The first signs of genital warts appear anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after an infection with certain types of the human papilloma virus occurs. The virus has more than 100 different strains and only a few of them cause genital warts, with HPV 6 and HPV 11 being responsible for most of the cases. The majority of the infected people see the beginning signs of genital warts in three months after the infection, but many people might carry the virus and never develop genital warts at all.

The warts manifest themselves differently in men and women, but the symptoms are similar – the appearance of pink, red or gray lesions on the tip or the shaft of the penis and on the scrotum in men, or on the vulva, the cervix and in the anal region in women, indicate genital warts. Other first signs of genital warts might be itching, dampness or irritation in the genital area; if the warts are internal they might cause painful intercourse and vaginal discharge in women.

>> Click here for the most successful genital warts treatment reported by our visitors <<

Once these symptoms are present, the infected person should do a few things right away:

• visit his or her doctor
• inform his or her sexual partner
• abstain from sex until the warts have been treated

If a woman lives with genital warts and becomes pregnant, she should also inform her physician since transmitting the warts from mother to child is possible, although rare; using cryotherapy to treat the warts in pregnant women is the most effective way, while topical treatment is the safest.

The first signs of genital warts are quite often mistaken for rash, especially when the warts aren’t visible – there are cases when the warts are really small and flat, which is why the doctor might perform additional tests such as acetic acid swab in order to do the diagnosis; however, in most cases the warts are diagnosed by visually examining the infected area. Under certain circumstances biopsy of abnormal structures might be done in order to determine if they are actually genital warts.

At times the beginning signs of genital warts might cause even pain and unusual vaginal discharge – yet another reason to consult a medical profession right away since these signs might indicate other, more serious disease. In general, treating the warts as soon as they appear is not only less costly, but also more successful; the treatments can last from a few weeks to up to a few months and even after the warts have been removed, the chance of recurrence is quite high – from 25% to 47%.

At the time of this writing there is no cure for the HPV infection and even though there is a vaccine for women, it protects only against strains of the virus that usually do not cause genital warts. The only way to reduce the chance of getting infected is to practice safe sex and reduce the number of sexual partners, but if you see first signs of genital warts, simply visit your doctor and talk to him or her for the available treatment options – the warts can be successfully treated and removed once and for all.

Read also:

1. Early signs of genital warts What are genital warts and what are the first signs...