Best Way to get Rid of Warts

3. Stick to it. Doctors have known for years that adhesive tape is an effective treatment for warts that's cheap and doesn't leave scars. In fact, a 2003 study found that tape therapy eliminated warts about 85 percent of the time compared to a standard medical treatment using liquid nitrogen, which was only successful on 60 percent of warts. Try this: Wrap the wart completely and snugly with four layers of tape. Leave the tape on for 6 « days, then remove it for half a day. You may need to repeat the procedure for about three to four weeks before the wart disappears.

4. Try castor oil. It's probably the acid in castor oil that does the trick by irritating the wart. The oil works best on small, flat warts on the face and the back of the hands. Apply castor oil to the wart with a cotton swab twice a day.

5. "C" what you can do. Vitamin C is mildly acidic, so it may irritate the wart enough to make it go away. Apply a paste made of crushed vitamin C tablets and water only to the wart, not to the surrounding skin. Then cover the paste with gauze and tape.

6. Heat it up. One study found that soaking plantar warts in very hot water was helpful because it softens the wart and may kill the virus. Make sure the water is not too hot, or you may burn yourself.

7. Take precautions with over-the-counter preparations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved wart-removal medications made with 60 percent salicylic acid, but over-the- counter remedies most commonly contain 17 percent. The stronger formulas are not recommended for children. Salicylic acid works because it's an irritant, so no matter which strength of solution you use, try to keep it from irritating the surrounding skin. If you're using a liquid medication, smear a ring of petroleum jelly around the wart before applying the medication. If you're using a medicated wart pad or patch, cut it to cover just the size of the wart. Apply over-the-counter medications at night and leave the area uncovered.

8. Chalk it up to the power of suggestion. Some physicians use this technique on children, who are still impressionable. The doctor tells the child that if the doctor rubs chalk on the child's warts, they will disappear. There are variations on this, including: Coloring the warts with crayon or drawing a picture of a child's hand with the warts crossed out and throwing the picture in the garbage.