What are genital warts

What are genital warts?

Genital warts are warts that are located on the skin and mucous membranes of the anus and / or genitals. Genital warts are common, per year is about 25,000 times the diagnosis made in the Netherlands. The condition affects men and women equally often and is most often seen in men between twenty and thirty years.

Symptoms Genital Warts

Genital warts have a pink-red to brown color and a cauliflower-like appearance. Warts are 1 to 5 mm in size and are located in the female usually on the labia, in the vagina or on the cervix. In men, the foreskin, the glans, the glans strap, the penile shaft or scrotum. Sometimes genital warts can cause symptoms such as pain, itching or burning with urination, defecation or community.

How are genital warts?

Genital warts are transmitted by sexual intercourse and thus belong to the SOA, which means Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Warts are caused by a virus, the so-called human papillomavirus. The virus comes in through small wounds that may arise in the community. The places where most wounds arise during intercourse are also prevent the places where genital warts: in the woman at the location of the entrance of the sheath, on the anus side, and in the man the glans at the location of strap. Infectivity is about sixty percent and decreases as the warts are older (one year).

The time between infection and getting warts (the incubation period) is three months on average. Some subspecies of the human papillomavirus are related to getting cervical cancer later in life. This does not happen often and is controlled by the so-called screening: every woman receives between thirty and sixty years a call every five years for a pap smear at the GP.

Is it serious and what can you expect?

The condition is harmless and prone to spontaneous healing: thirty percent of the warts disappear spontaneously within 6 months, and 66 percent will disappear within two years. If you find ugly spots or if you find the spots very uncomfortable, it is possible treatment. After successful treatment of the warts the virus can still remain in the body, and it is therefore possible that the spots thereby ever come back. Since genital warts are transmitted sexually, it is important that your sexual partner (s) to inform so that it can decide whether he or she wants further information or research.

When consult your doctor?

If you find ugly spots or if you find the spots very uncomfortable, it is wise to consult your doctor. This will give you a number of questions, including about your sexual life, set and view the sites discovered by you. The GP will be possible to view the whole area of the anus and the genitals to see whether more warts are present. Where there are complaints in the sheath are at the general practitioner will perform a gynecological examination with the aid of a speculum. Depending on your symptoms and your sexual life can decide the doctor to conduct further research into other sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS, hepatitis, syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia.De doctor has several treatment options for warts to his / her disposal:

• remove with a snijbrandertje (electro-kauterisator)
• mention with nitrogen (freezing)
• Other possibilities may include applying a cream or liquid, such as trichloroacetic acid, imiquimod and 5-fluorouracil.

GP care is sixty to eighty percent of the cases successful. If one or more of the above treatments are not effective then the GP will refer you to a specialist. Also, he or she may decide to do so if the size or the location of the condition is such that specialist intervention is necessary. Specialist treatments may include surgical intervention, laser treatment or treatment with a medicine against viruses, called interferon.

What can you do yourself?

There is, without a visit to the doctor, nothing you can do to eliminate the spots. For hygiene reasons and to prevent the risk of infection you should be as little as possible with your hands arrive. Condoms reduce the risk of getting genital warts. The bescherning is not 100%.

General advice and precautions

The genital wart is a sexually transmitted disease. The chance of a sexually transmitted disease is generally greater with a new sexual partner or multiple sexual contacts. The use of the condom reduces this opportunity.