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Genital Warts

Genital Warts conditions Symptoms and Treatment in London

Genital warts are one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Genital warts can be caused by some types of HPV, but these types do not lead to cancer. You can get treated for genital warts, but if you have these warts alongside HPV, you are at a high risk of transmitting the STI to another person. Practising safe sex and using condoms can go a long way to prevent STIs.

Genital warts are an STI commonly found around your rectum and genitals, appearing as small growths and bumps. There is no known cure for HPV, but you can get treated if you have genital warts. This STI is commonly transmitted when you come in sexual contact with another individual through vaginal, oral or anal sex.

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What parts of your body can you get genital warts?

Genital warts infection can be noticed around your:

  • Rectum
  • Groin
  • Penis
  • Scrotum
  • Anus
  • Lips, tongue, throat, mouth
  • Inside your vagina, vaginal lips(labia majora or labia minora), or vulva

Who is at risk of contracting this infection?

Whether you are a female or male, you can have this infection. It is commonly found in young adults and teenagers. Men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) are at greater risk of contracting this STD. Chances of contracting genital warts increase if you:

  • Have sex with multiple people
  • Have unprotected sex
  • Don’t use dental dams or condoms during sex

Are genital warts very common?

Every year, over 400,000 people get genital warts, with the vast majority of this number being in their teenage and early adult years. HPV is the most common STI causing genital warts. There are different types of genital warts, but not all these HPVs can lead to genital warts. HPV strains like HPV 11 and HPV 6 can cause genital warts.

Is this infection contagious?

Genital warts are highly contagious alongside HPV, which is an STI that also causes genital warts. HPV is contagious but has no cure. If you are infected with HPV, you can spread the virus to others. If you have the warts removed or show visible genital warts symptoms, the chances of infecting another individual with genital warts or HPV are high.

What is responsible for genital warts?

Certain strains of HPV can lead to genital warts, but not all strains are associated with genital warts. This infection can spread through sexual contact. You can’t contract genital warts by touching someone else or yourself with a wart on the feet or hands.

This infection can be spread through:

  • Manual stimulation of the genitals
  • Sexual intercourse, including vaginal-penile or anal and vaginal-vaginal
  • Oral sex with people who have genital warts or HPV

Note that there is a possibility to have the HPV strain responsible for genital warts and not develop genital warts. However, this viral infection can be transmitted to your partner, and they will develop genital warts. This makes it quite complicated to ascertain which partner gave the other genital warts.

Symptoms of genital warts

Warts may look skin-coloured, rough or whitish-grey bumps on your skin. The bumps from these warts often look like cauliflower, but sometimes they may be flat. You may not notice any pain if you have genital warts.

You may also notice:

  • Discomfort
  • Irritation or itching
  • Mild bleeding
  • Burning sensation

Sometimes, the warts are very small, but you can feel or see them. You may notice clusters in certain areas or a large stalk-like appearance. The warts may start as small, soft growths with little visibility.

How soon after infection will I notice symptoms?

You may notice symptoms of the infection within weeks after potential exposure to someone infected with HPV. Although, it also might take months or years for the warts to appear in certain instances. Due to the vast time variation, it can be complex to tell when you got infected with genital warts.

It is also possible to be infected with this virus and not show any signs or symptoms – you might have the warts in your vagina or anus and not know you have it. This is quite dangerous as you might unknowingly spread this virus to another individual.

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How can these warts be diagnosed?

Your healthcare practitioner will take a look at the warts or may ask for a biopsy to confirm external genital warts. It is easier to diagnose external genital warts than internal genital warts. There are a couple of tests that can be used to diagnose genital warts:

  • Anal exam: An anoscope is used by the healthcare provider to check the anus for the presence of warts.
  • Pelvic examination: During your pelvic exam, you may undergo a pap smear test to look for cervical changes as a result of genital warts.

Make sure you reach out to your healthcare professional if you have symptoms or believe you might have genital warts. There are other infections similar to genital warts, like skin tags or moles, so ensure you get diagnosed in order to get suitable treatment.

How can I treat my genital warts?

Some people may experience genital warts that self-resolve when they get infected, and this is because the immune system can fight the causal infection. But this does not always happen; they may multiply, become larger, or be very uncomfortable. Treating the warts reduces the chances of you spreading this infection to others. Note that getting treated doesn’t equal being cured.

There are various ways to eliminate genital warts, and you may need a couple of treatments to eliminate them. Staying away from any form of sexual contact is also very important to protect your partner from getting infected.

