Genital warts usually get better on their own without treatment, and the HPV infection is eventually cleared by the immune system. However, this can take several years, so many people choose to have genital warts treated for cosmetic reasons. Treatment can also reduce symptoms of itching and discomfort.
Current treatments can remove the visible warts but as yet there is no treatment to cure HPV infection. Your doctor may recommend applying medicine to the warts, freezing them, or or having the warts surgically removed. The extent and size of the warts, their location, and your preferences will help determine the best treatment choice.
You may need several treatments to get rid of the warts. Bear in mind that genital warts can come back after treatment while you still have the HPV infection. If this happens usually it happens in the first 3 months after treatment , you may need to be treated again. A cream called imiquimod brand names Aldara, Aldiq can be used to treat external genital warts and anogenital warts.
The cream is applied at bedtime and then washed off after 6 to 10 hours. You apply the cream 3 nights per week until the warts are gone up to 16 weeks. Imiquimod may not be suitable for people with dermatitis or eczema and should not be used during pregnancy or breast feeding.
Imiquimod is not suitable for warts inside the vagina or on the cervix in women. You should avoid all sexual contact while the cream is on your skin. Imiquimod can weaken condoms and diaphragms, so you may need to use an alternative form of contraception if you do have sex.
Possible side effects of imiquimod include redness, swelling and skin irritation. Alternatively, a medicine called podophyllotoxin can be applied to external anogenital warts. It comes as a cream brand name Wartec cream or solution that can be painted on the warts Condyline Paint, Wartec topical solution. These medicines are applied 3 days a week for a maximum of 4 or 5 weeks.
The paint is best used on external skin, while the cream may be preferable for warts around the anus, under the foreskin in men and around the opening of the vagina in women.
Podophyllotoxin is not suitable for warts inside the vagina or on the cervix in women. It should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding. You should avoid having sex while using podophyllotoxin. Side effects can include redness, burning, itching and irritation of the skin. For all wart medicines applied to the skin known as topical medicines , take care not to get the medicine on normal skin to avoid irritation.
Cryotherapy, or cryosurgery, is where liquid nitrogen is applied to the warts to freeze them. Cryotherapy may be recommended for warts that are not responding to topical medicines. Cryotherapy may be done once a week or once every 2 weeks until the warts disappear. It can be painful, so your doctor may suggest taking a painkiller such as paracetamol before or after the procedure. Genital warts can be removed surgically or using laser ablation or electrosurgery which uses an electrical current to remove warts.
These procedures are usually done under general anaesthetic and may be offered to people with anogenital warts over a relatively large area. Some warts may be surgically removed under local anaesthetic. Warts often clear up on their own after the baby is born, but if treatment is needed during pregnancy, cryotherapy or surgical removal is usually recommended because topical wart medicines are not recommended for pregnant women. Some women with genital warts are concerned about passing the virus to their baby while giving birth vaginally.
However, this is generally rare. Ask your doctor, obstetrician or midwife for advice if you have genital warts while you are pregnant. Gardasil protects against HPV types 16, 18, 6 and 11, so it can help protect against genital warts as well as cervical cancer. From early a new 9-valent vaccine Gardasil 9 will be available that protects against 9 different types of HPV. It is possible to be vaccinated with this newer vaccine even if you have already been immunised — talk to your doctor.
Cervarix vaccine protects against 2 high-risk HPV types that are linked with cervical cancer types 16 and 18 , but not the types responsible for genital warts. HPV vaccination with Gardasil 9 from is recommended for all adolescents aged years as part of the National Immunisation Program Schedule. The Commonwealth Government currently funds a school-based HPV programme where vaccination is offered for free to girls and boys in year 7 or 8 of high school.
HPV tests have replaced Pap smears as the primary cervical cancer screening tests in Australia. These tests check for the presence of infection with high-risk types of HPV in the cervix, and cell changes in the cervix if needed. You can lower your risk of getting genital warts and protect others from infection by practising safe sex using condoms they offer some protection against genital warts, but not per cent.
If you remove your pubic hair by waxing or shaving, wait at least a day before having intimate contact with someone. This gives your skin a chance to repair itself and will help reduce your risk of infection.
