Genital Warts

What are genital warts? Genital warts are basically growths that are found on and near a person's genital areas. These growths are caused by the virus called HPV or human papillovirus. This virus is actually the same virus that causes the growth of all the many different kinds of warts on a person's body. There are a number of HPV strains that exist but only a few of these strains are known to cause HPV genital warts. These genital warts can affect both men and women and are usually unsightly and itchy.

How do these genital warts look? They are somewhat similar in appearance to the many different kinds of warts that you can see on a person who has these growths. They may appear as a single raised bump or a flat growth. These can also appear in a cluster or group that may resemble a cauliflower. Genital warts can be found mostly outside of the body, especially in men but women can actually have HPV genital warts inside their cervix or cervical canal.

Genital warts occur silently and in fact, symptoms do not give a person warnings that they have these growths on them. Women have to undergo a pap smear or cervical examination for them to determine if they have these growths in their body. External genital warts are visible enough and can be easily seen and identified even without the help of a medical professional however it is not easy to get rid of genital warts.

These warts are contagious and care should be exercised when having unprotected sex with multiple partners since that is usually when a person gets these growths. Another thing that can also be gotten from activity such as this, aside from genital warts, is herpes, another STD. Having genital herpes warts is also possible since both the herpes virus and the human papillovirus that causes genital warts are transmitted the same way, through sexual contact. They are also both very contagious STDs and the possibility of getting both at the same time if one of your sexual partners has it is high.

Treatments for genital warts and herpes differ and consulting with a medical professional to get these cured is recommended. Some of the treatments for genital warts include topical solutions and chemical treatments. There are also surgical methods that can be used for these HPV genital warts. If you find that you have herpes along with these warts, you may need to exact another treatment for this other sexually transmitted disease. This can be evidenced by broken skin near and on the genital area. A medical professional can help with a cure for both these troublesome diseases that are both viral.

Since these two are transmitted sexually, with women at a higher risk than men at getting them, it is wise to exercise caution when having sexual relations with people you do not know too well. It is advisable to wear barrier protection like condoms when having sex or to simply practice monogamy to minimize the possibility of getting these sexually transmitted diseases.