Medical Questions » Skin Questions » Question No. 869
| Question: | I find the application of castor oil regularly to warts makes them disappear in a couple of months. Please pass this advice on to your readers. |
| Answer: | Warts that occur on fingers, knees, elbows and other areas away from the sex organs, will all disappear eventually. Those on the genitals have more sinister implications.
Warts are caused by a virus, to which about a quarter of the population are susceptible. The virus has a very slow growth and development cycle, and when it irritates an area of skin, a wart develops, usually over or near a joint. After six to 24 months or more, the body slowly develops antibodies to fight off the wart virus, and when the antibody levels reach an adequate level, the virus dies, and all the warts on the body disappear.
Obviously, any medication given for long enough will therefore cure warts, and dozens of remedies have been recommended over the years. There is no harm in trying castot oil, but I know of no references that indicate that this is any more effective than any other substance.
Medically, acid ointments ot paints, freezing, diathermy, excision (cutting out), and injecting irritants under them, are the main forms of treatment for warts that are particularly annoying.
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