Treating Genital Warts

Genital Warts are caused by a sexually transmitted disease that is known as the Human Papilloma Virus. Known by the acronym HPV, the disease is spread through sexual contact.

There are actually over one hundred different types of the human papilloma virus, and warts that occur on the hands are caused by a different type of HPV then genital warts. In the case of genital warts, one may end up growing warts on both the genital area and the anal area.

These warts are a growth that sticks up from the normal smoothness of the skin and is commonly referenced by the cauliflower-like texture of the tops of the warts. The warts can be passed on through simple skin contact, but one may contract them by simply doing something such as sharing the same towel that a person with genital warts has previously used.

The warts are largely harmless, but in women, they are known to cause an increased chance of developing cervical cancer. For that reason, women with sexual exposure should participate in ‘pap’ smears at least once per year, with pap standing for papilloma. In this article, we’ll inform you about what you can do if you should come down with genital warts.

There are several treatment options available when you find out that you have genital warts. The warts will often disappear without any treatment, but they may not go away for months, or even years. To that end, if you wish to solve the problem in a quicker way, there are a few treatments that you can consider.

While warts that occur in different parts of the body can often be treated by over-the-counter drugs and home remedies, your best bet in curing genital warts is to speak to your doctor for a more medical option.

Liquid nitrogen has long been used to help remove genital warts. Liquid nitrogen is a chemical that is used in a process known as cryotherapy in which the warts are frozen, causing them to die off and dissipate. You may need to visit the doctor several times in order for cryotherapy to completely remove the presence of warts in your genital area.

There are also several different types of chemical treatments that are commonly employed to remove genital warts. Among these options are podophyllin and tricholoroacetic acid, which doctors can apply and work by dissolving the warts, as well as imiquimod cream, podofilox solution, and fluorouracil cream, which are some at-home treatments that you can apply.

Another surgical option which can be used to remove genital warts is known as LEEP. Standing for loop electrosurgical excision procedure, this surgery is performed by a doctor, and is performed by cutting the wart away from the skin using a loop-shaped device. If your genital warts are large, doctors may ask that you perform a CO2 laser surgery to completely cut out the warts.

When none of the above methods are working for ridding your body of genital warts, interferon injections are often employed. Interferon is a chemical that is actually created by the body to help stave off infections, and for that reason, an excess supply of interferon can work wonders in helping the body to fight off warts. Interferon injections often occur twice a week for up to eight weeks.