Genital warts in men and women
HPV infection
HPV infection generally causes abnormal skin or mucous membranes (warts). Certain types of HPV infection cause cervical cancer. There are more than 100 types of human papilloma virus (HPV).
Different types of HPV infection cause warts in different parts of the body. For example, some types of HPV infection cause warts on the feet, while others cause warts that appear mostly on the face or neck.
Most HPV infections do not lead to cancer. But some types of genital HPV can cause cervical cancer. Other types of cancer, including anal, genital, vaginal, cervical, and laryngeal cancers, are associated with HPV infection.
Vaccines can protect the patient from HPV, which is more likely to cause genital warts or cervical cancer.
Types of warts
In most cases, your immune system eliminates HPV infection before warts appear. When they appear, they become involved depending on the type of HPV.
Genital warts: Looks like smooth, or prominent lesions such as cauliflower or stem. In women, genital warts mainly appear on the outside, but can also occur near the anus, cervix or vagina.
In men, genital warts appear on the penis and scrotum or around the anus. Genital warts rarely cause discomfort or pain, although they may be itchy.
Cervical Cancer
Remember that HPV vaccination can protect you from cervical cancer. For those who have not been vaccinated, most cases of cervical cancer are caused by a type of HPV that usually does not cause warts, so women often do not realize they are infected. The early stages of cervical cancer usually have no symptoms.
Over time, certain types of HPV infection can lead to precancerous lesions. If left untreated, these lesions can become cancerous. Pap smears experiments are important for women because they can detect precancerous changes in the cervix that lead to cancer.
Current guidelines recommend that women between the ages of 21 and 29 have a Pap smear every year. Women between the ages of 30 and 65 are recommended to have a Pap smear every three years.
Women over the age of 65 can stop having a Pap smear if they have three consecutive normal Pap smears or two Papilloma Human DNA and Pap smears without any abnormal results.
When should you see a doctor?
If you have warts that cause discomfort, discomfort, or pain, see your doctor.
Causes and ways to prevent genital warts
Causes of genital warts or HPV infection
HPV infection occurs when a virus enters your body, usually through cuts, abrasions, or tears in a small area of your skin. The virus is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
Genital viral infections are caused by sexual intercourse, anal sex, and skin-to-skin contact with the genital area. Some HPV infections that cause mouth or respiratory tract infections are caused by oral sex.
If you are pregnant and have HPV infection with genital warts, the warts may get bigger and bigger during pregnancy. Postpone treatment until after delivery.
Large genital warts can block the birth canal. The infection may be related to a rare, noncancerous growth in the baby’s larynx.
Warts are contagious. They spread by contact with a wart or something that has touched the wart.
Risk factors for genital warts
HPV infections are common. Risk factors for HPV infection include:
• Number of sexual partners: People who have multiple sexual partners are more likely to have genital HPV. Having sex with a partner who has had multiple sexual partners also increases your risk of infection.
Age: Common warts are more common in children. Genital warts often occur in adolescents and young adults.
• Weak immune systems: People with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for HPV infections. Immune systems can be weakened by the HIV virus or by immunosuppressive drugs used after organ transplantation.
• Damaged skin: Areas of skin that have been cut or opened are more prone to common warts.
• Personal contact: Touching people’s warts or not protecting them from contact with surfaces exposed to HPV – such as showers and public pools – may increase the risk of HPV.
Prevention of genital warts
Ordinary warts
It is difficult to prevent HPV infections that cause normal warts If you have a common wart, you can prevent the infection from spreading and forming new warts by not touching the wart or scratching your nails.
Use a pair of soles and sandals in public pools and saunas to reduce the risk of HPV infections that cause warts.
Genital warts
You can reduce the risk of genital warts and other HPV wounds in this way:
• Having an integrated sexual relationship.
• Having only one sexual partner
• Using latex condoms, which can reduce the risk of HPV.
HPV vaccine
A vaccine called Gardasil 9 has been developed. The vaccine has been shown to protect against cervical cancer and genital warts.
When a person becomes infected with HPV, the vaccine may not work or may not work at all people. It is also better to react to the vaccine at a younger age than at an older age.
Treatment of external genital warts
Drug treatment
Drug treatment is prescribed according to the type of genital wart and the area created. The use of drugs must be prescribed and taken by a gynecologist after the necessary examinations.
freeze
Freezing or cryotherapy is one of the ways to treat genital warts in the external genitalia. This treatment may take several sessions. Freezing is usually done in both liquid and gas forms.
kotrization
Burning or kotrization is another treatment for this disease. This treatment, as its name implies, is done by burning the lesion, and the skin in the area may remain scarred after treatment. Burning genital warts is a bit painful.
laser therapy
Laser treatment is one of the methods that requires the experience and expertise of a doctor, and when the lesion is large, this method is used. The use of lasers for treatment is done in one session.
Surgery
The fastest and last method of treatment is surgery. When the lesion is very large, then surgery is the best treatment. Before surgery, it is best to take a sample of the lesion first to examine the type of virus and then perform surgery.
Treatment of internal genital warts
Once genital warts have formed in the inner part of the vagina, any treatment should be done to determine the extent of the disease in the internal tissue of the vagina and cervix.
In these cases, a cervical examination should be performed first by a gynecologist to make a diagnosis. At this time, if a sore or deformity has formed, it can be clearly seen.
It is worth to say that in most cases, no lesions will be visible at the beginning of the disease, and the best way to diagnose them is to use a colposcope. It can be used to enlarge the internal genital area to see the lesion and then take a sample.
The treatment of genital warts is determined after the sampling result. It is best to see a gynecologist for the best treatment for genital warts.
Result
Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure for genital warts of any kind. This is because the virus stays in the body but can be controlled.