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Apple Cider Vinegar for Genital Warts

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Emily (North Dakota) on 05/18/2022
 ★★★☆☆

I was diagnosed with HPV in my early 20's. Had a couple of small warts, MD froze them off. They came back a while later. I have had success with ACV treatment, however, it's been 20+ years since first diagnosed.. now I have a couple of older stubborn warts that I'm having little to no luck with removing them with ACV. I recently purchased some Thuja oil and they've shrunk a bit, and that's after 3 months of using it 3x a day.

My new partner has GW too. But he doesn't know he has it.. he's a Red head and has other skin issues and bumps and I'm guessing he's thinking they're normal.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Leslie (UK) on 03/25/2022
 ★★★☆☆

Cryotherapy didn't work, so I was willing to give this a try. After treating the genital warts in and around my anus with ACV, my warts have definitely shrunk, and some have gone away. I had A LOT of warts, including two pretty big ones and a whole cauliflower-like cluster. It was disgusting. Now, after two weeks, I just have some spots left, but on a scale from 1 to 10, I went from a 9 to a 3. So that's something, although I was hoping for better results, after reading about people curing their warts in three days.

Maybe my results aren't as good, because I didn't want to soak my asshole in acid for longer periods of time. The skin of my anus is really sensitive and I've had some eczema there in the past. So I put some vaseline on the healthy skin around my anus, and applied a 50% ACV / 50% water mix with cotton tips. I used a mirror, dipped the cotton tips in the mixture, applied it on the warts, and repeated this for a minute or 5. After, I would 'let it burn' for about 20 minutes, then I'd apply some jojoba oil with a drop of tea tree oil, and some zinc ointment (this helps the skin to heal, and studies show that using topical zinc in combination with other methods can speed things along, so I gave it a try). Whenever I was short on time, I would just apply the oil and ointment straight after.

I also drink some dilluted ACV (don't forget to rinse your mouth thorougly, as this will damage your teeth), and got myself a shiitake-supplement (AHCC), and a zinc supplement. Primarily because I will definitely not be putting ACV up my vagina (I have warts on my cervix too, but none on my labia), and I want to heal this from the inside out.

Here are my takeouts:

  • ACV affects your healthy skin too. I read some reviews where people would mention AVC only hurts the warts. That's nonesense, it's highly acidic and it WILL burn your healthy skin. Definitely try to protect your healthy skin with an oil or vaseline barrier, if possible.
  • Dillute it! I used a 50/50 mix.
  • My warts never turned black. They did become white and slightly bigger right after exposing them to ACV.
  • Because it was almost impossible to protect my healthy skin (because the warts were everywhere), the skin cracked a little and there was a little blood on the Q-tip on the third day.
  • Take rest days. General acid treatments advice you to use it for 3 days and then take 4 days off. I think that helps with ACV too. It gives your skin some time too heal. I used ACV for 3 days, took 2 days off, and so on.
  • Get some aloë vera gel to apply in between treatments when things get really painful.

Some backstory:

I was a little hesitant to try ACV. I was diagnosed with HPV after a pap smear. Had some wart-like textures on my cervix, but nothing external. A month or two later, I noticed two small bumps near my anus. Told my GP and she said 'Just leave them, when the HPV clears, they'll fall off'. Big mistake, because a few weeks later, my anus was covered in warts. She tried freezing half of them off, but that literally had 0 effect. She told me to wait a week for things to heal, but I never even felt like there was something that needed healing.

I really hope my current battle plan works out.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lisa (Atlanta, Ga) on 10/25/2018
 ★★★☆☆

Ladies, if you try ACV be careful. I burned my vagina with it by leaving it on for 18 hours with cotton balls and paper tape. I did get some results, the small one is gone & the big one is smaller. If you try it, only spot treat the wart with Apple Cider Vinegar on a qtip for a few minutes at a time. It BURNS. Be careful this stuff really burned my labia minora, I can't hardly walk. Do not leave it on your sensitive vagina too long, it will burn it. And it HURTS! So, anyway don't do what I did. Be careful with it. Know you're not alone. Good luck.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sharmin (Bangladesh ) on 06/02/2017
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I have genital warts on my vegaina (labia mainora) approximately 1 year. Most of their size are so small that all of them are very difficult to find them by eye. I had took Leger treatment for it. My last session was on 1.5 weeks before. But I have huge warts for this its too much expensive. I find out about the remedy (apple cider vinegar remedy) on internet. & I am trying this last 3 days. Some warts are getting black. But it is so much painful. Its too too too much painful. Moreover I can't cover the whole area by cotton ball. So the very inner warts are not so much affected by this process. Is it safe for me to continue this treatment with ACV??
What should I do now? Please can u suggeste me? Please

