You will need to apply these products once a day for several weeks. For optimal results, soak your finger or fingers with the warts in warm water for 10 to 20 minutes. This will soften the skin of the wart. Then, file away at any dead skin on or around the wart with an emery board or a pumice stone. Once you have filed away the dead skin, apply the salicylic acid pad, gel, plaster or patch to the wart. You can then file away at the dead skin that appears on and around the wart between treatments with an emery board or a pumice stone. Do not share the board or pumice stone with anyone else and throw it away once the wart is removed. You may need to apply the salicylic acid for 12 weeks or more until the wart flattens and fades away. If the wart becomes irritated, sore, or red, you should stop using the salicylic acid product and talk to your doctor.

Keep in mind over-the-counter freezing products will not work as well as liquid nitrogen agents applied by your doctor to the warts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises caution when using wart removers, as they are flammable and should not be used around fire or any heat sources.

The side effects of these chemical treatments include the skin around the wart being stained brown, and burns to the skin surrounding the wart. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Your doctor may also suggest prescription-strength wart medication that contains salicylic acid. This medication will remove layers of the wart over time and is often more effective when used in combination with freezing or cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy sessions usually take five to 15 minutes and can be painful. If the warts on your hands are large, they may need to be frozen several times before they are fully removed. There are several side effects of cryotherapy, including pain, blistering, and discolored skin around the wart.

Keep in mind the effectiveness of this method is limited. It can also cause pain and scarring around the affected area.

You can try the duct tape method by covering the wart in duct tape or electrical tape for six days. After six days, you can soak the wart in water and then gently remove any dead skin on or around the wart with a pumice stone or an emery board. You will need to then let the wart be exposed to the open air for 12 hours and repeat the process again until the wart is removed.

Crush one to two cloves of garlic in a mortar and pestle until it forms a paste. Apply the garlic to the warts and cover them with bandages so the garlic can interact with the warts. Re apply fresh garlic to the warts once a day but avoid putting the garlic on any of the healthy skin surrounding the warts. You can smear the healthy skin with petroleum jelly so the garlic does not stick to the skin.

Soak one to two cotton balls in two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Squeeze out any excess vinegar from the cotton balls but make sure they are thoroughly soaked. Apply the cotton balls to your warts and secure each cotton ball with gauze or medical tape. Leave the apple cider vinegar on the warts overnight. Repeat this every night with fresh cotton balls for one to two weeks. After several days, the warts may appear darker or black, which is a good sign the apple cider vinegar is working. They will eventually fall off on their own.

Use clean hands or a mortar and pestle to crush 1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves until they appear mushy and wet. Gently apply the crushed basil to your warts and cover the warts with a clean bandage or a clean cloth. Re apply the basil for one to two weeks until the warts fall off.

You should also never share the emery board or pumice stone that you used to file down your warts with someone else. Only use the emery board or pumice stone on your warts and nowhere else on your body to avoid spreading the virus.

You should also avoid brushing, clipping or shaving any areas that have warts as this can irritate the warts and spread the virus. Keep your nails and hands clean. Always wash your hands well after touching your warts or any shared surfaces, such as exercise equipment at the gym or the handle on a bus.

If you have warts and are planning to go swimming in a public pool, put a waterproof plaster over the warts to prevent the spread of infection.