HPV - Human Papilloma Virus

HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus. This virus is responsible for causing common warts, plantar warts and genital warts. Common warts mostly appear as tiny, raised eruptions on the skin that are slightly darker in color than the surrounding area. These warts are highly contagious since the virus can easily penetrate the skin through minor cuts and bruises. They mostly occur on the hands, elbows, knees and the face and tend to spread if any attempt is made to trim or prick them. Another type of warts caused by HPV is plantar warts, which appear on the soles of the feet. They are pale in color and tend to bleed if they experience too much friction. They generally do not spread to other parts of the skin. A third type of infection caused by HPV leads to the appearance of tiny, irregular shaped eruptions on the penis, scrotum, cervix, vagina or the anal region, accompanied by an itching or burning sensation in the private parts, pain during sexual intercourse, dampness and foul odor in the area, and an occasional discharge from the vagina in the case of women. These are called genital warts and are caused due to unsafe sexual practices. Having multiple sexual partners also increases the risk of this infection. The first symptoms of HPV may appear within a couple of weeks of the infection, but sometimes it may be years before the virus shows outward signs of infection.

HPV Remedies

Though over-the-counter medicines can get rid of warts, you may also follow a few tips at home for the natural treatment of HPV. One of the most popular natural remedies for HPV is to sprinkle some salt on the slices of an onion at night and extract its juice the next morning and apply this topically on the warts. You should let this juice act on the skin for at least an hour before your wash your skin with water. Another one of the popular natural cures for HPV is to crush a few cloves of raw garlic and smear the pulp on the warts. Use an adhesive tape to hold them in place for at least a couple of hours. The strong juices present in garlic effective cure the infection and make the warts disappear within a week. Another effective home remedy for warts is to apply the juice of a few fresh figs on the affected area twice every day. You should wait for 15 minutes after this application and then rinse the area gently with some apple cider vinegar.