The following methods are useful in the treatment of genital warts:

  • Freezing: Using liquid nitrogen to freeze genital warts, known as cryotherapy, has proven helpful in destroying these warts.
  • Surgery: Depending on the diagnosis and your healthcare provider, they may cut out the large warts surgically, and this method is commonly employed if you don’t respond to other treatment methods.
  • Electrocautery: This is the use of electric current to burn away the warts
  • Topical application of medications: You may be asked to apply prescription cream or solution to the warts once a week for a few weeks. The chemical tops blood flows in the wart by causing blisters underneath the warts. Your healthcare practitioner might also request that the cream be applied in their office, or they may prescribe one you can use from home.
  • Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP): This method makes use of an electrically charged loop to remove the genital warts. It is commonly used if the genital warts are on the cervix.

It is crucial to note that the above treatments are helpful in removing genital warts but not curing HPV. So get tested and treated for HPV, as you can still transmit HPM even after your genital warts treatment.

How long will the warts last?

HPV and genital warts may be lifelong – meaning even after treatment to remove the warts, infection may recur. Response to genital warts treatment differs from one individual to the other. If you notice any symptoms of genital warts or feel you might have been exposed to this infection, reach out to a healthcare professional to get diagnosed and treated.

Can genital warts infection recur?

Yes, the infection can recur. There is no known cure for HPV, which is the virus responsible for genital warts. This means genital warts can resurface again and again.

Are there any complications associated with HPV?

Generally, there are severe health complications as a result of genital warts. The HPV strain responsible for genital warts is a low-risk strain. The HPV strains responsible for cancer are the high-risk strains and not as dangerous as those causing genital warts.

Can genital warts cause cancer?

No, the HPV strains responsible for cancer are different from those responsible for genital warts.

How does this infection affect pregnancy?

If you are pregnant and have a genital warts outbreak, this may cause an elevated hormone level, causing bleeding of the warts, multiplication or making them larger. You may also experience:

  • The virus might be passed to the foetus, causing the formation of warts in the airway. This can lead to recurrent respiratory papillomatosis but rarely occurs.
  • A large cluster of warts can block the birth canal. If this happens, then giving birth through a caesarean section would be advised.

If you don’t experience any outbreak during your period of your pregnancy, you should be fine.

Are there vaccines against genital warts?

Genital warts are caused by certain strains of HPV, which makes the HPV vaccine effective. There are over 100 different strains. Even if you already have HPV-causing genital warts, getting the vaccine is still advisable as it can help you against the strains that cause cancer. It is recommended that people up to the age of 45 get vaccinated to protect themselves against HPV.

HPV is a very common STI and can cause cancer or genital warts. You can seek the help of your healthcare professional to see if you are eligible to get vaccinated against HPV. 

How can I prevent myself from this infection?

Sexually active individuals can take the following steps to protect themselves from this infection by doing the following:

  • Get vaccinated against HPV
  • Avoid douching
  • Use dental dams and condoms
  • Always practise safe sex
  • Have only one partner or reduce the number of partners you are sexually involved with
  • Get tested routinely and any necessary treatment for STDs

What should I expect if I have genital warts?

Genital warts are a common STI. These warts and the HPV strains responsible for genital warts do not increase your risk of having cancer. Some people may experience this infection only once in their lives, while in others, it may recur. There are various treatments effective in clearing off genital warts, but note that if you have an HPV infection, it won’t be cured, and you will still be able to spread this infection. Practising safe sex or abstaining from sex till you seek the help of a healthcare practitioner and get treatment is vital for your sexual health.

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When should I seek the help of a professional?

You should seek the help of a healthcare professional if you have:

  • Painful intercourse
  • Itching or general irritation
  • Swelling, soreness or redness of the vagina or penis
  • Burning sensation while urinating
  • Unusual smell and discharge from the genitals?

What should I ask my doctor?

  • What is the most suitable treatment option for me?
  • Can the warts recur?
  • What is the best way to avoid getting another STI?
  • Am I at risk of getting cervical cancer?
  • What can I do to protect my partner against genital warts and HPV?

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a couple of things you can do to avoid the spread of genital warts to others, including:

  • Abstain from sex when you notice genital warts
  • Always use a dental dam and condom
  • Inform your partner if you are diagnosed with genital warts or notice any symptoms, and let them also get tested.
  • Get treated and complete your treatment prescription

No, genital warts are sexually transmitted infections.

Genital warts and genital herpes do have some similarities, as both infections are transmitted sexually. There are a few differences as genital herpes causes fluid-filled blisters and sores on your genitals, while genital warts appear as small bumps and rarely cause open sores. Both herpes and warts can be spread through anal and vaginal sex.

No. All cases of genital warts are caused by sexually transmitted infections, commonly by certain HPV strains and can be spread from one individual to the other through sexual intercourse.

Seek a medical healthcare professional.

If you notice any symptoms similar to genital warts, you should seek the help of our professionally trained medical practitioners. We will provide an expert diagnosis, prescribe a suitable treatment option for you and provide the needed advice. Call us today!