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David (New York, New York) on 05/11/2009
5 out of 5 stars

Used a banana peel/acv "one two" combo with duct tape for a wart. Here's the story. I've had a wart on my forehead for maybe a year and a half. In the beginning i just thought it was a pimple i couldn't get rid of. And because it grew so slowly i was adjusting psychologically to its presence and not doing anything, but finally, i'm like, it's huge and ugly, it's on my forehead, it's a WART, and i'm getting rid of it, somehow. Didn't want to spend a lot of money, so went on the net, found you guys. I went with the ripe banana peel inverted, pressed and sealed over the wart with duct type. I'd rub the peel liberally on it first. Did that for a night and a day, not removing the duct tape except once to put in a new peel. Then browsing around on your site, got curious about apple cider vinegar as cure-all ingestant, so went and out got that (along with some OP sesame oil just for giggles). So then, changing the banana dressing, knowing that ACV was the other popular wart cure and that i had some right in front of me, i took a q-tip, dipped it in the ACV, then jammed it at the wart, for a few minutes (By the way, I wasn't positive that the peel had done much by this point but thought not to judge from the short amount of time). Felt a nice burn, which i enjoyed. If there's pain, there's death. Cause the thing's gotta die, right? But anyway... Then i rubbed a new banana peel on it, and put the duct tape on, and went to bed. Next morning, i noticed the thing was irritated, red and uglier than usual. I put another banana peel with duct tape on. In the afternoon, i'm like, "you know... i liked that BURN from the ACV. Let's do that now." So i repeated my q-tip ACV application for a few minutes. Then i dipped another q-tip in the ACV, this time cut the end of it with scissors, cut it small enough for it to just cover the wart area, placed it on the wart and duct taped it over. Going to bed, vigorously rubbed banana peel on wart, then duct taped wart over ACV'd q-tip (no peel). Waking up, I did banana peel. [SORRY THIS IS BORING BUT IT'S ALMOST OVER]. Evening, I looked at thing, it had shrunk, was red and black. Decided to hit it with ACV. Tested it with my fingernail to see if there was any dead stuff to slough off, and then the thing started bleeding, slowly but non-stop. So for like a half-hour, i q-tipped it with ACV until it stopped bleeding, then duct taped it over another ACV'd cut q-tip for the night. I'd planned to see some friends, but not happening! Next morning (yesterday, actually), I looked at it, knew I'd won. It was black and laying flat just below surface skin level, like a mesa, unlike the protrusive mass it was before. Pressing on it, I felt a soreness, but in the healthy normal skin encasing it, not the wart itself. It was dead. I decided to just slap some duct tape on it without anything for the rest of the day and night. Now it's today, the next day, and I've removed the duct tape, so the area will dry out and hopefully the wart will fall out, no reason why it shouldn't, it's not living after all! heheh :)

Some thoughts: Obviously, i just followed my whims with this treatment, using what i read here as a guide. The banana peel definitely had a less aggressive feel. Don't know if it would have worked on its own. One thing I notice is that the immediately surrounding skin looks great. Really pink, plump and healthy. Maybe there's a facial in it for the girls out there (and boys ;p)

Finally: The site is very cool. Thanks a lot to you people for making it happen. One problem or question: People here really seem to be into "oil-pulling". I'm now in the process of trying it from having visited here. Thing is, i've looked all over the web including on this site to find any rational explanation of how it works, and have just drawn blanks from my perspective. How does it detoxify? HOW? All you see written is that it "pulls" toxins out. Okay, how does "that" work? Or that a doctor from India told some Ukrainian doctors that it works and if they don't believe him, try it for themselves. I understand fasting for detox. Makes perfect sense: Body gets overloaded with toxins, can't process them out of the system, meaning they stay in. Stop food intake, body gets a break to process out the toxins. But "oil-pulling"? Well, i'm trying it, but without a better explanation i'm skeptical it's not just placebo. Would be interested in anyone's thoughts on the subject.

