Home Remedies for Genital Warts

 

Home Remedies for Genital Warts: What Works?

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Overview

If you have genital warts, know that you are not alone. Genital warts (condylomata acuminate) are very common. According to the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic DermatologyTrusted Source, there are up to one million new cases of genital warts diagnosed each year in the United States, and many cases are not diagnosed.

Most cases of genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 120 strains of HPV, but types 6 and 11 are the strains that cause genital warts. Those strains of HPV don’t usually cause cervical cancer, but they do lead to genital warts.

It may be necessary for you to visit your doctor for treatment for genital warts. You may also want to treat your genital warts at home. Read on to learn about seven home remedies that may help treat genital warts.

1. Tea tree oil

Along with other health benefits, essential oils have been studied for use as antifungal agentsTrusted Source. Tea tree oil is an essential oil that has been found to be useful against fungus and other organisms, including head lice. The Mayo Cliniclists tea tree oil as a remedy that might be useful against genital warts. You can apply a drop of diluted tea tree oil (mix one drop of the oil with a drop or two of a carrier oil, such as coconut oil) and apply directly to the wart.

Some people may be allergic to tea tree oil, so test a small amount of the diluted tea tree oil on your arm first. If there is no reaction after 24 hours, it should be safe to use.

Tea tree oil can be irritating and cause some burning or inflammation which is how it reduces the size of the wart. Do not take tea tree oil internally by mouth or through the vagina. You will need to apply the oil repeatedly for several weeks. Discontinue use if it is too irritating.

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2. Green tea

Green tea has been found to be effective against genital warts. The green tea is concentrated into a compound in an ointment called sinecatechins (Veregen), which is available by prescription.

You can also purchase green tea extractover the counter and use at home by adding a drop or two to coconut oil and applying to the warts.

3. Garlic

There is some evidenceTrusted Source that applying garlic extract to warts can help clear them up. You can purchase garlic extract and apply directly to the warts. You could also soak some gauze pads in a mixture of garlic and oil. Then apply and let sit on the warts.

4. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar may treat genital warts at home. It’s similar to prescription medications that use acidic ingredients to kill off the virus.

You can soak a Q-tip, cotton ball, or gauze in apple cider vinegar and apply it to the warts.

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5. Vegetables

Vegetables are good for you in a number of ways. Try eating crunchy vegetables like:

• cabbage
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• cauliflower
• kale

These vegetables contain Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which can help clear up genital warts. It’s recommend you eat 4-5 servings of veggies every day.

6. Folate and B-12

There is an association between folate and B12 deficiency and an increased risk of contracting HPV.Taking a multivitamin or folate and B-12 supplements might help your body fight off an HPV infection and clear up warts.

7. Dietary and lifestyle support

Having genital warts puts a strain on your body. It can be difficult for your body to deal with any other health problems along with the warts. To help your body heal faster, you should cut out any immune stressors like smoking or a diet that is heavy in processed or unhealthy foods.

Foods to incorporate into your diet include:

• antioxidant rich foods (blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, bell peppers, squash)
• dark leafy greens like spinach and kale
• whole grains
• almonds
• beans
• lean meats

These foods can help boost your immune system and help minimize the recurrence of HPV.

Foods to avoid include:

• any possible food allergens (dairy, soy, corn, food additives)
• refined foods like white bread and pasta
• red meat
• processed foods with trans fats
• caffeine and other stimulants

Risks and warnings

It’s important to remember that getting rid of an external genital wart doesn’t mean that you no longer have an infection. Although rare, HPV can cause both genital warts and cervical cancer. You may have more than one type of HPV. It’s important see a doctor for your warts even if you treat them at home.

The virus that can cause genital warts can stay dormant in your body for a long time. So if you treat your warts and get rid of them, they may come back.

How are genital warts traditionally treated?

According to the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic DermatologyTrusted Source, there is no one standard treatment for genital warts that doctors agree on. Different doctors might use different treatments for genital warts depending on the type of warts or how long you’ve had warts. Treatments range from medication to “freezing” the warts to cutting them off or removing them with lasers.

The bottom line

You can help treat genital warts at home. But you should still see a doctor to check for and treat any sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that may be causing the warts. If an STI is causing your warts, you may need additional medication to treat the condition and prevent passing the infection on to any sexual partners.

 We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

• Lipke, M. M. (2006). An armamentarium of wart treatments. Clinical Medicine and Research, 4(4), 273-293
  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1764803/

• Low, W-L., Kenward, K., Britland, S. T., Amin, M. C., & Martin, C. (2016, May 5). Essential oils and metal ions as alternative antimicrobial agents: A focus on tea tree oil and silver. International Wound Journal
  onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/iwj.12611/full

• Schneider, C. & Serge, T. (2009, April 1). Green tea: potential health benefits. American Family Physician, 79(7):591-594
  aafp.org/afp/2009/0401/p591.html

• The Mayo Clinic. 2013, November 1).
  Drugs and Supplements

• 
  Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tea-tree-oil/evidence/hrb-20060086

• Weinstein, S. J., Ziegler, R. G., Frongillo, E. A., Jr., Colman, N., Sauberlich, H. E., Brinton, L. A., … Bisogni, C. A. (2001, July). Low serum and red blood cell folate are moderately, but nonsignificantly associated with increased risk of invasive cervical cancer. The Journal of Nutrition, 131(7), 2040-2048
  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11435527

• Yanofsky, V. R., Patel, R. V., & Goldenberg, G. (2012, June.). Genital warts: A comprehensive review. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 5(6), 25-36
  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3390234/

• Warts. (2014, July 6)
  umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/warts

Overview

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as sexually transmitted disease (STD).

