking high doses of vitamin A. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that promotes tissue repair and healing. It is also known to improve circulation, which can help transport antiviral nutrients to the affected area. Balch suggests 200 IU daily, applied directly to the wart. If vitamin E emulsion or cream cannot be found, use a pin to prick open vitamin E capsules and apply the oil. Again, seek your doctor's advice before taking vitamin E. Genital Warts - Treatment and Prevention At-Home Treatments for Genital Warts Castor Oil & Genital Warts Supplements to Help Fight HPV How to Remove Plantar Warts With Vitamins How to Cure Genital Warts With Apple Cider Vinegar Foods to Eat to Get Rid of Warts Vitamin E & Genital Warts Vinegar Home Remedy for Genital Warts Essential Oils for Warts How to Trim Warts Vitamin B12 & Vitamin D for HPV How to Remove Scalp Warts Supplements That Kill Human Papillomavirus