3-Step Guide For Naturally Treating Your Plantar Warts At Home

Posted on: 2 February 2015

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After discovering dry, scaly lesions on the bottom of your foot, you may suspect that you have plantar warts. Although they are not usually harmful, they may be causing you some pain or irritation. Use the following three-step guide for naturally treating the warts at home using ingredients found in pharmacies, department stores, and supermarkets.

Step 1:  Soak Your Foot in A Homemade Solution

The first step uses a homemade foot soak that penetrates the roots of the warts to kill them at their source. The apple cider vinegar and Epsom salt also soften the hard, callused skin covering your lesions. The lavender oil soothes pain and promotes healing of the skin, decreasing the chances of a scar.

In a pot or basin large enough to fit both of your feet, mix together two cups of warm water and one cup of Epsom salt. Allow the salt to dissolve for five minutes.

Then, stir in add a half of a cup of apple cider vinegar and 10 drops of lavender oil. Submerge your feet in the solution and soak them for 15 minutes.

Remove your feet from the container and pat them dry with a clean towel. Use a nail brush or soft emery board to gently remove any dead skin. Do not cut around the wart or use a rough board because you could cut the skin, increasing the chance of infection.

After removing the dead skin, rinse your feet with warm water. Pat them dry once again and allow them to air dry for 10 minutes. Then, go on to step two.

Step 2:  Apply An Herbal Oil Tincture

After your feet have dried, apply an herbal tincture containing tea tree and thyme oils. Both of these oils will kill the roots of the warts. They are also antibacterials that will help keep the area from becoming infected.

Using a cotton swab, mix together two drops of the tea tree oil and five drops of the thyme oil. Apply the tincture directly to the warts using a clean swab.

Allow the oils to soak into the warts for 15 minutes. Then, proceed to the third step of the treatment.

Step 3:  Stick Duct Tape On The Warts

Once the tincture has had time to soak in, it is time to cover up your warts. Sticking duct tape on them is beneficial for two reasons. Its stickiness keeps the tape in place for a full day. This helps keep the warts moist so the treatments can penetrate deeper to their roots. Keeping the warts soft also helps relieve the discomfort they can cause.

The strong adhesive also serves another purpose. When you remove the duct tape the next evening to repeat the treatment, it pulls some of the warts out by the roots. This helps diminish their size at a faster rate.

Before applying the duct tape, make sure the skin surrounding the area is completely dry to aid in the tape's adhesion. Tear off enough tape to cover the wart completely plus a half inch past it borders.

Leave the duct tape on for a full 24 hours. If it does come off during the day, reapply a fresh piece. Repeat this step of the treatment for six days straight, then skip it on the seventh day to give your feet's skin time to breathe. Then, repeat the cycle until the wart has healed.

You should start seeing improvement within the first week. After six weeks of using the above home treatment every night, your plantar warts should be completely healed. However, if they start to grow larger or become more painful, you may want to visit a podiatrist clinic to have them examined and professionally treated.