Genital warts are small fleshy lumps that can Appear around a man’s penis and testicles, or around the anus.
Genital warts are caused by a virus called human
papilloma virus (HPV). It is one of the most common
STDs.
You can have HPV and not get genital warts. There is another type of HPV that causes warts that might be found elsewhere on the body, such as the hand.
Symptoms
Genital warts are not usually painful, although symptoms can be:
· Itching
· A little bleeding from warts inside the anus.
How it is transmitted
Genital warts are spread by close skin-to-skin contact. Sex, especially penetrative anal and vaginal sex, is the main way that warts are passed on. If you have sex with someone who has genital warts, you may get the virus that causes warts as well.
Warts cannot be caught from toilet seats or swimming pools.
Also, as the warts on your hands are different from genital warts, They cannot be passed from someone’s hand to your genitals.
What can you do if you think you have genital warts?
If you think you have genital warts, you can go to your local sexual health clinic. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/std/std2.shtml. You can also visit your primary care provider.
Testing
The doctor or nurse can usually test whether you have warts just by looking. However, they may have to check by putting some drops of liquid onto the lump. This procedure does not hurt at all.
Treatment
Occasionally, warts go away by themselves. However, it is best not to rely on this but to get help from a doctor. The doctor may treat them by:
· Painting them with a liquid
· Freezing them with gas (which is a bit like dry ice)
These methods will gradually remove the warts and are not painful.
Sometimes, you may have to visit the doctor several times over a few months for treatment until the warts disappear.
Protect yourself and others: Using a condom can help protect against getting genital warts.
Remember also that using a condom will help protect you against
getting or passing on other STDs.