What You Should Know About HPV And Genital Warts

Treating HPV

Currently, there is no treatment for HPV. However that doesn’t mean you can’t get rid of it. For most people, their immune system will naturally clear the HPV from the body over time, with no long-lasting effects. Symptoms of HPV, such as genital warts, can be treated by a doctor or a sexual health clinic.

HPV And Cancer

As we mentioned earlier, there are more than 100 different types of HPV. Doctors classify these as being either high-risk or low-risk depending on their long-term effects. High-risk HPV strains can cause serious illnesses, including a number of cancers. Sometimes these high-risk strains aren’t cleared from the body naturally, which can lead to persistent infections and the development of abnormal cells in the body. These cells can lead to cervical cancer, which is one of the most common cancers caused by HPV, but it can also result in penile, anal, vulval, vaginal and mouth/throat cancers.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Australia. They’re caused by a low-risk strain of HPV, which rarely results in cancer. So really, genital warts are one symptom of certain strains of HPV.

Now, genital warts can be flat, raised, by themselves, with others, or clustered to appear like tiny cauliflower growths on the skin. You can also be a genital warts carrier without necessarily having warts on your genitals, something known as a ‘subclinical’ infection. These kinds of HPV infections are common in both men and women, but it’s usually only women who realise they’re ‘invisible carriers’ as the HPV can cause cell changes that are picked up during pap smears.

Contracting Genital Warts

Genital warts is contracted in the same way as HPV, through direct skin-to-skin contact during vaginal or anal sex. While it is rare, genital warts can also be transmitted through the mouth via oral sex. The infection happens after a a non-carrier comes into contact with a visible wart, or when a subclinical infection is present and enters through invisible tears in the skin.

Warts can appear within a few weeks, or a few months, or they might not appear at all despite an infection being present. This makes it hard to tell who you contracted the infection from.

Treating Genital Warts

When we talk about treating genital warts, we aren’t really treating HPV, just the physical warts themselves. HPV is usually removed over time by the body’s natural immunity, so all the genital warts treatment does is remove the visible warts.

There are a few treatment options, including cryotherapy (to freeze the warts off), podophyllotoxin lotion, imiquimod cream, and laser or diathermy treatment (usually used for a large number of warts that have been previously treated with other methods ineffectively).

Remember, even when the warts have been properly treated and removed, they can still reappear. This is because the virus may still be present in your skin. So, just because you have had a wart reappear, doesn’t mean you have caught another infection. Over time, the warts usually disappear for good.

If you become concerned about any symptoms, please seek immediate medical attention we have some hotlines and suggested websites for further information and advice https://www.stayathomemum.com.au/my-kids/babies/important-hotlines-websites/

SAHM takes no responsibility for any illness, injury or death caused by misuse of this information. All information provided is correct at time of publication.