Genital warts affect women and men differently.
What are Genital Warts?
Genital warts are one of the most common types of sexually transmitted infections.
The virus that causes the warts is called human papillomavirus (HPV). There are various types of HPV.
And nearly all sexually active people will become infected with at least one type at some point.
Genital warts affect the moist tissues of the genital area. They can look like small, skin-coloured bumps. The bumps may resemble cauliflower.
Often, the warts are too small to be seen with your eyes.
Common Locations of Genital Warts
Genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area.
They are flesh-coloured and can be flat or look bumpy like cauliflower. Some genital warts are so small you cannot see them.
In women, genital warts can grow:
- Inside the vagina
- On the vulva, cervix, or groin
- In or around the anus
- On the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat (this is very rare)
In men, genital warts can grow:
- On the penis
- On the scrotum, thigh, or groin
- In or around the anus
- On the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat (rare)
Genital warts are a low-risk strain of HPV infection.
High-risk strains such as HPV 16 and HPV 18 are implicated in a majority of cervical cancers.
They can also lead to precancerous changes to the cells of the cervix, which is called dysplasia.
Other types of HPV may also cause cancer of the vulva.
What are the Complications of Genital Warts?
Typically, the HPV variants that cause genital warts don’t cause cancer.
However, if infected with multiple HPV strains, specifically the high-risk ones, the infection can cause complications like abnormal vaginal discharge, cervical, vulvar, mouth or pharyngeal cancers in women or penile or canal cancers in men.
In addition, genital warts can pass down from mother to child during natural childbirth although rare.
How are Genital Warts Treated?
There is no cure for HPV, but genital warts can be removed.
If you decide to have warts removed, do not use over-the-counter medicines meant for other kinds of warts.
There are special, prescription-only treatments for genital warts.
Your doctor may apply a chemical to treat the warts in the clinic, or prescribe a cream for you to apply at home. Surgery is also an option.
Your doctor may:
- Use an electric current to burn off the warts
- Use a light/laser to destroy warts
- Freeze off the warts
- Cut out the warts
Treatment can only remove the genital warts, but not cure HPV (the virus that causes genital warts).
If you are looking for a wart removal clinic near me, look no further as Universal Clinic can cater to your removal needs.
Can Genital Warts Recur?
When healed, genital warts can recur up to 70% of the time within six months of treatment.
The recurrence could be secondary to recurrent exposure, low immune system or underlying immunocompromised disease.
How to Detect and Prevent Genital Warts?
The best way to prevent genital warts or any STI is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
If you do have sex, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps:
Get the HPV vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HPV vaccine for people ages 9 through 45.
The HPV vaccine protects against HPV types that cause most genital warts and most cervical cancers.
Use condoms
Condoms are the best way to prevent STIs when you have sex.
Make sure to put the condom on before the penis touches the vagina, mouth, or anus. HPV, the virus that causes genital warts, can infect areas that are not covered by a condom.
You can get genital warts from direct skin-to-skin contact.
Get tested
Be sure you and your partner are tested for STIs.
Talk to each other about the test results before you have sex. Click on this link if you are looking for an std clinic near you.
Limit your number of sex partners
Your risk of getting STIs goes up with the number of partners you have.
Conclusion
HPV causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer.
It’s important that you find a women’s health clinic for cervical cancer screening as it can help prevent cervix precancer or cancer through different types of tests.
PAP smear screening looks at cells in the cervix, and an HPV test looks for evidence of infection on DNA.
Guidelines recommend starting pap smear screening at 21 and continuing until age 65 for most women.
Many women only need a Pap test every three to five years if they have an adequate history of normal tests.
Routine HPV screening for males is not recommended, although it is an area of scientific discussion and research.
Universal Clinic emphasizes the importance of regular screenings for women’s sexual and reproductive health.
Whether it’s a health scan in Malaysia or you’re looking for the best health screening package in Malaysia, our team is ready to support you with professional, compassionate care tailored to your individual needs.
Drop us a message here for an appointment.
Dr Shalan Sugumaran
Dr Shalan Sugumaran is an expert in Men’s and Women’s health related issues and has amassed a wealth of experience over the years dealing with such issues.
Along the way, he also developed a keen interest in sexually transmitted diseases and has successfully managed complex cases including HIV related.
Dr Shalan believes that sexual health is important as it can give benefits in all aspect of one’s life and is highly motivated to provide holistic, compassionate and quality care for his clients.
Dr Shalan Sugumaran
Dr Shalan Sugumaran is an expert in Men’s and Women’s health related issues and has amassed a wealth of experience over the years dealing with such issues.
Along the way, he also developed a keen interest in sexually transmitted diseases and has successfully managed complex cases including HIV related.
Dr Shalan believes that sexual health is important as it can give benefits in all aspect of one’s life and is highly motivated to provide holistic, compassionate and quality care for his clients.
