What should i know about genital warts

Some warts can be so small and flat that they're not noticed right away. Most of the time, genital warts are painless. Some people, though, may have itching, bleeding, burning, or pain. The HPV that causes genital warts usually spreads through vaginal, oral, or anal sex or close sexual contact with the genital area. Even if there are no warts, HPV might still be active in the genital area and can spread to others. Health care providers usually can diagnose genital warts by looking at them. Sometimes, doctors take a small sample of the wart to send to a lab for testing.

This usually isn't painful. Sometimes, warts come back after treatment. This is because the treatments can't get rid of all of the HPV in the body.

How long genital warts last can vary from person to person. Sometimes, the immune system clears the warts within a few months. But even if the warts go away, the HPV might still be active in the body. So the warts can come back. Usually within 2 years, the warts and the HPV are gone from the body. Your doctor will check you and decide if the bumps are warts. Genital warts usually do not hurt. Sometimes an abnormal Pap smear is the first sign that a woman has an HPV infection.

A Pap smear is a simple test in which your doctor collects cells from the cervix. The cervix is part of your uterus womb. Genital warts must be treated by your doctor. Do not try to treat the warts yourself.

Remember, genital warts are not the same as warts you may get on your hands and feet. Your genital area is sensitive, and you need special treatment that only a doctor can give you. There are many ways to treat genital warts. Your doctor might freeze the warts with chemicals. Some chemicals make the area blister and cause the wart to fall off. This can hurt. Other chemicals can dissolve the warts. Your doctor might want you to use a special cream to get rid of the warts. Another way to remove genital warts is to burn them.

Your doctor will numb the area before using heat on the warts. Your doctor also might use a laser to take off genital warts. This method is good for areas that are hard to reach, such as the cervix. Laser therapy also is good if you have a lot of warts. Even after the wart is taken off, HPV stays inside your body. This means warts can come back, and you might need to have them taken off again. While there is no cure for the virus that causes these warts, the body may clear the virus over time.

Removing the warts can help prevent transmission, but these techniques are not always effective. A healthcare professional can attempt to remove them in various ways, or a person can try topical creams at home. Infection with the human papillomavirus HPV can cause warts, and some types of the virus can increase the risk of cancer. Learn more here. Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection. They can last months or even years. Learn more about how treatment can speed up recovery.

Sexually transmitted infections STIs usually spread through sexual contact. Here, learn how to recognize, treat, and prevent some common STIs. 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. What to know about genital warts Medically reviewed by Carolyn Kay, M. What are they? Pictures Prevalence Treatment Prevention Causes Diagnosis Outlook Genital warts are fleshy growths that develop around the genitals or anus.

What are genital warts? How common are genital warts? They can look like small, flesh-colored bumps or have a cauliflower-like appearance. In many cases, the warts are too small to be visible. Some strains of genital HPV can cause genital warts, while others can cause cancer. Vaccines can help protect against certain strains of genital HPV.

Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection. They can appear on the genitals, in the pubic area or in the anal canal.

In women, genital warts can also grow inside the vagina. In women, genital warts can grow on the vulva, the walls of the vagina, the area between the external genitals and the anus, the anal canal, and the cervix.

In men, they may occur on the tip or shaft of the penis, the scrotum, or the anus. Genital warts can also develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sexual contact with an infected person. Genital warts can be so small and flat as to be invisible. Rarely, however, genital warts can multiply into large clusters, in someone with a supressed immune system.

The human papillomavirus HPV causes warts. There are more than 40 strains of HPV that affect the genital area. Genital warts are almost always spread through sexual contact. Your warts don't have to be visible for you to spread the infection to your sexual partner. Most people who are sexually active get infected with genital HPV at some time. Factors that can increase your risk of becoming infected include:.