Replied By Kathy (Reading, Berkshire, UK) on 07/23/2009

I have read the remedy for banana peel with interest, my 10 year old daughter had one recently removed from her thumb using Bazooka, but two have now appeared on her face, one on her lower lip a nasty tiny cauliflower devil about the size of a pea, and the other just below her eye. At first we thought it was a calcium spot but it has grown slightly and the GP confirmed they were different types of wart. She bravely agreed to have them frozen, but when the time came, she just couldn't bring herself to keep still and we agreed it would be too dangerous to continue. Does anyone have any advice on how to apply the banana peel to these facial warts? I suppose I could duct tape them on at night, but any other suggestions would be most helpful. Many thanks

Replied By Alex (Boston, MA) on 07/23/2009

I am replying to Kathy from Reading, Berkshire's posting. For wart problems, consider trying Manuka honey, Manuka oil or a mixture of Manuka honey and turmeric. Just put it over the wart and cover it with a bandage. I have personally had great results using Manuka honey and recommend it to anyone. I had warts on my hands for which I used a number of different remedies in addition to freezing and other over the counter medications, I used vinegar, copper pennies soaked in vinegar, banana peel, a variety of oils (clove, tea tree, etc) vitamin E, etc. Nothing really worked until I tried Manuka. I believe that these microorganisms that cause warts and other skin conditions adapt/mutate, and that is why many remedies work well for some and not at all for others, the little creature become somewhat unique to that person's body. While I am not sure if this will work for everyone, I really think that it is worth a try. The treatment is painless and you can find Manuka at most grocery stores.

Replied By Tricia (Ireland) on 07/24/2009

many years ago while studiying reflexology I managed to contract a wart on the bag area under my eye. At tht time the only over the counter remedies were based on salicylic acds which seemed to strong for such a delicate area. The course tutor told me to use clear nail polish on it to stop it from getting contact with oxygen. Well it worked. I put it on morning and evening and the wart completely dissappeared in about 3 days. He explained that all warts need oxygen to survive and if they are deprived they will die off. The sooner it is treated the less time needed on the remedy. BTW this won't work on verrucae cos they get their oxygen fron a blood vessel in the skin hence the red dot in the middle of them.

Replied By Marie (South Bend, In) on 12/29/2009

I recently grew a filiform wart on my face right below my lip. I found information on the internet about using iodine on warts. since I take lugols solution(iodine/iodide) I started applying the lugols to the wart. within a week a large portion of the wart fell off. It took about 4 weeks for the whole thing to dissappear, but the iodine worked. From everything I have read and from my alternative doc, warts on the face should not be frozen.

Replied By Jmt (Seattle, Wa) on 03/01/2011

I have had plantar warts on both of my feet at one time or another, I tried freezing, duct tape, and even tried bleomycin (incredibly painful) injected by a dermatologist. The only thing that ever worked was to use mediplast (it is the only product that seems to work), using this technique: www.wartsplantarwarts.com
It really is that easy, just get mediplast and tape, you don't even need to use nearly as much tape as in that picture or really even use a pumice stone, scissors will work.

Replied By Charity (Meridian, Idaho [id]) on 09/29/2011

Hey David, to answer your question. Oil-pulling "pulls" toxins out because they are chemically attracted to fats. You don't have to use oil specifically - any fat will do like full fat milk (but that leaves a gross taste in my mouth). This book, Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing - is really great. He has a lot of the science of how it all works. Check it out - it'll answer your questions.

Replied By Erin (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) on 05/09/2012

I have been alternating a taped on banana peel and Apple Cider Vinegar for the last week while just putting some athletic tape on it during the day.

Now, I am beginning to question whether I have a plantar wart or a corn. If you do a search for either image, you will get pictures of corns that are plantar warts or vice versa. I did have a black dot I think (could have just been dirt I guess), and now I have a tiny crater surrounded by puffy skin, but no dots. Nothing has turn black and cauliflowery yet, but I have that damn tiny crater and puffy hard skin around it (kinda looks like a wide volcano) that will not go away. It has been only a week though.

As far as the previous question about oil pulling, you cannot find information for why it "detoxes" because it does not detox. Oil pulling is great for teeth whitening and gum issues and hairy tongue (most often confused for oral thrush) which is a bacteria issue (not yeast, though there may be a yeast build up on the tongue because of the poor shedding).

People think that somehow the vein under your tongue transports the oil into your blood which attracts toxins, causing a "herx" reaction with symptoms. These symptoms that people think are proof of detoxification include, mild headache, diarrhea, sores in the mouth, fatigue, etc. Once these "herx" symptoms go away, people feel detoxed.

Here is the thing about the Herxheimer Reaction. There is very little modern research on whether or not this reaction exists, and the older research deals with serious antibiotics used on serious diseases, like Lyme or Syphilis. Even if Sunflower Oil (which is antimicrobial) was somehow able to be absorbed into the blood stream and act as a magnet for toxins, it would not be to the degree that would cause a herx reaction. There is a confusion of bacteria with "toxins" here too. Just look this stuff up.

So the symptoms can be much more logically explained.

mild headache- you are stressing your jaw for twenty minutes. Too much vigor would cause a stress headache (mild).

