Essential Oils for Warts
Warts are a common human condition that generally appear on the hands, feet, and face. They are small, hard, often painless growths on the skin, usually rough in texture and similar to a callous.
They vary slightly on sight, with some being almost skin color, white, pink or tan. Some warts have tiny black pinpoint dots representing small clogged blood vessels.
Warts grow either individually or in groups, and vary from pea sized to very large, covering the ball of the foot in some cases.
Caused by human papilloma viruses (HPV), warts, and especially plantar warts, are usually contracted in public showers. The infection enters the body through slightly damaged skin and is contagious, but not cancerous.1
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When deciding on how to get rid of warts, it is helpful to know that several home remedies for warts exist. How to remove warts may depend on whether the warts are located on the feet, or elsewhere. Warts on feet, called plantar warts, occur on the soles, and can be irritating if left untreated.
The Best Essential Oils for Warts
- Tea Tree Essential Oil
- Oregano Essential Oil
- Frankincense Essential Oil
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Thyme Essential Oil
How to get rid of warts is certainly a common question, and there isn’t just one best essential oil for warts. Thanks to readily available high-quality essential oils, there are a number of essential oils for wart removal that can be effective.
Whether you are looking for essential oils for warts on feet, hands, or essential oils for warts on face, there is more than one essential oil option when it comes to home remedies for natural wart removal.
An effective choice for natural wart removal, essential oils each have their own unique fragrance, and when mixed with a carrier oil, may feel soothing on the skin. For many people, this makes for a pleasant method of removing warts.
Whether you are looking for the best essential oil for plantar warts, or essential oils for warts on hands, it is useful to soak the wart in warm water for about 15 minutes before using any essential oil treatment for warts.
Antiviral essential oils for warts contain virus fighting compounds. Below, we outline five essential oils which may be used as specific essential oils for plantar warts or general wart treatment.
Tea Tree Oil Warts
Tea tree essential oil has been noted for its antioxidant and antibacterial properties and is considered one of the most potent antiviral essential oils for warts. When applied topically, tea tree oil acts as a soothing agent, but should always be diluted with a carrier oil like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or almond oil.2
Tea tree oil and warts is an example of a Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) approach. While natural methods my not be as fast-acting as conventional treatments, with patience, tea tree oil wart removal may be possible.
Oregano Oil for Warts
Oregano essential oil is known for its potent antimicrobial and antiviral properties, which can help destroy different types of viruses and fungi known to cause skin conditions.3 Oregano essential oil’s main ingredient, carvacrol, is thought to be responsible for the fast-acting, antiviral activity. Oregano essential oil has been frequently cited as one of the top essential oils for plantar wart removal.3,6
Oregano DIY Wart Removal Recipe
To use oregano oil for warts, mix 25 drops of oregano oil with 2 Tsp. of coconut oil and apply four times a day. If you notice irritation, pain, or discomfort, discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner.
Frankincense Essential Oil for Warts
Using frankincense essential oil for natural wart removal is another popular, herbal remedy. With anti-inflammatory properties, frankincense essential oil is typically used for wound care and is also theorized to have a positive effect on the immune system. Individuals with a weakened immune system have been shown to be more prone to getting the wart virus.4
Lemon Essential Oil for Warts
Lemon essential oil has been known to be an effective treatment for various skin conditions, including warts. C. limetta (sweet lemon) is used in some cosmetic lotions to treat warts.5
Thyme Essential Oil for Warts
Thyme essential oil is known for its antimicrobial properties and ability to attack bacteria, fungus or viruses.6 Warts are caused by the human papilloma viruses, which can be contagious and increasingly drug-resistant. Using thyme essential oil for wart removal may be a gentler approach than other over-the-counter wart removal products.
Scientific Research Referenced in this Article
- Johnson, L.W. (1995.) Communal showers and the risk of plantar warts. Journal of Family Practice, 40(2), 136-138. Retrieved April 15, 2017 from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/anonymous?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=00943509&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA16633375&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=fulltext&authCount=1&isAnonymousEntry=true
- Pazyar, N.,Yaghoobi, R., Bagherani, & N., Kazerouni, A. (201.). A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology. International Journal of Dermatology, 52(7), 784-790. DOI: 1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05654.x
- Harini, N. S. (2014). Oregano: A Wonder Herb. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 6(3), 127-129. Retrieved April 18, 2017 from http://www.jpsr.pharmainfo.in/Documents/Volumes/vol6issue03/jpsr06031401A.pdf
- Lawless, J. (1995). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The complete guide to the use or aromatic oils in aromatherapy, herbalism health & well-being. Retrieved April 11, 2017 from https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=LhUT8qNwbR4C&oi=fnd&pg=PP3&dq=basil+essential+oil+stress+headaches+calming&ots=7WwGE2ig2C&sig=49Ch93uG1u7LH2L3m8H6ssXPVdo#v=onepage&q&f=false – View reference
- Mahmud, S., Saleem, M., Siddique, S., Ahmed, R., Khanum, R., & Perveen, Z. (2009). Volatile components, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Citrus acida sour lime peel oil. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society, 13(2), 195-198. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jscs.2009.03.001
- Higley, C. (1998). Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Retrieved April 11, 2017 from https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qbcwxnkLOSYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA22&dq=basil+essential+oil+to+promote+mental+clarity&ots=kVearCJTr-&sig=9qMuCIs8LuxKyMirD-JZOA7ZGIc#v=onepage&q=basil%20essential%20oil%20to%20promote%20mental%20clarity&f=false – View reference
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