by B.J. Armstrong

October turned my maple's leaves to gold;
The most are gone now; here and there one lingers;
Soon these will slip from out the twig's weak hold,
Like coins between a dying miner's fingers.
__Thomas Bailey Aldrich.

Fall is here and October brings in Halloween. Halloween brings out the trick or treaters dressed in different costumes, such as witches with warts on their noses. Now, the word "wart" may make you think of witches and toads, but they actually have nothing to do with either one.

Warts generally are skin-colored and rough but can be smooth, dark, and flat. These pesky growths come from a virus and can appear on your hands, feet, or anywhere else the virus gets under your skin.

Since warts come from a virus, they will usually disappear by themselves once the virus has run its course. For this reason, many doctors will advise you to

leave them alone. In some cases, home remedies may be just as effective as medication. Here are a few suggestions that you may try on your own:

* Potatoes .. A raw potato slice rubbed on the wart several times a time.

* Pineapples .. Soak a cotton ball in fresh pineapple juice and apply to the wart.

* Bananas .. Place a small piece of a mushy banana on the wart. Cover with tape and wear all day. Change often.

* Dandelion .. Break open the stem of a dandelion, and apply the milky-white juice directly to the wart three times a day.

* Aspirin .. Crush the aspirin and make a paste and put on the wart.

* Vitamin-E oil .. Apply directly to the wart.

These are only a few items that you might have on

hand at home to use on your warts. Of course, the doctor will advise you of medication to use. Warts are unsightly and we do want to try to get rid of the ugly things.

Take your vitamins for extra help. Vitamins A and E are especially good for skin problems, especially the

warts. Vitamin C is another effective wart fighter. As with any virus, successful treatment will depend on the state of your health and immune system as well as the virus itself. Don't give up if one method doesn't work for you. Hopefully, one of these folk remedies are just the thing to make your wart problem disappears.

Platar warts .. These warts appear on the bottom of the feet and makes you feel like your walking with a pebble in your shoe. Unlike warts on other  areas of the body, plantar warts grow inward.

Severe warts or warts that interfere with walking may require professional removal. Options include "freezing" and "burning." See a podiatrist experienced with plantar warts and expect to return several times for treatment.

Some plantar warts can be treated at home. Soak your foot for ten minutes in two tablespoons of mild household detergent mixed with warm water.

The immune system fights the wart virus, so anything you can do to stay healthy helps. In addition to vitamins that have already been mentioned, the herb "Echinacea" is an immune stimulant.

Studies have shown that when taken orally, it helps fight viral infections by stimulating the release of interferon, the body's own virus-fighting chemical. Echinacea teas and pills are available at health food stores.
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