Genital Warts
Overview
SymptomsandDiagnosis
Symptoms
The warts often look like fleshy, raised growths. They can have a cauliflower shape, and often appear in groups. Some warts may be flat. The warts may not be easy to see with the unaided eye. Warts can take 3 weeks to 18 months to appear after the infection.
Warts usually don’t cause symptoms, but you may have:
- Pain
- Itching
- Burning
- Bleeding or irritation on contact
In women, warts may be found on the:
- Vulva or vagina
- Inside or around the vagina or anus
- Cervix
In men, warts may be found on the:
- Tip or shaft of the penis
- Scrotum
- Around the anus
Treatments
Treatment
Treatment helps the symptoms, but does not cure the virus. The virus stays in your body. This means the warts may come back.
Your treatment depends on the size of the warts and where they are. Not all warts need to be treated. Some may go away on their own, but others may stay. Some warts may also get larger or spread.
Here are some treatments:
Medicine
Topical medicine is put on the skin. It may be a cream, ointment, resin, solution, or acid.
Cryosurgery, Electrocautery, or Lasers
Methods that destroy warts on contact are:
- Cryosurgery (freezing)
- Electrocautery (burning)
- Laser treatment
These methods are used on small warts. It may be used on larger warts that have not gotten better with other treatments. A large wart can also be removed with surgery.
Prevention
The only way to prevent HPV from spreading is to avoid contact with infected partners.
Latex condoms may help lower the spread of the virus and warts. Condoms are not 100% effective because they do not cover the entire genital area.
Other ways to help prevent infection are:
- Abstain from sex.
- Have sex with only one person.
Vaccine
There is a vaccine for the virus. It is given over 6 months as a series of 3 shots to girls and boys. It is routinely given between the ages of 11-12 years old. It may be given between the ages of 9 years to 26 years old.
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
Edits to original content made by Denver Health.
Copyright © EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
a (Anogenital Warts; Condyloma Acuminata; Human Papillomavirus [HPV]; Penile Warts; Venereal Warts; Warts, Genital)
RESOURCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov
Planned Parenthood http://www.plannedparenthood.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Health Canada https://www.canada.ca
Sex Information and Education Council of Canada http://www.sieccan.org
References
Batista CS, Atallah AN, et al. 5-FU for genital warts in non-immunocompromised individuals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Apr 14;4:CD006562.
Cervical cancer screening. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website. Available at: http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq085.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130205T1433163887. Published September 2017. Accessed August 2, 2018.
Condyloma acuminatum. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115113/Condyloma-acuminatum . Updated February 19, 2018. Accessed August 2, 2018.
Dunne EF, Markowitz LE. Genital human papillomavirus infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2006; 43:624.
Genital Warts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/genital-warts.htm. Updated January 28, 2011. Accessed August 2, 2018.
Human papillomavirus (HPV). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hpv. Updated April 5, 2018. Accessed August 2, 2018.
Immunization schedules. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html. Updated February 6, 2018. Accessed August 2, 2018.
Lowy DR, Schiller JT. Papillomaviruses and cervical cancer: pathogenesis and vaccine development. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1998;23:27-30.
Saslow D, Soloman D, et al. American Cancer Society, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and American Society for Clinical Pathology screening guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2012 Mar 14 early online.
Workowski KA, Berman S, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010. MMWR. 2010;59(No. RR-12):1-110.
1/4/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115113/Condyloma-acuminatum : The FUTURE II Study Group. Quadrivalent vaccine against human papillomavirus to prevent high-grade cervical lesions. N Engl J Med. 2007;356:1915-1927.
1/4/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115113/Condyloma-acuminatum : Winer RL, Feng Q, Hughes JP, O'Reilly S, Kiviat NB, Koutsky LA. Risk of female human papillomavirus acquisition associated with first male sex partner. J Infect Dis. 2008;197:279-282.
1/4/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115113/Condyloma-acuminatum : FDA approves new indication for Gardasil to prevent genital warts in men and boys. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm187003.htm. Published October 16, 2009. Accessed June 9, 2016.
1/4/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115113/Condyloma-acuminatum : Screening for cervical cancer. United States Preventive Services Task Force website. Available at: http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspscerv.htm. Published July 2015. Accessed June 7, 2016.