Genital Warts
What are they?
Genital warts are fleshy lumps that can appear on or around men or women’s genitals. They are caused by a virus infection (human papillomavirus) which is sexually transmitted. The most important thing to know about warts is that although they may not look very nice, they will cause you no harm.
90% of people who have the virus will not develop warts, so you can get it from someone who has no signs of infection.
Symptoms
You may experience:
* Small pink or white lumps in around the genitals
* Larger cauliflower shaped lumps
* Warts are painless, but on occasion may itch
Treatment
In order to reduce the size of the warts you can use a special solution called podophyllin, which is painted onto the warts. This will not take away the virus which remains in your skin, and the wart may therefore come back. Sometimes your doctor will advise freezing the warts off.
If you are infected with this virus, whether you have warts or not, you can pass it onto your sexual partners
Prevention
There is a vaccine to prevent infection with some of the viruses which cause genital warts. Ask your doctor for details.
Don’t feel pressured into saying yes to having sex. It’s ok to say no. Remember the more people you have sex with the more likely you are to be infected. If you are sexually active, have regular screening and make sure your partner is screened too. Use condoms, although they are not 100%, they will reduce your chances of getting infections if they are used correctly EVERY time you have sex.
