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Genital warts appear on the genitals or sexual organs of men and women, and these can also appear on the buttocks or "bum." Warts appear as tiny flat bumps, or bumps that look like cauliflowers. Some people can have the wart virus present on their skin even though the warts can not be seen.
Genital warts are caused by infection from the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many types of HPV. An HPV vaccine is highly effective in protecting against 2 strains of the virus that cause most genital warts and 2 strains that cause most cervical cancers. For more information, see HealthLink BC File #101b Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine .
| It is important for women to get regular Pap tests once they become sexually active. |
Genital warts are spread by having sex with someone who is infected with HPV, whether they have visible warts or not.
Using a male or female condom will provide some protection, but only to the skin covered by the condom. Condoms do not cover all genital skin so they do not protect the area 100 per cent. Avoid having sex with someone who has sores or unusual growths on or around their genitals.
Symptoms can include wart-like bumps on your genitals and/or around your buttocks. These need to be checked by a health professional. It may take from four weeks to three months, or longer, for the warts to appear after you have been infected; sometimes they never appear. You can be infected with the virus but not have any visible warts.
Treatment for genital warts does not get rid of the HPV infection. A person treated for genital warts may still be able to transmit the infection.
In some cases, the warts will go away on their own. However, many people want to be treated to remove the visible warts and also to lessen the chance of giving them to a partner.
Genital warts can be treated by applying a liquid medication or by freezing them. You may need to go for more than one treatment. Your doctor may prescribe a cream that you can apply to the affected area for 4-6 weeks. Discuss treatment options with your health professional to determine which treatment choice may be best for you.
Caution: Do not use non-prescription wart removal products to treat genital warts. These products are not intended to be used in the genital area and may cause serious burning.
If you have different sexual partners, or if your partner has different partners, you should also be tested for other STIs including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and HIV (the virus linked to AIDS). You should also consider getting vaccine shots to prevent hepatitis B infection.
Please remember: The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of getting a STI.
For more information, see HealthLink BC File #08o Condoms Help Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
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For more HealthLink BC File topics, visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/index.stm or your local public health unit. Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information and services in B.C. For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call 7-1-1 in B.C. Translation services are available in more than 130 languages on request. |
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