Diarrhea- You are still ingesting some oil which is fat. If you have ever eaten at a high end restaurant that uses high quality butters and oils, you have probably had diarrhea to mild loose stool issues after that meal. You have lubed your tubes.

Placebo is a big deal, and if it works, awesome. The mind is a powerful tool and there is nothing wrong with a little mind over matter to get well in very minor instances of illness. Taking any action towards one's health improves one's mood. Once your body gets used to the slight increase in fat intake, and the diarrhea subsists, and you believe that you are toxin free, a boost in mood and energy (though possibly fleeting with exercise and a health diet) is guaranteed.

People also like to feel in control of uncontrollable situations, and often times these instances of supposed "control" are unhealthy bc medical advice is being ignored.

We live in a society that wants to believe unlicensed "naturopaths" over highly specialized, trained, and scientific doctors. I am not sure why it does not occur to the same people that someone is much more likely to seek a quick profit off of pseudo"natural" products that take no effort and little money to create, than scientists who dedicate hundreds of thousands of dollars, all of their time, and their careers to curing disease and preventing death (which is a pretty hopeless position to begin with considering dying is inevitable).

Just use common sense. Oil cannot pull toxins out of your body through your tongue, your intestines do not store ancient, indigestible poop, and candida has not infested your entire body causing extreme fatigue and poor digestion (eating poorly does this which is why giving up sugar eventually makes you feel better... To give up sugar one must give up many preservatives and food without nutritional value).... And science is not evil. Common sense.

Replied By Rae (NV) on 06/25/2022
Hi Erin. If this is the way you feel, why are you on this site? Most people have been failed by the so-called experts - hence the reason they are here. I personally watched "experts" literally kill my Mother and if I hadn't stepped in, they would have done the same with my Dad, all the while making mega $$$$ from their pain. I wish you luck, but don't rain on other's parade. Its just bad form!

Replied By B (Roseburg, Oregon) on 12/26/2012

Erin, I am sorry you feel that all natropaths are unlicensed. That is a far cry from the truth. The "herx" reaction is a real occurrence. One which you have obviously never felt, nor researched. I hope you never have to rely solely on your "over highly specialized, trained, and scientific doctors". Even if you eat a super healthy, clean diet, you may still have complications of oxidation/aging. It is clear that you have never suffered from any ailment that required you to seek out alternative treatments, due to your "over highly specialized, trained, and scientific doctors", failing to provide you with even a glimpse of what ails you, let alone a solution to the problem. Yes there are good Dr.s out there, just as there is good licensed natural practitioners. Generalizing this as all a placebo, and needing a "over highly specialized, trained, and scientific doctors", as you are is misleading to earth clinic readers.

Replied By Scott S (Pen Argyl Pa) on 01/05/2016

This is something I was using for another issue but it seems to be affecting the wart I've had on my finger for several years. Zinc. I take 2 - 30 mg capsules of opti-zinc split up over the day. I've been taking the zinc for about a week and the wart is significantly smaller, about half the size. If it does completely eliminate the wart, I'll still continue it for another week just to be sure the virus is completely dead.

This is something you have to be careful with. Too much zinc could be toxic. It also interferes with the absorption of other nutrients, particularly copper.

For your daughter, since she's so young and small, I'd recommend much smaller dosages. Also, don't take it around meals or with other vitamins as it may block other needed nutrients. It might also be good to supplement with some copper but not within 2 hours of taking the zinc. Don't over do the copper either. For her, 1mg a day should be more than enough.

Replied By Timh (Ky) on 01/06/2016

From my readings and personal experience, Erin's views on the common "herx reaction" and debunking Oil Pulling is simply very far from the truth. My O.P experience has nothing to do with oral health but everything to do with detoxification, or to be precise, elimination. As-a-matter-of-fact, back-to-back O.P. (o.t.c. commercial grade vegie oil) left my mouth contaminated w/ pathogens so I had to begin swishing Colloidal Silver fallowing. I also have been adding Grapefruitseed Extract to the oil which helps keep the pathogens killed (rarely need to swish C.S. now). I don't suppose Erin has read my post on my "Diffusion Gradient" theory for the efficacy of O.P. The volume & density of the oil in the mouth are simply many times that of those toxins stored in the lipid or fat cells in the body. Same kinda rule goes with detox foot spas. The volume of water plus the negative ionic charge of the water forces toxins to un-bond from the sites and drawn to the tub.

Now about the Zinc, along w/ small doses of copper, other accessory nutrients like Vit-A and Vit-B6 will greatly enhance the efficacy of the Zinc.

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