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How Do I Use Tea Tree Oil for Warts?

Meshell Powell
Meshell Powell

It's fairly common for people to use tea tree oil for warts, although care should be taken to avoid skin irritation. While some people prefer to apply the oil directly to the warts, health care practitioners usually suggest diluting it first with water or a carrier oil, such as olive or almond oil. Aloe vera gel or the contents of a vitamin E capsule may also be used to dilute it. When using tea tree oil to treat warts, the diluted mixture is typically applied several times per day until the wart disappears, a process that may take several weeks or months.

Some people believe that faster results are possible when using full-strength tea tree oil on warts. The problem with this is that the pure oil is known to cause mild to moderate skin irritation for many people. If this method is chosen, a cotton swab can be used to apply the oil directly to one wart two to three times per day. If skin irritation occurs, the oil should be diluted before it's used again. Due to the potential for skin irritation and discomfort, undiluted tea tree oil should not be used on mucus membranes, such as the genitals.

Cotton swabs can be used to apply tea tree oil.
Cotton swabs can be used to apply tea tree oil.

Depending on the location of the warts, adding a few drops of tea tree oil to a tub of warm bath water may be a good choice. The affected person can then soak in the bath for 20 to 30 minutes at a time two or three times per day. This method may also provide relief from the pain and itching sometimes associated with the presence of genital warts.

Diluted tea tree oil can be applied three to four times per day. A few drops of the oil can be mixed with a carrier oil in order to minimize the chances of skin irritation. In order to avoid the potential drying effects of tea tree oil, aloe vera gel or vitamin E liquid may be used for dilution purposes as well. Some people put a bandage over the affected area in order to avoid irritation.

Discussion Comments

anon330205

My name is Nasser. I had warts for more than four years. I used many things to remove the warts, both hot and cold methods, with no success. I used tea tree oil directly on the warts, one drop on each wart (I had three warts) I rubbed the oil into the warts, and after two months, they are gone. I could not believe it -- no pain, just apply it on the warts. I am not advertising for any company, just saying to apply pure tea tree oil. It's great oil.

fBoyle

@ankara-- I think how the tea tree oil is used also depends on where on the body the warts are. Some parts of our body have thicker skin that is not very sensitive and other parts have thin skin that can be easily irritated.

For example, I think it's fine to apply undiluted tea tree oil on a wart on my toe because the skin there is thicker. Diluted oil might not work as well there. But if I have a wart on the inside of my hand or in the genital area, I would only use diluted tea tree oil. And it doesn't have to be diluted with oil, it can be diluted with good old water too.

I do agree with you that some people might have more sensitive skin in general. And if someone has never used tea tree oil before, they should always do an allergy test first before using it. My mom is allergic to tea tree oil and she didn't check first and used tea tree oil on her face. It irritated her skin very badly, she got a rash from it.

bluedolphin

@fify-- I read that some people soak cotton balls straight in undiluted tea tree oil and let that sit on the wart for a day. I think that's a horrible idea. It sure it will be powerful and will definitely kill the bacteria causing the warts, but it will irritate skin too.

I have used tea tree oil to treat skin warts a couple of times but I always diluted it with something else. I have sensitive skin as is and if I were to put tea tree oil straight on my skin for many hours, I think it would burn a hole through it!

Okay, maybe not that bad, but it would definitely make my skin red and sore. Tea tree oil does wonders on warts but you don't want to do more harm than good by using it in a wrong way. I think the least possible amount of the oil should be used and it should always be diluted with another oil that's safe for skin.

fify

Adding tea tree oil to bath water is a good idea. I hadn't thought about that but will definitely keep it in mind.

If you have scalp warts, you can also add tea tree oil to shampoos or add it to water to rinse your scalp. That's what I did when I got a scalp wart last year.

If you get a wart on your hand, that's easier to treat. You can just put a drop of diluted tea tree oil on a cotton ball, place it on the wart and cover with a band aid. But that's really hard to do for a scalp wart. So instead, I put a few drops of tea tree oil in a small bottle of shampoo and washed my scalp with it daily for a week. The wart disappeared after that!

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    • Cotton swabs can be used to apply tea tree oil.
      By: Sergey Yarochkin
      Cotton swabs can be used to apply tea tree oil.
    • Tea tree oil should be diluted before being applied to warts.
      By: Lucie Říhová
      Tea tree oil should be diluted before being applied to warts.
    • Tea tree oil may be effective in the treatment of some warts.
      By: Arve Bettum
      Tea tree oil may be effective in the treatment of some warts.
    • Condoms may not necessarily protect against genital warts.
      By: Peter Atkins
      Condoms may not necessarily protect against genital warts.
    • Individuals who smoke cigarettes may be more susceptible to contracting genital warts.
      By: illustrez-vous
      Individuals who smoke cigarettes may be more susceptible to contracting genital warts.
    • Aloe gel may be used to dilute tea tree oil when applied to warts.
      By: joanna wnuk
      Aloe gel may be used to dilute tea tree oil when applied to warts.
    • A few drops of tea tree oil can be added to a warm bath to help combat warts.
      By: stormy
      A few drops of tea tree oil can be added to a warm bath to help combat warts.