Genital Warts Treatment and Prevention

Genital wart or anal wart is classified as a sexually transmitted disease and is usually passed on from person-to-person via sexual contact (oral, genital or anal sex). It is caused by a type of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is different from HIV and herpes. Most of the time, the body’s immune system is able to clear HPV within a period two years without any health complications. Certain HPV strain manifests, causing anal wart to occur. Other HPV strains are more harmful, causing cervical cancer. Certain studies have also shown that there might be a link between the strains causing wart and cervical cancer. Therefore, it helps to find out more about genital warts treatment and how to prevent genital warts.

Anal warts usually appear as groups of bumps in the genital area. They can appear weeks after sexual intercourse with an infected partner (the partner may not display signs of infection). Medical practitioners can easily diagnose this problem by examining the genital area during clinical visit. To prevent genital warts (and avoid sexually transmitted diseases), the best method is to abstain from sex. Secondly, try to use condom whenever possible. Avoid intercourse with multiple partners as you may not know the sexual history of each partner. There are also vaccines available for women to prevent against cervical cancer and wart. Speak to your doctor to find out more about the benefits of such vaccines.

If you suspect anything amiss or if you think you’ve contracted the virus, don’t hesitate to go for a checkup. Usually, treatment can only be administered when warts are present as there are no prior symptoms. The doctor will examine your genital area and anus. Depending on the severity of your condition (location and number of warts), doctor may suggest a few solutions. Some of the commonly used methods to remove or eliminate warts include the use of special cream, heat treatment, surgery, or injection. Bear in mind that these genital warts treatment methods may be uncomfortable and may have to be administered for a period of time to fully eliminate the disease.