Genital warts are caused by types of the Human Papilloma Virus, commonly known as HPV. The HPV virus can cause warts to appear on the genitals, and can also lead to cancer of the cervix, ***** or anus. Genital warts can appear as small bumps on or around the reproductive organs, and can sometimes have a rough texture, like cauliflower. The generally show up a few weeks after infection, but in some cases can appear months later. Genital warts treatments are hard to come by and genital warts itself is spread by contact with an infected person. They can be passed through skin-to-skin contact, through bodily fluids, or through the mucous membranes. The virus can be passed even when there are no visible warts on the body. Often, people with genital warts have no symptoms, and therefore pass on the virus unknowingly. Condoms offer some protection from genital warts,
but because they do not cover all parts of the skin in the genital area, they are not 100% effective.
There is no cure for genital warts. In some cases, the body may clear the infection on its own. However, in many cases, treatment may be needed for genital warts. Many people can use prescription creams to treat their genital warts. If prescription creams are not effective, there are other treatment options available. Some of these include removing genital warts with a scalpel, or burning warts off using chemicals or liquid nitrogen. Lasers can even be used to remove genital warts. Treatment does not kill the HPV virus that causes genital warts; it only removes the warts from the body. For this reason, it is possible that genital warts can reoccur.
The only fully effective way to prevent genital warts is to abstain from sexual contact, including oral sex. Using condoms when engaging sexual behavior reduces the risk of genital warts, but does not eliminate it completely. According to the Center for Disease Control, people who have many sexual partners, people who are sexually active at a young age, and people that have sex with someone who has had multiple partners are at the greatest risk for contracting genital warts. There is also a vaccine available to help prevent genital warts. While this vaccine decreases the risk of contracting genital warts, it does not protect against all types of the HPV virus that cause genital warts. The HPV vaccine, called Gardasil, does not cure genital warts, but can provide protection against the virus for up to five years. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the Gardasil HPV vaccine be given to girls at age 11 or 12. Gardasil can also be given to males between the ages of
9 and 26 to help prevent genital warts.
Genital warts is a condition with no cure, but it is a condition that is not life threatening and is manageable. The best protection against genital warts is to maintain a mutually monogamous sexual relationship with someone who has had few sexual partners. This will greatly reduce the risk of contracting this incurable virus.