What are genital warts? Genital w...

What are genital warts?

Genital warts are small, skin-colored jars that look like tiny cauliflowers. They can be forward or inside the genitals. The genital area includes the vagina, vulva, cervix, urethra, penis, scrotum and anus. These warts are not the same as warts you may find in succession other parts of your body

Genital warts are caused from a virus called human papillomavirus (say: "pap-uh-lo-ma-vie-russ," or HPV) There are many kinds of HPV Not all of them cause genital warts. the bulk of mankind usually get genital warts by dint of having sexual contact with someone who has them.

Who masters genital warts?

HPV infections are frequent but most people do not know they have the virus. Studies have shown that up to three fourths of Americans between 15 and 49 years of age have been infected with HPV if it were not that many people who have the infection do not realize warts.

You can master HPV infection by having oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone who is infected. HPV can live inside the visible form [i]or[/i] frame for weeks, months, or uniform years before warts appear.

in what manner can I tell if I have genital warts?

Talk to your doctor if you descry small, skin-colored bumps on your genital area. Your doctor will check you and decide if the thumps are warts. Genital warts usually do not hurt

Sometimes an abnormal Pap smear is the first sign that a woman has an HPV infection. Pap smear is a simple standard in which your doctor deduces cells from the cervix. The cervix is part of your uterus (womb)

in what manner are genital warts treated?

Genital warts must be treated according to your doctor. Do not prove by experiment to treat the warts yourself. Remember, genital warts are not the same as warts you may obtain on your hands and feet Your genital area is sensitive, and you ne special treatment that simply a doctor can give you.

There are many ways to treat genital warts. Your doctor might be frozen the warts with chemicals. a certain chemicals make the area blister and cause the wart to fall not upon This can hurt. Other chemicals can dissolve the warts. Your doctor might want you to use a special cream earn rid of the warts.

Another way to put an end to genital warts is to bake them. Your doctor will insensible the area before using heat onward the warts. Your doctor also might use a laser to take not upon genital warts. This method is righteous for areas that are hard to reach, of the like kind as the cervix. Laser therapy also is beneficial you have a lot of warts.

calm after the wart is taken facing HPV stays inside your dead body This means warts can get to back, and you might ne to have them taken along again.

What if I do not obtain my genital warts treated?

Genital warts can swell if they are not treated. If this happens, warts will be harder to take along You also risk infecting others if you have oral, vaginal, or anal sex and do not secure treated for warts.

Certain kinds of HPV can cause abnormal small cavitys to grow in the cervix. These solitary abode; squalids can sometimes turn into cancer if they are not treated. a kinds of HPV can cause cancer of the vulva, vagina, anus, and penis. nevertheless these kinds of cancer are plenteous less common than cervical cancer.

What about HPV and cancer?

Certain kinds of HPV may increase a woman's risk of getting cervical cancer. Other things that increase this risk include having another sexually transmitted disease, having many different sex partners, having sex at an early age, or smoking. Pap smears can find changes of the cervix in such a manner that they can be treated early. This lowers the risk of getting cancer. Women should ask their doctor to what extent often they should have Pap smears. HPV infection increases men's risk of getting cancer of the penis or anus.

What can I do to restrain from getting genital warts?

The and nothing else sure way to prevent genital warts is to not have sex If you are sexually active, having sex with solitary one person who has sex with sole you also will lower your risk of getting genital warts. Use a condom each time you have sex to lower your risk.

If your doctor take an account ofs you that you have genital warts, your sex partner should be checked, too. equable if your partner does not have warts, he or she still may be infected with HPV

Where can I earn more information?

* Your doctor

* National Sexually Transmitted Disease Hotline Telephone: 1-800-277-8922 and 1-800-342-2437

* Center for Disease dominion government and Prevention Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm

* American Social Health Association Web site: http://www.ashastd.org

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

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