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What Is the Treatment for Lip Warts?

Christina Edwards
Christina Edwards

Some over-the-counter and natural wart treatments can be used to remove warts on lips. Due to the sensitive nature of facial skin, however, treatment of lip warts usually warrants the assistance of a medical professional. A dermatologist will sometimes prescribe a topical ointment for these warts. Freezing or burning the warts can be used to get rid of some warts, and surgical removal may be necessary for stubborn warts.

Warts are typically caused by a virus know as the human papilloma virus (HPV). Although there is no cure for this virus, bothersome warts can be removed. Several over-the-counter wart treatments can be purchased for common warts, but individuals must used caution when trying to get rid of lip warts.

Small amounts of liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze lip warts through cryotherapy.
Small amounts of liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze lip warts through cryotherapy.

Individuals should never apply a wart remover to the face or lips, unless it is specifically formulated for these areas. Wart removers meant to be used on other parts of the body can irritate the sensitive lip tissue. When removing warts from lips with an over-the-counter ointment, patients should only use products specifically labeled as safe to use on the face and lips.

Many natural wart remedies can also be used to remove lip warts. Apple cider vinegar rubbed on a wart, for example, will sometimes cause it to disappear. This will usually take some time, however, and several applications are usually necessary.

A trip to a dermatologist is usually necessary in order to get rid of lip warts. He may prescribe an ointment or lotion. Many wart ointments contain salicylic acid, which slowly breaks down the wart.

Physicians may prescribe ointment containing salicylic acid to treat lip warts.
Physicians may prescribe ointment containing salicylic acid to treat lip warts.

Cryotherapy is one common treatment method to remove lip warts. During this procedure, a doctor carefully applies a small amount of liquid nitrogen. This liquid is around -320 degrees F (-196 degrees C), and when it is applied to the wart, a blister forms underneath. Eventually, both the blister and wart fall off.

Besides being frozen, warts can also be removed by burning them. Electrosurgery, for instance, is a procedure in which wart tissue is burned with an electric current. Sometimes the wart is allowed to fall off on it own, but other times, a doctor may remove it with a curette.

Electrosurgery tools are used to burn lip warts with electric current to remove them.
Electrosurgery tools are used to burn lip warts with electric current to remove them.

Traditional surgery may also be performed to removed lip warts, but this is somewhat rare. Laser surgery is becoming a popular lip and facial wart treatment, but it is typically more expensive than other methods. During this procedure, a strong beam of intense light is used to destroy the tissue of the wart.

How Do I Know if I Have Lip Warts?

The first sign of a lip wart is usually a small red bump that grows rapidly into a cauliflower-like bump with tiny protrusions. These bumps are typically flesh-colored or slightly darker than your natural skin color. They can be more noticeable against darker lips.

You may also feel pain and tenderness around the bumps when you press on them with your finger or tongue. Sometimes they're painful enough to keep you up at night and interfere with eating or drinking hot liquids like coffee or tea.

Some people may also notice that their lips tingle or burn when they eat spicy foods and drinks — especially alcohol — or when exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light (like tanning beds).

How to Stop the Spread of Lip Warts - Preventive Measures

Preventing the Spread of Lip Warts :

Avoiding contact with other people's saliva is the best way to prevent infection, meaning avoiding kissing or sharing food with others.

To stop the spread of lip warts, you should avoid picking at it or touching it frequently with your fingers or another object (like a straw). They are more likely to spread if irritated because they're harder to keep clean and dry. 

You should also avoid sharing towels with anyone who has a wart because this can lead to cross-infection between people. 

Also, don't share drinks or utensils with someone who has a lip wart on their face because this could spread the virus further in either direction.

When Should You Consult a Doctor About Lip Warts?

You should consult a doctor about lip warts when:

  • You have multiple lip warts, especially on the upper lip.
  • You notice that the lip wart is changing color.
  • The lip wart bleeds when you are biting or picking at it.
  • The lip wart is painful or swollen.
  • The lip wart is causing you to lose sleep due to discomfort, pain, or itching.
  • You've tried treating the lip warts, but they continue to grow, spread, or recur despite your efforts.

Cure Natural Home Remedies for Lip Warts

There are many ways to get rid of lip warts. If you're looking for natural ways to treat lip warts at home, try these tips:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an excellent treatment for lip warts because it contains acetic acid, which helps to remove dead skin cells and remove warts by drying them out. 

Applying apple cider vinegar directly onto the wart with a cotton swab or a Q-tip. Leave the apple cider vinegar on for some time, then rinse off with warm water. Repeat this process several times each day until your wart disappears.

Aloe Vera 

Apple cider vinegar might be helpful with removing warts.
Apple cider vinegar might be helpful with removing warts.

