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Genital Warts

Genital warts are very contagious, and in themselves are benign, however they can often be a sign that a person is infected with another STI. They are a very common condition that is easy and painless to treat!

Not everyone knows they have Genital Warts until they have a genital examination due to the warts themselves rarely being painful and maybe only presenting in small numbers of just one or two.

What are genital warts?

Genital warts are skin growths in the groin, genital, or anal areas. They are considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD) because they are caused by a virus that can, but is not always, spread by sexual contact.

Genital warts can occur in anyone.

  • In women, the virus that causes genital warts (human papillomavirus, or HPV) can infect the cervix, vagina, vulva, urethra, and the groin or anal areas. HPV can cause abnormal changes in cells of the cervix. Women who are infected with certain types of HPV are more likely than other women to have an abnormal Pap test. The types of HPV that cause visible warts usually are not the same types that cause abnormal cervical cell changes.
  • In men, HPV can infect the penis, scrotum, urethra, groin, or anal area.

How the disease is spread

HPV is spread by direct contact.

  • The virus can be spread to or from the genitals, anus, mouth, or throat during sexual activities. However, warts in the mouth or throat are extremely rare.
  • Once the infection occurs, it may spread to other areas of the genitals or to the anal area.
  • You can spread the virus even if you do not have any symptoms of infection or any visible warts.

Symptoms

Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) usually does not cause any symptoms and does not always produce visible genital warts.

When symptoms do develop, they usually occur 2 to 3 months after infection. However, symptoms have been known to develop from 3 weeks to many years after infection.

Symptoms that may occur with genital warts include:

  • Irritation.
  • Itching.
  • Bleeding.

Genital warts can be different sizes and shapes.

  • They may be large, or they may be too small to be seen with the naked eye. They may appear individually or in groups.
  • Warts may look like tiny bunches of cauliflower or like flat, white areas that are very difficult to see.
  • In women and men, warts may appear in the groin, on and around the genitals, in the urethra, or in the rectum or anus.
  • In women:
    • Genital warts may appear on the vulva, vagina, or cervix.
    • Women are often unaware of warts inside the vagina or on the cervix until a health professional finds them.
  • In men:
    • Genital warts may occur on the outside of the penis and scrotum.
    • Men are often unaware they have genital warts, even when they can be seen, until the warts are identified by a health professional.

Treatment

Genital warts caused by the most common types of human papillomavirus (HPV) often go away on their own without treatment. For this and other reasons, experts sometimes have different approaches to treating genital warts.

  • Genital warts may disappear without treatment. This is the natural course of most genital warts.
  • Destroying large areas of warts is difficult and may cause scarring.
  • Treatment for genital warts does not eliminate the HPV infection. You may still be able to spread the infection. Condoms may help reduce the risk of HPV infection, though studies have not shown how much protection they provide.
  • Treatment of genital warts can be painful, and warts return after treatment in between 20% and 50% of people. Warts that return after being treated usually are not treated again unless you want to be retreated. If you do, you would usually choose a different form of treatment.
  • Some health professionals believe that treatment for genital warts will help prevent the spread of HPV infections and keep genital warts from returning.

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