HPV is the most common STITrusted Source in the United States. Almost 80 millionTrusted Source Americans currently have HPV. About 14 millionTrusted Source contract the virus each year.

More than 100 types of HPV exist. Because some are likely to cause more complications than others, the types are categorized as low-risk and high-risk HPV.

Low-risk types can’t cause cervical cancer and are treatable. High-risk types can cause abnormal cells to form on the cervix, which can develop into cancer if they’re left untreated.

Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of HPV.

Common types of HPV

If you’ve contracted HPV, identifying the type you have helps your doctor determine next steps. Some types of HPV clear up without intervention. Other types may lead to cancer. Your doctor will monitor your condition so that if cancer cells do develop, they can be detected early.

HPV 6 and HPV 11

HPV 6 and HPV 11 are low-risk types of HPV. They are linked to approximately 90 percent of genital warts. HPV 11 can also cause changes to the cervix.

Genital warts look like cauliflower-shaped bumps on your genitalia. They usually show up a few weeks or months after exposure from a sexual partner who has HPV.

Getting the HPV vaccine may help prevent HPV 6. The vaccine also offers some protection from HPV 11.

For the HPV vaccine Gardasil 9, clinical trials showed up to 89 to 99 percent effectiveness in protecting against HPV types 6 and 11. This significant reduction against contracting these types was noted in 9- to 26-year-olds.

The recommendation is to receive the vaccines prior to becoming sexually active, since the vaccine can’t protect against a strain of HPV that a person has already been exposed to.

If you do contract HPV 6 or HPV 11, your doctor can prescribe medications such as imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara) or podofilox (Condylox). These are topical medications that destroy genital wart tissue.

This local destruction of the wart tissue helps enhance your immune system’s ability to fight the STI virus. You can apply these medications directly to your genital warts.

HPV 16 and HPV 18

HPV 16 is the most common high-risk type of HPV and usually doesn’t result in any noticeable symptoms, even though it can bring about cervical changes. It causes 50 percentTrusted Source of cervical cancers worldwide.

HPV 18 is another high-risk type of HPV. Like HPV 16, it doesn’t typically cause symptoms, but it can lead to cervical cancer.

HPV 16 and HPV 18 are together responsible for approximately 70 percentTrusted Source of all cervical cancers worldwide.

The HPV vaccine Gardasil 9 can protect against a number of types of HPV, including HPV 16 and HPV 18.

Diagnosis

HPV testing can be performed for women with a Pap test (commonly known as a Pap smear), which is a screening test for cervical cancer. HPV testing is only available for women, and it can determine if HPV is present. If present, the test can determine whether the HPV is a low- or a high-risk type.

The HPV test isn’t recommended as routine screening for women under the age of 30. This is because many women will have some strain of HPV by that age. Most of these will clear spontaneously without intervention.

However, if a person’s Pap test showed abnormal cells, the HPV test would be done to assess their risk of more serious conditions, including cervical cancer.

If your test shows you have HPV, it doesn’t mean you’ll develop cervical cancer. It does mean that you could develop cervical cancer in the future, especially if you have a high-risk type of HPV. Your doctor will review your results with you and discuss treatment or surveillance options.

Statistics

As mentioned above, 80 million Americans have HPV right now, and 14 million new diagnoses are expected each year. This means almost anyone who is sexually active will get at least one type of HPV during their lifetime.

It’s estimated that HPV will go away without treatment in 80 to 90 percent of people who contract the STI.

HPV infection is less common in women over the age of 30, but it’s more likely to lead to cervical cancer. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to see your gynecologist regularly.

Tips for prevention

Follow these tips to help prevent HPV:

Get the HPV vaccination

The HPV vaccineinvolves two shots, separated by 6 to 12 months, for those ages 9 to 14 years.

For people ages 15 and over, three shots are given over six months.

People between the ages of 27 and 45 who haven’t been previously vaccinated for HPV are now eligible for Gardasil 9.

Ask your doctor which vaccine they’re giving you

The types of HPV the different vaccines protect against vary:

• The HPV bivalent vaccine (Cervarix) will only protect against HPV 16 and 18.
• The HPV quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil) will protect against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18.
• The HPV 9-valent vaccine, recombinant (Gardasil 9) can prevent HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.

Since Gardasil 9 protects against a much wider spectrum of HPV strains without a noted increase in side effects or adverse reactions, this choice offers more protection against HPV.

Common side effects of the Gardasil 9 vaccine is irritation at the injection site, including pain, swelling, or redness. Some people may have a headache following the injection.

Other tips

Avoid sexual contact with a partner if genital warts are present.

Use latex condoms every time you engage in sexual intercourse. But keep in mind that HPV is spread through skin-to-skin contact — not through exchange of bodily fluids. This means that while condoms may not always prevent the spread of HPV, they could reduce your risk.

If you’re a woman, make an appointment with your gynecologist for a cervical cancer screening. You should start screening at age 21 and continue until you’re 65.

The outlook

HPV is very common. Most people with HPV don’t know they have an infection and experience no symptoms.

If you have HPV, it doesn’t mean you’ll develop cervical cancer.

However, knowing that you have a high-risk type of HPV will help you and your doctor come up with a plan to reduce your risk for cervical cancer.

You can do your best to prevent HPV by getting tested for cervical cancer if you’re a woman, and by keeping your vaccinations current.