Aloe vera is a natural antibacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve the pain associated with lip warts. You can apply aloe vera directly to your wart or make a paste by mixing it with green tea or honey. Let the mixture sit on your lip for 20 minutes before rinsing off.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has been used for centuries to treat skin conditions like acne and eczema, as well as fungal infections like ringworm and athlete's foot. Its antibacterial properties make it ideal for treating lip warts. It helps fight off infection while also soothing inflammation and pain.

Garlic

Doctors may choose to remove a lip wart with a curette.
Doctors may choose to remove a lip wart with a curette.

Garlic is known for its antiviral properties and can help treat lip warts. All you have to do is apply garlic paste to the area where the lip wart has developed. You can also use garlic juice by mixing it with water and applying it to the affected area.

Baking Soda and Castor Oil

Baking soda helps draw out toxins from your body, while castor oil helps heal wounds faster than usual. 

Mix baking soda with castor oil until you get a thick paste, then apply this mixture to the wart using a cotton swab or a clean toothpick. 

Cover it with a bandage so it doesn't come off quickly, then leave it overnight before removing it in the morning.

Banana Peel

Bananas have many uses in the kitchen; they're great for baking pies and bread, but they can also help heal your skin when applied topically. To use banana peel as a treatment for lip warts, rub the inside of the banana peel over your wart until it's removed or lessened in size. 

Be sure not to apply too much pressure while rubbing because that could cause irritation instead of healing. However, no scientific evidence supports its usage in the treatment of warts.

That being said, it is crucial to be careful when trying home remedies for lip warts, as some may cause unwanted irritation to your skin. Also, read product labels and follow directions carefully before applying any topical treatment to your lips.

Discussion Comments

anon961165

I checked this article last week because I have a lip wart for about eight months now. It started a small white bump on my lower lip on the right side of my mouth, and it's so embarrassing. Every time we go to a party or an occasion, I would get worried because it was starting to get bigger and I bit it so many times and it got worse.

I thought it would just go away and it did not, so I checked online on how to treat it and I found this article about the apple cider vinegar but I did not do it. I went to my personal doctor instead.

I went to my doctor and he treated my lip wart by freezing it, so after a few days I had some blisters on my lip and it was so embarrassing, especially at work. I waited for about a week and I noticed that my lip wart was not 100 percent gone, that there was still a little bit of a white bump so I was worried again. I didn't want to go back to my doctor to freeze it one more time because I would have blisters again, so I decided to buy apple cider vinegar at my nearest grocery store.

When I got home, I got a cotton swab and dipped it in the ACV and and put that on my lip wart so many times. I even put it on for a long period of time -- about two hours -- and put some before going to sleep. I did these steps for three days. Of course, you will get some burns or blisters on the wart areas, but that is fine because it burns the wart. After three days, I was very happy because my lip wart had disappeared and it healed really quick. I hope this comment of mine will help others who have had a lip wart for a long period of time and don't know how to treat them. I hope this one helps.

SarahSon

I don't know what causes warts, but seem to have more than my share of them. I don't even mess around trying to take care of them by myself anymore.

I go to the doctor and have them treated with liquid nitrogen. This takes care of them and I don't have to worry about them coming back or mess with creams for weeks at a time.

Especially if a get a wart in an obvious place like on my lip, I am making an appointment and getting it taken care of as soon as possible.

golf07
@bagley79-- I had mixed results using apple cider vinegar to get rid of a wart on my lip. It will take longer than 2 weeks though. You have to give it time and make sure you dab some vinegar on a few times a day.

As long as I kept up with this the wart got quite a bit smaller, but it never did completely disappear. After stopping the applications for awhile it also came back again. Other people might have different results than I did, but that is about the best that it worked for me.

bagley79

Has anybody had good results using apple cider vinegar to get rid of a wart on your lip? I don't have any health insurance so am looking for a natural remedy that might work. I have been applying it for a couple of weeks but haven't noticed anything different.

sunshined

Having a wart on your lip is not only annoying but embarrassing as well. I have had warts on other parts of my body, but couldn't believe I got one on my lip.

I tried some of the over-the-counter products I had on hand, but none of these worked. I don't know if I was supposed to be using these on my lip or not, but figured I would at least give it a try and see what happened.

Eventually I went to a dermatologist and he froze the wart off. I should have just done this from the beginning as it would have saved me some stress.

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    • Small amounts of liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze lip warts through cryotherapy.
      By: markara
      Small amounts of liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze lip warts through cryotherapy.
    • Physicians may prescribe ointment containing salicylic acid to treat lip warts.
      By: amaxim
      Physicians may prescribe ointment containing salicylic acid to treat lip warts.
    • Electrosurgery tools are used to burn lip warts with electric current to remove them.
      By: Sherry Yates
      Electrosurgery tools are used to burn lip warts with electric current to remove them.
    • Apple cider vinegar might be helpful with removing warts.
      By: Comugnero Silvana
      Apple cider vinegar might be helpful with removing warts.
    • Doctors may choose to remove a lip wart with a curette.
      By: iPics
      Doctors may choose to remove a lip wart with a curette.