Because it costs so much to have a doctor remove moles, warts or skin tags, people are looking for alternative methods. One solution is bloodroot, a very special herb that you can use at home.

Bloodroot is a plant that is found in the Eastern United States and in Canada. Its scientific name is Sanguinaria Canadensis. Other names associated with Bloodroot are Bloodwort, Red Puccoon Root, Pauson, Red Root, Coon Root, Terrorwort, Indian Paint and Snakebite. It was used by Native Americans on warts and skin cancers, as a blood tonic and to treat chronic coughing. They also used it as a skin paint as the roots are filled with a reddish sap. Another use of Bloodroot was to induce vomiting. In more recent years bloodroot has been used in mouthwashes or toothpastes to reduce plaque and prevent gingivitis.

Bloodroot can be dangerous taken internally and so should be used with caution and under the guidance of an alternative health care provider. The medical profession does not recommend its use internally. Bloodroot as a tincture for internal use can be found online to help with such conditions as bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, croup, laryngitis and pneumonia. "Excessive use can be fatal" is the warning given on the bottle. Long-term use of bloodroot internally can also cause stomach pain, diarrhea, paralysis, fainting and collapse.

Today bloodroot is used as an alternative to treating skin cancer. You may have heard of "black salve," a popular bloodroot salve. So far there has been no clinical studies on bloodroot and skin cancer. There is, however, quite a bit of anecdotal evidence to support its use for skin cancer but not everyone has a positive outcome. A form of bloodroot paste is used by conventional doctors to remove skin cancers in combination with surgery.

Bloodroot for removing warts, moles and skin tags comes in pastes, salves or oils. You apply it to the growth you want removed and then cover it with a bandage. Be sure to follow the instructions on the container. Removal may take anywhere from two days to a couple of weeks as it varies from person to person. Skin tags will also be removed faster than moles or warts. Before using a bloodroot product to remove moles be sure to have them looked at by a dermatologist or doctor to make sure you do not have some other type of skin disease such as melanoma.

Some people have had their moles or skin tags removed by their doctor only to have them grow right back. When you use bloodroot to remove them, they don't come back. It may, however, cause some minor scarring. The scars are usually very minor and hard to notice.

Remember, any mole that shows any sudden changes in size or appearance should be examined by a doctor immediately.