Monday, October 27, 2008

Genital Warts: How to Get Rid of Them

By Lindelwa Maseko

There is serious concern amongst sexual health experts about the rise in cases of genital warts; affecting the genitalia of both sexes they can even infect the anus. Although some people would like to claim otherwise, both male and female forms are passed on through sex and are the result of one strain of the human papillomavirus family that they all belong too. Many carriers (especially women) are unaware they carry the genital warts virus and can pass it on without knowing even if their partner is wearing a condom; which makes prevention difficult.

Worryingly is the length of time it can take for the infection to form them; sometimes it can be a few months or even many years.The person who contracts them however, becomes a silent carrier and that is how this disease is spreading rampantly in today's world. Ano-genital warts on male and female genitalia belong to a specific strain of human papillomavirus virus called HPV6 although there are now over 100 known types. Unfortunately women can be unwilling and unknowing carriers of warts as they are often hidden in the vagina and probably won't be discovered until she has visited her doctor for a routine examination of her cervix.

In the area near the genital warts growth, can be damper and women may have more discharge because the genital area is moist and warm, the HPV virus multiplies there very fast once they start to develop. Liquid nitrogen is still the method of choice for wart removal for doctors and dermatologists as the very cold temperature destroys the skin and tissue but it normally takes more than one treatment. Removal by liquid nitrogen is quite painless but even so it is not always possible to use this process owing to the area to be treated.

Other methods are available to medicine today, there is the older cauterizing the wart using electricity or the fairly new laser treatment. Every method is dependant on the location of the infection but they are persistent and even if they are successfully removed, they can return at a later date. Another topical treatment for genital warts is imiquimod, and while it has been formulated to help the immune system fight the infection, the liquid does not kill the virus directly nor can it stop others from forming.

It is best to get a doctors consent to use imiquimod as it cannot be used in every circumstance including pregnancy. It also can't be used inside the genitals or inside the vagina nor on inflamed skin. Imiquimod can cause some unpleasant side effects which need to be watched for including blisters, aches all over the body, coughs and it can cause the genitals to itch but a doctor can provide more information abut this.

As with any information based on a medical problem, full information and options on genital warts should ideally be sought from a physician as this article is for general background only.

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