Genital Warts

What are genital warts?
A virus called human papilloma virus is responsible for all kinds of warts. The virus affects the outermost layer of the skin where it causes growths. These can be anywhere on the genitals - including urethra, vagina and the anus.

How are they detected?
Warts on the genitals are easy to diagnose. It's simply a matter of looking.
How common are they, and how are they spread?
They are extremely common. The numbers of people with genital warts who attend GU Clinics doubled in recent years. It is mostly through sexual contact, although the possibility of infection by hand warts cannot be completely ruled out. It may be possible for the virus to be present in the skin and cause a wart many years later.

What causes warts to grow?
Once you have been exposed to the virus it can take weeks to months or longer for a wart to develop.
 How can they be treated?
There are several ways of treating the warts. Much of the difficulty lies in the fact that the virus is present not only in the warts but in the skin around them. This is one reason why warts may recur and tend to develop right next to the original warts. Only visible warts can be treated. This treatment may be by applying cream at home, by freezing, by surgery or by cautery.
  1. Warticon is a cream / lotion that can be used a home.
    For more information on Warticon please click here.
  2. Cryocautery (freezing) is useful for large single warts or for warts situated in areas unsuitable for painting, ie. The tip of the penis, or those not responding to other treatments. It is usually done weekly.
  3. Trichloroacetic acid is another very caustic chemical used to treat warts
  4. Imiquimod (Aldara) a home treatment which acts in conjunction with the patient's own immune system. Treatment can be slow initially, but recurrences are less.
    Some patients can become inflamed from the immune reaction but this will settle and then the cream can be reapplied.

    See the following case report that shows this reaction and how it is managed.
    MANAGEMENT OF IMIQUIMOD INDUCED ERYTHEMA
SOME PATIENTS CAN DEVELOP VERY LARGE WARTS THAT ARE A MAJOR PROBLEM
These pictures show patients who unfortunately the warts didn't readily respond to treatment and kept coming back. These patients often require repeated surgery and lots of treatment with the immune response modifier Aldara to try and stimulate the immune response to clear them. Although these pictures are quite alarming, we can reassure all patients that irrespective of the degree and extent of their warts, we can always get a good solution, usually by combining surgery and home treatments.

HPV VACCINE
Two HPV vaccines have been developed - Cevarix and Gardasil. Gardasil also contains a vaccine against genital warts. We hope that a national vaccination with Gardasil will occur, so that conditions like those shown on these pictures will eventually become a rarity within the next 8-10 years.

Smoking
Research has shown that heavy cigarette smoking, slows the immune system, delays clearance of warts and may increase recurrences.

Treating sexual partners
Genital wart viruses are common. Ask your sexual partner to check himself / herself for genital warts. If they find any, they should attend.

Relapses
There is no wart treatment which kills the wart virus. Further episodes of genital warts are possible, weeks or even months after successful treatment. However, genital warts do always eventually go for good.

Genital warts and cancer of the cervix
In the past, medical research had suggested a link between genital warts and cancer of the cervix. We now know that the types of wart viruses which are linked with cancer of the cervix are NOT those which cause common genital warts. Women who have genital warts are at NO greater risk than other women, and the usual 3-yearly smear tests are all that is recommended.

Wart treatment clinics
After diagnosis by a doctor, there are extra sessions outside of main clinic hours for people attending for regular wart treatments. Generally, people are seen quicker than in the main clinic. Please tell the Receptionist when you book, if you want an appointment for wart treatment only. Don't worry - studies at this clinic show that most people manage their own treatment at home, and three quarters of patients require only two visits or less.

General Advice

  1. Keep the area with the warts as clean and dry as possible. Gentle washing is all that is needed, do not scrub, and blot dry carefully.
  2. Try to attend regularly. If the area becomes red and sore then bathe with a salt solution ( 1 teaspoon of salt to a pint of water ). Talcum powder is very beneficial in keeping the area as dry as possible.
  3. Condoms may be useful during periods of treatment and for some time after treatment to prevent wart virus infection in your partner. In long term relationships their use is less certain.
For images relating to genital warts please view the image gallery here Genital Wart image gallery
For more in-depth information please download the "Which Wart" Booklet
Detailed information about Warticon can be found here Warticon
Please note that you will need adobe reader to view these booklets
available here




Please remember that using a condom offers good protection against all sexually transmitted infections, including the HIV virus.
Any Questions?
Please ask for a nurse on the following numbers:
01244 363089
(Health Advisers) 01244 363085/363086

Only during clinic times (please click here)
 

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