Genital Warts

What are genital warts?
Genital warts may be small, flat, flesh-colored bumps or tiny, cauliflower- like bumps. In men, genital warts can grow on the penis, near the anus, or between the penis and the scrotum. In women, genital warts may grow on the vulva and perineal area, in the vagina and on the cervix.
Genital warts vary in size and may even be so small that you can't see them. They can lead to cancer of the cervix in women or cancer of the penis in men.
Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many kinds of HPV. Not all of them cause genital warts.

How do you get HPV?
HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The most common way to get HPV is by having oral, vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HPV. The only sure way to prevent genital warts is to not have sex. If you are sexually active, having sex only with a partner who doesn't have HPV and only has sex with you will lower your risk of getting genital warts.
Just because you can't see warts on your partner doesn't mean he or she doesn't have HPV. The infection can have a long incubation period. This means that months can pass between the time a person is infected with the virus and the time a person notices genital warts. Sometimes, the warts can take years to develop. In women, the warts may be where you can't see them--inside the body, on the surface of the cervix.
Using condoms may prevent you from catching HPV from someone who has it. However, condoms can't always cover all of the affected skin.

How are genital warts diagnosed?
If you notice warts in your genital area, see your family doctor. Your family doctor may be able to diagnose the warts just by examining you. For women, a Pap test can help detect changes on the cervix that genital warts can cause.

Can genital warts be treated?
Yes. Genital warts must be treated by your family doctor. Do not try to treat the warts yourself.
The warts can be removed, but the viral infection itself can't be cured. The virus goes on living inside your skin. This is why the warts often return after they have been removed. You may need to have them removed more than once.

How are genital warts removed?
One way to remove the warts is to freeze them. This is called cryotherapy. The warts can also be taken off with a laser. A treatment called the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) can be used to remove the warts. With this method of removal, a sharp instrument shaped like a loop is passed underneath the wart and the wart is cut out of the skin.
Special chemicals can be used to remove the warts. These chemicals dissolve warts in the genital area. They may have to be applied to the area a number of times over a period of several weeks before the treatment is complete. Chemicals you can buy at the store to remove warts from your hands should not be used for genital warts. They can make your genital skin very sore.

What if I don't get genital warts treated?
Genital warts can grow if you do not get them treated. If you are sexually active, you also risk infecting your partner. Certain kinds of HPV can cause abnormal cells to grow on the cervix. Sometimes, these cells can become cancerous if left untreated. Other kinds of HPV can cause cancer of the vulva, vagina, anus or penis.
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