Coconut oil is a famous superfood and widely used for various purposes like cooking, skin moisturising & to remove the makeup. Many people believe that it is a one-stop solution for various ailments.
It is a rich source of saturated fat, out of this almost two-thirds of these fats comes from medium-chain triglycerides.
12-carbon lauric acid is one of the main ingredients of those medium-chain triglycerides. Once ingested, lauric acid is converted into the monoglyceride – a perfect solution that can kill viruses, bacteria & fungi.[01]
Few laboratory studies confirm the antimicrobial & antifungal action of lauric acid and coconut oil but there is hardly any research available that shades the light on the usefulness of coconut oil for warts. [02][03]
So, the question remains – do coconut oil kill warts?
[thrive_text_block color=”blue”]Coconut oil – rich in lauric acid and MCTs, has a good antiviral effect that can kill the lipid-coated viruses like HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, and influenza. HPV – a virus that causes wart is a non-lipid coated virus[04], so coconut oil has limited scope to kill it.
But when combined with other home remedies like tea tree oil, oregano oil, thyme oil & few other essential oils it yields the best results. Also, some anecdotal evidence suggests that it can be used to get rid of warts. [/thrive_text_block]
How to use coconut oil to remove warts?
To get optimal health benefits always use virgin coconut oil. Because it is derived in such a way that it does not require chemical, bleaching clays and deodorization process and usually produced using the fresh coconut meat. [05]
If you do not have such oil at your arsenal and want to buy one, then head over to this section of Amazon & get one.
[thrive_text_block color=”orange”] To use coconut oil to treat warts, you can either apply it directly on wart or use it as carrier oil & blend it with other proven essential oils.
- Clean the affected area with warm water.
- Take an emery board and file the wart to remove its rough surface. (Don’t file too deep to avoid bleeding)
- Now, clean the wart with 3% hydrogen peroxide & then let it dry for few seconds
- Heat the coconut oil until it becomes lukewarm using a double boiling method or use the microwave.
- Apply lukewarm virgin coconut oil topically to the wart and rub for a few seconds.
- Repeat the procedure three times a day for a week and check the results.
- If wart does not respond to this treatment or become softer then try adding few drops of tea tree oil or oregano oil in the coconut oil. [/thrive_text_block]
Lauric acid and caprylic acid in coconut oil are useful to fight against the various viruses and fungi. When taken internally, coconut oil can help to reap these benefits faster than applying topically.
Using coconut oil in food is generally regarded as safe by FDA. So, you can add it to your daily food or mix it with the smoothie. Start by adding a half tablespoon of oil in your food every day and see if you could tolerate it or not. [06]
Also, if you have any cardiovascular problem or higher lipid levels then the frequent use of coconut oil is not adviced as it contains more than 90% saturated fats. [07]
Coconut oil for genital warts
Among the various home remedies that people tend to use for genital warts, coconut oil is considered as the safest option.
But, as discussed above, coconut oil alone will not help to remove genital warts. Add few drops of tea tree or oregano oil in coconut oil and apply it every night to warts and leave it till the morning then wash it off. Repeat the procedure for few weeks or until warts become soft.
Why it is safe on genital warts?
Often, using coconut oil alone doesn’t bring any results in genital warts but usually tolerated well by people.
It is not a corrosive exfoliant or keratolytic agents like salicylic acid and that’s the one reason why it doesn’t hurt when we use it on the skin. It merely able to remove any skin cells.
But some people may have allergy to coconut oil. So, if your genital warts become painful, itchy or do not respond to the treatment for several weeks then see your doctor.
Other Wart Removal Options
It has been clear that, when applied topically, coconut oil does not yield positive results in the majority of patients that suffer from warts. But when combined with other wart removing essential oils, it can help!
Warts can be treated naturally using several other options like essential oils, banana peels (in plantar warts), duct tape occlusion method and even applying garlic to the wart.
Each of these natural wart removers has its own limits and side effects. Often they work for one patient while fails to remove the wart for someone else, so it is better to give it a try and see if you can to achieve some results.
Do remember to take doctor’s advice before trying anything at home or when you experience any adverse reaction after using these natural alternatives for warts.
[thrive_text_block color=”light”]Bottom Line: Coconut oil may help to remove warts when mixed with essential oils. But more research needed to see its efficacy against HPV when applied topically, as a stand-alone wart remover.
Also, one could add coconut oil to the diet to reap its antiviral benefits but has to keep its internal use limited as it contains a high volume of saturated fats – which are not heart healthy! [/thrive_text_block]
References:
[01] Kabara JJ, Swieczkowski DM, Conley AJ, Truant JP. “Fatty Acids and Derivatives as Antimicrobial Agents.” 1972;2(1):23-28. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC444260/
[02] Ruzin A, Novick RP. “Equivalence of Lauric Acid and Glycerol Monolaurate as Inhibitors of Signal Transduction in Staphylococcus aureus.” Journal of Bacteriology. 2000;182(9):2668-2671. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC111339/
[03] D.O. Ogbolu A.A. Oni O.A. Daini A.P. Oloko. “In Vitro Antimicrobial Properties of Coconut Oil on Candida Species in Ibadan, Nigeria” DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2006.1209
[04] Teresa Castro. “Human Papillomavirus: HPV” http://www.austincc.edu/microbio/2993s/hpv.htm
[05] “What is vergin coconut oil?” Via: healthytraditions.com
[06] “Select Committee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS) Opinion: Coconut oil, peanut oil, oleic acid (packaging), and linoleic aid” Via: GRAS Substances (SCOGS) Database
[07] S. Lockyer, S. Stanner “Coconut oil – a nutty idea?” DOI: 10.1111/nbu.12188