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Moh123 (Charlotte ) on 09/10/2016
 ★★★☆☆

Hello everyone! I keep reading statements about how Apple Cider Vinegar worked perfectly with everyone and the burning sensation was association with the application of acv. My case is that I have small warts on the base of penile shaft and I bought the Apple Cider Vinegar and dapped a qtip in the bottle and then on my shaft and felt absolutely nothing! Can someone please tell me what I did wrong? Hopefully someone will answer and help me out here.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Red C (Reno, Nv, Washoe) on 02/16/2013
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Hello, I have a serious question to anyone who uses Apple Cider Vinegar on genital warts. I had a few on the shaft of my penis, and I applied ACV for 3 days. The first two days overnight, and the third day for one hour. The first two nights were ok. Most of the warts turned dark, and appeared to have scabbed. On the third day, I applied it for one hour on a piece of cotton and I wrapped it on my penis with a piece of cloth. It wasn't too tight, but tight enough to hold on the shaft.

After removing the Strip with the cotton ball on it, I noticed two big areas of my penis were swollen. Immediately washed away everything with soap, and I have just applied Vitamin E oil to my genital area. I was wondering if this type of swelling is normal? I'm not sure if I can add a picture to this site, but it's not too much discolored but it is a rather big area. I know people say that swelling is normal, but I'd like to know how much is normal? I have to admit, I'm freaking out a bit.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Busi (Durban, Kzn, South Africa) on 11/17/2012
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I just had a 2 day treatment of ACV, the gw cleared up but left me with a very damaged skin around the vaginal area. I soaked the cotton ball in ACV and left it there for 3 hours and took it off when couldn't stand the stinging. Didn't wipe it off though. The next day I soaked the cotton ball again & and kept it in there for 4 hours. This left my skin raw and open. I apply tissue oil or vaseline day & night but it's not healing. What can I use for fast healing? I can't stand the disgusting sores I see down there.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nolongersad (Queensland, Australia) on 11/07/2012
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

After using ACV for 2 days gw are all but gone but all my glands have been swollen, fevers and feeling sick. Did anyone else have this response to fighting gw virus. I'm having break from ACV so skin can heal. I will attack last two next week, they are just raised bumps not like they were before, the cluster of anal gw have gone completely. I would love 2 get replies about the viral symptons I have been experiencing.???

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Babs1960 (Manhattan, Kansas) on 07/25/2011
 ★★★☆☆

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I used the ACV method. I put it on for 3 days and it burned badly for a few minutes. It made the warts turn white and they went down to skin level. All the surrounding skin was burned also. I quit using it so I could heal the skin by apply vaseline, but now the original warts plus more are growing.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mrs.pib (Nunya, Mn, Uganda) on 02/14/2011
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Apple cider vinegar makes a difference!

I was very skeptical but I wanted to try this because I have no health insurance and Aldara, despite being unbelievably expensive, didn't work for my partner. I developed a wart on my perenium about 5 months ago. At first I thought it was a skin-tag, and believed it for 3 months until it started to grow. A couple months later, when I realized my immune system wasn't going to take care of this, they were breaking out in more than one area.

I had about 9 in total, but it is hard to count since they tend to grow in clusters. The largest and most troublesome was the one on my perenium because it hung just like a skin-tag from a thin tether and the skin there is so thin, just wiping would cause it to bleed. The others clustered right above it just on the inside of my labia.

I started the ACV treatments 4 days ago. On the first day, I just swabbed the visible warts with ACV and left it at that. It stung for a minute or two and the warts turned white.

The next morning, I read about how most people leave the ACV on by taping a cotton ball or qtip tip to the affected areas; so that's what I did next. I tore a large cotton ball into a piece large enough to cover the affected area and stuck it on with medical tape to be left on all day. This was uncomfortable for about an hour or so. But not bad. That evening, I did it again. It stung a lot worse the second time, especially in the perenium area, but I gritted my teeth and an hour later it subsided to a dull ache. I was able to sleep but my stomach was upset from all the vaginal discomfort.

The next morning, I was very uncomfortable down there, like I was bruised in the crotch. I decided I had had enough so I decided to take a break for that day. My vagina felt a lot better by that evening but I felt sick. Turns out, I am coming down with a cold, so I have decided to stop treating the area in case it gets infected and my immune system gets overloaded.

