Genital Warts

Warts on the sexual organs and around the anus can appear frequently and can be very troublesome. They can be very resistent to treatment and can also spread very fast. Genital warts are caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV) and are almost always transmitted to other people through sexual contact.

Places where warts usually appear are the humid parts of the skin on- and around the genitals and around anus.

Symptoms

If you get exposed to the virus, the warts can show up a few weeks later, but it could also take a year for them to come out. Women may get it at the entrance of the vagina and/or at the base of the womb. Men can get it on- or around the penis. Men and women may also both get it around the anus.

Often times, you'll get a couple of little warts that will grow and become bigger and also become more on the surface. They don't hurt but they might itch though. With women, the warts may increase during the menstruation period or during pregnancy.

Treatment

Treatment is intense. The doctor may apply a liquid to the warts and this may hurt. After three hours, the liquid can be removed with water. This treatment will get repeated every week until the warts go away. It can takes weeks or even months to complete this treatment.

Sometimes the warts can get frozen, burnt or removed surgically. Even if they get treated, they may come back so check-ups are always needed.

During pregnancy, certain treatments may be dangerous for the unborn child, so the doctor may choose to wait to treat the warts. After birth, often times the warts will become less and they'll become smaller, until they completely go away. Treatment is also always possible after birth.

Possible consequences

A frequent consequence is that the warts may spread and that can be a very unpleasant sight. That's why it's important that you get treatment as fast as possible, even if the warts are very small. The more you wait, the more it will increase and more treatment will be needed.

Certain types of HPV can play a role in the development of cancer in the uterus. That's why it's recommended that women get tested regularly, for example once or twice a year. Consult this with your doctor.