Definition:–
Common, contagious, epithelial tumours, cause by at least 60 types of human papillomavirus; some tumours can become malignant
Symptoms:
- A small, raised bump on the skin (1 to 3 mm, growing progressively larger), with a rough surface and clearly defined borders, the same colour as the skin or darker
- Often in clusters around a mother wart
- Black dots or bleeding points in the centre
- Painless, although plantar warts may be rather tender
Causes:
- Infection by a papillomavirus
Treatment:
Lifestyle Recommendations
- Apply a heating pad set to 122°F (50°C) for 30 seconds at a time, one to four times, to regress common warts and prevent re-growth
- Protective pad to relieve pain
- Avoid scratching warts
- Use salicylic acid topically
- Reduce/avoid alcohol
- Increase the amount of sulfur-containing amino acids in the diet (asparagus, citrus fruits, eggs, garlic, onions; desiccated liver tablets)
Supplement Recommendations
- Vitamin B complex (50 mg of each major B vitamin 3x daily) – for normal cell multiplication
- Vitamin C with bioflavanoids (4 000-10 000 mg daily, in divided doses) – powerful antiviral capacity
- Zinc (50-80 mg daily) – increases immunity against viruses
Herbs –
- Black walnut – heals (especially for warts in mouth and throat)
- Aloe vera gel; myrrh; essential oils of clove, lemon-grass, peppermint, tea tree, wintergreen; tinctures of black walnut, chickweed, goldenseal and pau d’arco – used externally to treat warts
- Garlic – topical