So it's been about 2. 1 treatments, and today is the first time I've really looked down there since it all started. When it started aching, I didn't feel like manipulating the skin anymore than I had to so I hadn't seen the real changes. Well, it's amazing! The majority of the warts have fallen off completely. I am down to three warts, which is maybe more like 2. 5 because they are so small and almost be completely flat. The skin on the inside of my labia looks normal, except for one remaining wart there, about 1. 5 milimeters wide. On my perenium, I have two warts, the original and a small hanger-on right beside it. They are even smaller and flatter than the labia wart, almost invisible, but the original perenium wart still bleeds when prodded.

Unfortunately, the perenium area does not appear as normal as the labia, there is some redness and the skin looks a little raw. I haven't scrubbed at the area, applied any oils, or even wiped vigorously, so this is just the ACV's effect. There is also a darkening of the skin in one spot that is very noticeable. It is about the same size as the cotton ball so I'm guessing it's where the ball was making the most contact. I have read about hyperpigmentation from skin injuries being permanent unless you do bleaching or laser treatments to resolve it. I don't care, but it is a side effect.

Also, despite this being day 4, I still hurt enough that I don't want sex or even to sit in certain positions. I am sure I will heal but if I had to do this over again I would make sure I didn't have much to do. Not just for the pain, but the smell is noticeable, so if you're going to be around people you might want to employ the use of a scented panty liner, or menstrual pad to contain it.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Brian (Williiston Park, New York) on 03/23/2010
 ★★★☆☆

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I tried the ACV for one single wart that I have, it worked the first 2 times like a charm. Now this time it is different and for several days now I have been aggressively trying to get rid of it and it is going nowhere. I've been using ACV on a ball of cotton and attaching it with a band-aid. Do they become resistant to the treatments? Do I need to boost my immune system as well? Any feedback would be very appreciated.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Help in Oregon (Portland, Or) on 07/11/2009
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I put acv on my vaginal area with cotton balls and left it on 2 nights in a row. Now my skin is almost like blisters and the sores are weeping. Of couse the warts are gone. Yeah! But I have open skin and I am scared. No money for a dr. Thanks

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by The Senator (Madras, Oregon) on 04/09/2009
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

After self-diagnosing myself with genital warts I wanted to find a way to rid myself of them without having to deal with the cost and embarassment of approaching a doctor about them. For a long time (almost a year) I remained skeptical about trying any remedies, and as I wasn't sexually active and the wart never got big and didn't really bother me, I left it alone. My girlfriend has known about it since we met and first became sexually active and it has never bothered her, but it bothers me as having even this small wart was embarassing. So I have tried ACV for the past 3 nights, applying more than I think I should've to a cotton square and bandaging it to the area of the wart. The first day it turned white as expected, and throughout that slowly got darker. This is after spending a night with it on. The next night before bed I did the same thing, and woke up about 5 hours later with a burning sensation. So I removed it and throughout the next day the area had burned slightly when in a irritating position. The wart by then was blackened, and the unseen warts under my foreskin had started to become more visible and take on a rough feeling. After a third night of doing this; once again I woke up and had to remove it because it had burned enough to wake me from my sleep. I am currently on the third day and about to goto bed. By now the wart has become more flattened, and very obviously has gone down in size as I can graze my finger over it without it actually moving very much. I'm scared however though I may have damaged my skin doing this. I don't know if I have burned it badly or not as there is no discoloration to the skin, just darkened warts. It burns somewhat if touched, and the wart is still there along with it's little hidden friends. I expect it to come off soon hopefully as I am doing my regular STD testing and trying to remain without the doctor finding a wart.My main concern is not the ACV working or not, as by all of the posts I have read it is clearly working. I just am scared that I may have hurt my shaft by either having it on too long or by having too much ACV on the area of my shaft. I've applied HP tonight to try and make sure I haven't done any damage as I have nothing else to apply to the area. So I guess the purpose of me writing this was to confirm that the process is working, but I really want to know if the sensitive area is normal to the point of me touching it and being in pain, or if I have burned myself. Keep in mind I didn't read fully through I guess when I found this and may have applied too much.

And I also would LOVE to thank this website for helping me find a somewhat painful but very effective way to remove this. Hopefully it will be gone by the next two days.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Josh (Warrenton, United States) on 08/26/2008
 ★★★☆☆

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I used ACV with cotton balls over my warts for maybe two weeks, and it did cause them to turn white and then come off. But my warts were just below my belt line down into my pubic hair and now the areas where the warts were are just flat pink spots that still itch and look just as bad. Any suggestions? Thanks!



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