Warts

Overview

Zinc carries the strongest evidence among supplements for warts, with medium ratings across four studies. Applied as 10% zinc sulfate or 20% zinc oxide, or taken orally, zinc may help cure some cutaneous and plane warts, though it did not help anogenital warts in adults.

Garlic extract gel applied twice daily may clear hand warts within one to two weeks in early studies. Vitamin A from fish liver oil applied topically helped in a single case report, but over-the-counter products remain unproven. Both carry low ratings. See the heatmap and evidence reviews below.

Effect graph

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Relevant supplements

Relevant supplements sorted by DEX Score.


Zinc	★★★★★	Medium
Vitamin A	★★★★★	Low
Garlic	★★★★★	Low

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Studies

Find individual evidence reviews for supplements sorted by DEX Score.

3 supplements for and rated at least stars. All purchase bands. No minimum star filter.

ZincView supplement →

Consider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeMediumEvidenceHighTrustVery High

Evidence Review

Zinc, taken by mouth or applied to the skin, may help cure some types of warts.
Applying a 10% zinc sulfate solution three times a day for 4 weeks helped plane warts but not common warts in a small study.
Using 20% zinc oxide ointment on warts worked about as well as salicylic acid with lactic acid ointment.
Taking zinc by mouth may also help treat cutaneous warts, with some studies showing a much higher chance of cure.
However, zinc pills did not help reduce anogenital warts in adults treated with freezing therapy.

Browse 4 studies

RCTThe Efficacy of Cryotherapy and Zinc Gluconate in Management of Anogenital Warts: A Randomized Double-Blind, Split-Side, Placebo-Controlled Trial2023n=50

In 50 patients with anogenital warts treated 2 months with cryotherapy plus oral zinc gluconate or placebo, wart reduction did not differ between groups, though zinc caused more gastrointestinal adverse effects.

Effect: No Benefit
Duration: 2 months
Population: Adults
Participants: 50

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Systematic reviewSystemic treatments for cutaneous warts: a systematic review2012

A systematic review of systemic wart therapies found no consistent evidence for cimetidine, levamisole, or homeopathy, and only limited evidence supporting zinc in selected zinc-deficient populations.

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RCTTopical zinc oxide vs. salicylic acid-lactic acid combination in the treatment of warts2007n=16

In 44 wart patients followed 3 months, topical zinc oxide 20% ointment achieved 50% complete cure versus 42% with salicylic acid plus lactic acid, with no serious side effects in either group.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 3 months
Dose: 20% zinc oxide ointment, 2×/day
Population: Adults
Participants: 16

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RCTTopical zinc sulphate solution for treatment of viral warts2007n=10

In 90 patients with plane or common warts, topical 10% zinc sulphate three times daily for 4 weeks cleared 85.7% of plane warts versus 10% on distilled water control, but common warts responded poorly.

Effect: Benefit
Duration: 4 weeks
Dose: 10% zinc sulphate topically, 3×/day
Population: Patients
Participants: 10

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Vitamin AView supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeLowEvidenceMediumTrustMedium

Evidence Review

It’s not clear whether over-the-counter vitamin A products help treat warts.
Prescription retinoid medicines (like isotretinoin or tretinoin) have been shown to clear warts in some cases, but these are different from regular vitamin A supplements or creams you can buy without a prescription.
One small study found that applying vitamin A from fish liver oil directly to warts every day helped clear them over several weeks to months, but this was just a single case and not confirmed by large studies.
Always talk to a healthcare provider before starting any new treatment for warts.

Browse 1 study1 meta-analysis

MetaTopical and systemic retinoids for the treatment of cutaneous viral warts: A systematic review and meta-analysis2021n=399

A meta-analysis of 399 studies found that the complete response rate was 64% (95% CI, 46-78%; I 2 =80%) for topical treatment and 61% (95% CI, 44-76%; I 2 =69%) for systemic treatment.

Effect: Benefit
Population: Adults
Participants: 399

View on PubMed

GarlicView supplement →

Reconsider purchase★★★★★

How we scored this

Effect SizeLowEvidenceLowTrustLow

Evidence Review

Early studies suggest that applying a garlic extract gel twice daily to hand warts can clear them within 1-2 weeks.
A water-based garlic extract also helps, but takes longer to work at about a month or more.

Browse 1 study

Healing effect of garlic extract on warts and corns2005

This report on garlic extract for warts and corns provided no extractable clinical outcome data beyond the title.