Warts are the bane of many peoples existence. What can be more embarrassing than a well-placed wart? Warts grow on the human body due to viruses. There are over 100 types of the virus that can cause the growth of warts. Human Papilloma Virus is the culprit that comes in many strains and is all around us- on doorknobs, faucets, keyboards, and other areas many hands touch.
Some strains of HPV are more likely to cause warts on the hands while others are the better-known strains of HPV, causing sexually transmitted genital warts. The most common way to transfer the virus is skin-to-skin contact. But having a superficial injury such as a scratch, bitten nails, or otherwise damaged skin will make the transfer more likely. Thus it is common for men to grow warts on the beard area (where they shave) and women on their legs (for the same reason).
Warts do not typically clear up on their own. There are many remedies and ointments out there that profess to kill warts, some more effective than others. Tea tree oil is remarkably effective. Due to its antimicrobial properties, it is able to combat even viruses, including the viruses contained within a wart.
To remove a wart using essential oil of tea tree, apply one drop or less- just enough to coat the wart and avoid the surrounding area in case of irritation. Do this once daily at minimum and cover the wart with a bandage, if possible, to keep the tea tree oil from drying or rubbing off. This will maximize the time the tea tree oil has to work on the wart after each application. Some people apply it twice daily for maximum benefit.
Another essential oil that has been reported to be effective in treating warts is essential oil of lemon. Lemon oil also has antimicrobial properties and can be applied in the same way as the tea tree oil for a daily treatment. Eventually, the wart will start to peel, layer by layer, until the whole wart has been killed by the essential oil. As it peels, you can pull off the dead layer of skin to reveal the next layer, speeding the process of wart removal.