Genital warts — it’s not the prettiest topic of conversation, but it’s definitely something that needs to be discussed. Why? There are many different kinds of human papillomaviruses (collectively referred to here as HPV), only a couple of which can cause genital warts. Because HPV transmits easily from one person to another, it is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. — but almost three-quarters of us have never heard of it!
Actually, HPV is also responsible for those pesky warts that sometimes pop up on your hands or feet (yup, it’s a virus that causes those… not touching a toad!). But let’s stick to the sexually transmitted version for now — one that could lead to genital warts.
Detection and Transmission
HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. So, it can be transmitted through any type of sex play, including unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex with a partner who has it. But, just like herpes, these things are sneaky — if your partner has the virus, she or he can pass it on to you whether or not warts are present at the time you have sex play. Many people who have HPV don’t even know it, because they don’t have warts.
So what do genital warts look like? Unlike herpes, which is usually painful, blistery sores, genital warts are usually painless, although they may be a little itchy. They usually start off as small bumps and grow into larger warts that look sort of like cauliflower. They can be single warts or break out in clusters. Women usually get them on the vulva, the vagina, the cervix, or the anal area. Men get them on the foreskin, head, or shaft of the penis, the urethra, the scrotum, or the anal area. Women and men can also get them in the throat from having oral sex.
Genital warts aren’t deadly, but they are super-contagious — if you have unprotected sex with someone who’s infected, there’s a 30-to-60 percent chance you’ll catch the virus. And here’s the not-so-great news — like herpes, there is no cure for HPV infections. But the good news is that most genital HPV infections go away by themselves within six months.
Treatment and Prevention
So what can you do if you’re infected? Treatment for genital warts focuses on controlling future outbreaks. This could be through prescription creams that you apply to warts or by removing warts with surgery. Sometimes they even go away on their own in a few months — but remember, just because you don’t have any visible warts, you may still have the virus that causes them, so you still have to be careful about protecting yourself and your partner.
So how can you stay away from genital warts? Condoms don’t eliminate the chance of contracting genital warts entirely, but they do reduce the risk. It’s important to avoid direct skin-to-skin contact with anyone you know has an outbreak of genital warts. But there is only 100 percent way to make sure you don’t catch genital warts, and that is abstinence.
Something else to keep in mind — some other types of HPV can put a woman at risk for cervical cancer or men at risk of cancer of the penis. The changes in the cells of the cervix caused by certain HPVs that could lead to cancer are easily detectable by a Pap test. Early treatment of precancerous growths can prevent cancer from developing. So it’s very important to see a clinician once a year for a gynecological exam and Pap test if you’re sexually active or over 18 years old.
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