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Warts and all!

Some of the more common methods of getting rid of recalcitrant viral warts include using a Salicylic Acid liquid (like Soluver, Compound W, or Dr Scholl’s) or the freezing method which can take place at the doctor’s or with one of the over-the-counter versions (like Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away).

The Salicylic Acid method simply uses an acid liquid to dissolve the benign tumor (wart) on the surface of the skin. This method takes quite awhile and, as the acid is creating an opening in the skin, you must take care to guard against possibly gaining an infection through that site. A number of people have been trying to remove a wart from their toe and, because of a hygenic oversight, have been rewarded with a fungal infection in the toenail, which is really tough to get rid of.

The freezing method is faster than using the acid as that treatment can sometimes only require one application. By freezing the wart, the water inside the wart’s cells will crystallize. The jagged features of frozen water molecules destroys the cell and the wart will slough off over time. Again, this leaves an opening in the skin so take care and keep the area clean and protected.

Both of these methods have been used with some success to remove the unwanted bump of unattractive, tough skin but do little about the virus causing warts.

In a placebo-controlled clinical study, patients were given Zinc Sulfate at a dose of 10mg/kg of body weight (up to 600mg per day). In all patients the serum level of Zinc was low to begin with. 87% of the Zinc-treated group saw complete clearance of warts after two months of treatment. The placebo group saw no change. The study concluded that response to treatment was directly related to the increment in serum Zinc level.

Zinc has an important effect on the immune system and it has been used as an immunomodulator to treat a variety of skin disorders. Zinc should be taken with food as it can upset an empty stomach.

Viral warts are a common dermatological disease and the rate of spontaneous recovery is high, it usually takes a long time, and some people might not experience this spontaneous healing. You can heal yourself from the inside out without using acid or freezing methods by taking Zinc. Consult your doctor or one of the Pharmasave Live Well team about whether Zinc is right for you.