Even if a person does not receive treatment for their genital warts, the warts will not become cancerous. However, a person can have more than one type of HPV infection at a time, and at least 14 types can cause cancer, including cervical cancer.
When a female has genital warts, a doctor may suggest screening for signs of cervical cancer or high-risk types of HPV. The U. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that all females:. If a Pap smear gives an unclear or abnormal result, it does not mean that a person has cancer. The doctor will carry out additional tests to look for any changes in the cells of the cervix. Pregnant women with a past history of genital warts should inform their healthcare providers.
This is unlikely to cause any pregnancy complications or affect the baby. Wearing a condom during sex lowers the risk of getting genital warts. However, a condom does not cover the whole genital area and so may not completely protect against HPV transmission. Other methods of birth control do not protect against genital warts. It is important for people to tell their sexual partners if they have these warts. Getting an HPV vaccination can also help protect against the types of the virus that can cause genital warts or cervical cancer.
Anyone with any severe allergies or an allergy to yeast should consult their doctor before getting the vaccine. Infection with some types of HPV can cause genital warts. These can form in or around the vulva, vagina, or cervix. The warts may appear on their own or in cauliflower-like clusters. They can cause itching, tenderness, or a burning sensation.
Genital warts are generally harmless and are not cancerous. The types of HPV that cause genital warts do not cause cervical cancer. Although there is no treatment for the virus, a doctor can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms.
They can also remove the warts. For large or difficult-to-treat warts, a doctor may recommend surgical removal. A person can pass on HPV through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Wearing a condom during sex can help reduce the risk of getting and spreading genital warts. HPV vaccination can also protect against genital warts and cervical cancer.
Learn about three possible home remedies for genital warts. We also look at lifestyle changes that could help, and when you should see a doctor. Start tracking today. HPV is a very common virus with over strains 5. Some strains can cause cancerous changes, while others cause no physical symptoms and resolve themselves 4, Genital warts may also be known by other names such as genitoanal warts , anogenital warts , or condylomata acuminata. Not everyone who has been infected with these strains of HPV will have genital warts.
Often people who carry the strains have no symptoms 5. For those who do have symptoms, genital warts come in many shapes, sizes, and presentations. Warts are usually non-pigmented meaning that they are the same color as the surrounding skin , but sometimes can present in many different colors, such as pink to red to brown, grey, and white They often appear in groups of 5—15 warts which are 1—5 mm 0.
They may resemble cauliflower, and are often found on moist areas around the genitals and anus, or inside the vagina and the cervix 14,7. Other types of genital warts look more like regular warts a bump with thickened skin and are usually on dry skin.
Other genital warts appear smooth and flat, and some are difficult to even see 7. Genital warts do not usually cause pain or discomfort. Sometimes they can be itchy, bleed, or make sex painful Genital warts can be both external or internal. External genital warts appear on people of all genders, such as on the vulva , labia, pubis, glans clitoris , entrance to the urethra, perineum the area between the genitals and the anus , penis, scrotum, and around the entrance to the anus 7,8, If someone suspects that they have genital warts, using a handheld mirror can be helpful to check difficult to see areas.
Other times genital warts can also be present inside of the body, such as in the vagina , the cervix , the inner side of the labia, and inside of the anal canal 7,8, It can take months or even years from contracting HPV until wart symptoms actually present 8.
HPV is spread through contact with infected skin and mucous membranes the soft moist skin present at the openings of your genitals and mouth. This means that warts are usually spread through sex, including penis-in-vagina sex, anal sex, genital-to-genital contact, and oral sex.
Genital warts are highly contagious, so even without penetrative sex, HPV can be spread from one person to another 5. Even if a person does not have any visible genital warts, this does not necessarily mean that they are wart-free 8. People infected can still spread the virus even without any warts present.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States 6,2 and the world 5. HPV is extremely common—in the United States, most sexually active people will get at least one strain of HPV during their lifetime Since genital warts are not considered a reportable disease to the Centers for Disease Control CDC it is difficult to estimate how many people actually have genital warts across the United States.
Using a barrier device like a condom or a dental dam can help prevent the spread of genital warts. Even when no genital warts are present, HPV can still be present on the skin and spread during sexual contact.
There are currently vaccinations available that protect against certain strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer like HPV 16 and One type also protects against HPV 6 and 11, which cause most cases of genital warts.
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