Congratulations, you have a wart! Now what? You’ll probably head out to your local pharmacy to pick up a topical wart remover. These products usually contain salicylic acid, which works to peel away skin layers and remove the wart over time. Ouch, that sounds painful! If you’re someone who wants a gentler approach, here are remedies you can try first.

Apple cider vinegar wart remover

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has many skin care and beauty uses. It contains acetic acid, so it can kill certain types of bacteria and viruses. It is believed ACV helps break down the wart tissue much like salicylic acid, causing it to fall off.

To use, soak a cotton ball in ACV, apply to the wart, and secure with a bandage, leaving it on overnight. Repeat every night until the wart is removed; however, you should stop using if ACV causes burning or irritation.

Garlic or banana peel wart patch

There are natural wart removers in your kitchen that some people swear by. Cut a piece of banana peel and place the fleshy side on the wart. You can also cover the wart with olive oil and a thin slice of raw garlic. Tape in place and leave on overnight.

With this method, it is also recommended to use two to four drops of herbal thuja tincture or tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) to maximize results.

Homeopathy for wart removal

There are several homeopathic medicines commonly used for the removal of warts, including Thuja occidentalis and Antimonium crudum. These are taken orally and work from the inside out to eliminate warts on the surface of the skin.

Boiron offers a combination of homeopathic wart removers in one convenient product called WartCalm. It painlessly treats several wart varieties including rough warts, yellow warts the stings, and common and plantar warts on feet.* Simply take two meltaway tablets in the morning and evening until the wart disappears.

For a more customized treatment approach for warts and related skin conditions, be sure to explore Boiron’s Free Medicine Finder app.

*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.