How to Treat Genital Warts

When Should You Talk To Your Doctor About Genital Warts?

Most people decide to talk to their doctor about treating Genital Warts because of the symptoms or because of how the warts look. They are pretty unsightly. But if you don’t have symptoms and are not worried about how the warts look, you can wait and see if the warts go away. Some peoples immune system can attack the HPV virus.

One should not have sex when you have genital warts, because they are so contagious. So, that might make that trip to the doctors, happen quicker.

What Is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It is a virus that can be spread from skin-to-skin contact.

There are many different types of HPV. Some types cause genital warts and are called low-risk, and some types can lead to cervical cancer and those are called high-risk.

Right now, there is no known cure for HPV.

What Are Genital Warts?

Genital warts are skin growths in the groin, genital, anal areas and some times the mouth. They can be different sizes and shapes. Some look like flat white patches, and others are bumpy, like tiny bunches of cauliflower. Sometimes you can’t see the warts at all.

What Causes HPV and Genital Warts?

HPV is a virus. Certain types of the virus cause genital warts and some types cause abnormal cervical cell changes and cervical cancer.

HPV and genital warts can be spread through sexual contact with someone who has the virus.

What Are Genital Wart Symptoms?

Most people infected with HPV don’t have symptoms. But if they do, the symptoms may be so mild that they may not know they are infected. The symptoms may include pain, itching, and bleeding, or you may develop visible genital warts.

If you have symptoms, they could surface 2 to 3 months after infection. Or those symptoms can show their ugly face from 3 weeks to many years after infection.

Visible genital warts appear only during active infection. But it is possible to spread the virus even if you can’t see your warts.

How are HPV and Genital Warts Diagnosed?

A doctor can often tell if you have genital warts by looking closely at your genital and anal areas. He or she may ask you questions about your symptoms and your risk factors. Risk factors are things that make you more likely to get a disease.

Sometimes a doctor takes a sample of tissue from the genital wart for testing.

FOR WOMEN: If you have an abnormal Pap test, your doctor can do an HPV test that looks for high-risk types of the virus.

How Are Genital Warts Treated?

There is no cure for HPV, but the symptoms can be treated.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should treat visible genital warts. They can go away without treatment, but they may also spread.

Most people decide to treat them because of the symptoms or because of how the warts look. But if you don’t have symptoms and are not worried about how the warts look, you can wait and see if the warts go away.

When Should You Talk To Your Doctor About Genital Warts?

Right away, so that you do not spread the virus and so that the warts do not get worse and spread. Genital Warts are very contagious.

Go to our Genital Warts Treatment page