What Are Symptoms Of Genital Warts
What is Genital Warts? Genital warts are a fairly common condition that affects almost half of the population at some time throughout their lives. Some people will develop visible symptoms whilst others will not. Genital warts occur as a result of coming into contact with the human papillomavirus (or HPV for short). There is no known cure for the human papillomavirus but the warts themselves can be treated and eradicated.

Genital warts affect both females and males. In males the warts are almost always visible somewhere in the genital area. In females the warts may be visible but they may also be inside the vagina. Genital warts is one of the most common forms of sexually transmitted diseases. The virus is spread through close intimate body contact. Sexual intercourse itself does not have to take place in order for the virus to be passed on.

Symptoms Of Genital Warts

Genital warts on males may appear on the following areas:

• penis
• scrotum
• groin
• thighs
• inside or around the anus

Genital warts in females may appear on the following area:

• inside of the vagina or anus
• outside of the vagina or anus
• cervix

Genital warts may also appear on the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat of a person who has had oral sexual contact with an infected person.

Even if you cannot see genital warts, they may still cause symptoms, such as:

• vaginal discharge
• itching
• bleeding
• burning

If genital warts spread or become enlarged, the condition can be uncomfortable or even painful.

What Does Genital Warts Look Like

The warts are flesh or grey in color. They may be single. in some cases genital warts look like cauliflower shaped masses. The size of the warts is around one millimeter. Occasionally the warts may be very big in size. The warts are seen as flesh colored lumps. In some cases they may have a bump like appearance and may also be colored gray.

Treatment And How To Remove Genital Warts

Paralyzing the virus within the body is the best way to remove genital warts. Physicians have identified two primary methods in order to provide relief to patients who suffer from this problem. The most common method used by the medical fraternity is a procedure known as cryotherapy. Liquid nitrogen is applied on the warts to freeze them. If the treatment is not successful doctors may decide to use laser therapy or even surgery to manage the condition. Local anesthesia is required during these procedures, and patients can expect some scars. Some topical petitions are also suggested when the condition noticed is mild.

Your doctor may prescribe topical wart treatments that might include:

• imiquimod (Aldara)
• podophyllin and podofilox (Condylox)
• trichloroacetic acid (TCA)

If visible warts do not go away with time, you may require surgery to remove them. Your physician can remove the warts through:

• electrocautery, or burning warts with electric currents
• cryosurgery, or freezing warts
• laser treatments
• excision, or cutting off warts
• Interferon injections

Women who have been diagnosed with genital warts may need to have Pap smears every 3 to 6 months after their initial treatment to monitor any changes in the cervix. This is because certain types of HPV that cause genital warts are also associated with cervical cancer and precancerous changes in the cervix.