11 Best Essential Oils to Treat Warts

Wart is a small tumor on a skin caused by viral infection, human papillomavirus (HPV) being the most common cause. Warts can be embarrassing, especially if they form in places that they cannot be covered with clothing. In this article, you will know about how do warts develop and how can you treat them by using some essential oils.

How Do Warts Develop?

Human papillomavirus enters the body through the open cuts or crack or even a scratch. Those who already have the wart can spread it to other parts of the body through scratching. Once inside the body, the virus stimulates rapid cell growth on the epidermis- the outer layer of the skin, leading to wart formation. The study shows that actually, most people have HPV inside their body. However, the development of wart depends on the response of your immune system.

There are different kinds of warts, such as plantar warts, which grow on the soles of feet and grow inwards rather than outwards. Plantar warts are difficult to treat and can really make walking uncomfortable. Common warts grow on the fingers, necks, and toes and appear slightly grayish. Flat warts can occur anywhere in the body, but most frequent in thighs, face, or arms. They have a flat appearance, hence less noticeable. Fusiform warts are warts on face and they grow around chin, nose, eyes, and mouth.

Why Should You Use Essential Oils To Treat Warts?

Most of the conventional medications for treating warts have either salicylic acid or cryogenic compounds as the major ingredient. While most of these conventional methods work effectively, they have side effects on the user. For instance, salicylic acid should not be used by a diabetic patient or an individual with poor circulation. Cryogenic kits, on the other hand, can sometimes lead to scarring of the skin. This makes essential oil an ideal natural remedy for treating warts. They are as much effective as the conventional methods of treating words. Furthermore, they will give you an added advantage of benefiting from their other therapeutic properties to help fight other ailments as well. Here is the list of the selected best essential oils to help in the treatment of warts.

11 Best Essential Oils to Treat Warts

Oregano Essential Oil

Oregano essential oil contains compounds called carvacrol that has antiviral properties. Oregon essential oil is one of the best oils to use in treating warts. It does not only burn off warts but also kills the HPV virus, as it is enriched with carvacrol compounds to kill viruses. It is both the best and harshest essential oil in healing warts. Being hot oil, it produces a burning sensation and irritation. It is therefore advisable to blend it with other essential oils or/and carrier oils.

Lemongrass Essential Oil

Research has shown that lemongrass essential oil can be used to treat herpes simplex virus type one (HSP1). HSP1 causes cold sores. The essential oil is used to treat the sores as they start developing as well as when they have already formed. Lemongrass essential oil is used in treating shingles and also warts on feet, face, hand, and other forms of warts.

Clove Essential Oil

Clove oil is enriched with carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde and other substances that help in treating warts. These compounds contribute to its antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties. This makes an effective essential oil in eradicating warts by killing the human papillomavirus. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties protect the wound from infections as well as fastening the healing process.

Also, clove essential oil has anesthetic properties that are helpful, especially if you have painful warts on your feet and cannot walk comfortably. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it essential in healing skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

This is one of the essential oils that everyone should have in their essential oil kits due to its emotional and physical therapeutic properties. If you are suffering from warts, which you have tried with different treatments and will not go away, tea tree essential oil can easily eradicate it almost immediately.

Tea tree essential oil is rich in antiviral compounds that make it ideal for treating all forms of warts, acne, eczema, psoriasis, scars, and other skin blemishes. It acts on the development and already existing warts by burning warts and killing the HPV, the causative agent of warts. Though it is not as superior as oregano and lemongrass essential oil, it is still better off than many conventional wart treatments. It has not one, but four antiviral compounds such as terpinen-4-ol, p-cymene, a-terpinene, a-terpineol, and terpinolene that are effective against HPV.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

If you do not have tea tree essential oil at hand, you can use eucalyptus essential oil to treat warts. Although to achieve best results, it is always advisable to blend eucalyptus essential oil with tea tree oil and massage the mixture on the wart. It is easily accessible since it grows almost everywhere. This makes it more convenient than most essential oils. It has antiviral properties, which make it effective against human papillomavirus.

Peppermint Essential Oil for Warts

Peppermint essential is highly versatile, hence penetrates the skin easily. It is one of the most commonly used essential oils globally. Studies have shown that peppermint essential oil is effective against human papillomaviruses, and herpes simplex type one virus (causes sores). Peppermint essential oil is effective during the early stages of wart development, and therefore, should be applied on the wart as early as possible. It is effective against plantar warts, flat warts, and warts on the face, hand, and feet. For more potency and faster healing of warts, combine peppermint essential oil with tea tree oil and use the blend to massage warts during their early life cycle.

Cajeput Essential Oil

Cajeput essential oil is obtained from the family in which the tea tree is also extracted. It has powerful antiviral properties that make it effective in treating all forms of warts, such as plantar warts and flat warts. It is usually combined with tea tree essential oil to improve its efficacy.

Manuka Essential Oil

It is native to New Zealand. The Manuka essential oil is obtained from the leaves of the Manuka plant through a steam distillation process. This essential oil is one of the most powerful antiviral and antibacterial oils available. Honey that is made from the Manuka tree has been proven to be having one of the strongest antibacterial properties. The Manuka essential oil should be applied as soon as you spot warts on your body, as it works by eliminating the virus before it becomes severe. It can also be used in later stages of wart development as functions by killing the bacteria, preventing it from reproducing further. This will eventually lead to complete elimination of the virus.

Santolina Insularis Essential Oil

It is not easily available but the research had shown that Santolina insularis could effectively kill viruses such as human papillomavirus and herpes simplex viruses. They stop the viruses from moving from one cell to the next. Santolina insularis essential oil is derived from the plant belonging to the Chamomile family, having white-yellow flowers.

Thyme Essential Oil

It has an active compound called thymol that has antiviral properties. Thyme essential oil is used to eradicate drug-resistant viruses from the skin. Its antiviral properties make it essential in killing human papillomavirus that causes warts.

Ginger Essential Oil

Studies have shown that ginger essential oil is effective against drug-resistant viruses. This, therefore, makes it an appropriate natural remedy to go for if you have tried using conventional drugs to treat warts and have failed. It is heavily enriched with antiviral compounds.

How to Use Essential Oils for Warts

To maximally benefit from above-mentioned essential oils to treat warts, follow this simple procedure. Add 10 drops of your oil of choice into one tablespoon of coconut or jojoba oil and then store the mixture in a bottle. Apply three drops of this mixture twice a day on the skin area affected with warts. Cover warts with a clean cloth or bandage to allow the oil to penetrate into the skin. Covering the wart also helps to reduce spreading the infection to others. After warts have fallen off, in cases of plantar warts and common warts, continue applying the mixture for the next three days. This helps in killing the virus and avoiding re-infection as well.

Individuals with delicate and sensitive skin are advised to use lavender or frankincense essential oil. However, these oils are not as effective as the ones listed above, and hence, warts will take a longer duration to heal. They are also recommended for children who can be overwhelmed by the irritation of the powerful essential oils.

It takes time for warts to completely fade away while using the essential oils; hence, it is important to be patient and to apply your best choice regularly. Using the essential oils to treat warts is recommended as they are natural and therefore, have very few side effects.