Genital warts are the result of a viral infection. They are small fleshy growths, bumps, or skin changes that appear on, or around, the genital, anal, and (rarely) the throat, through oral sex.
Most visible genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) types 6 and 11. These infections are common and very rarely cause any serious health problems. It is estimated that around 4% of people (1 in 25) in Britain have had anogenital warts at some point.
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You can get genital warts from skin to skin contact with an individual who has HPV. This includes from vaginal, anal, oral sex. As well as, intimate genital contact without penetrative sex and/or sharing sex toys.
The virus will not pass through a condom, but as condoms do not cover all of the genital area, it is possible to infect genital skin that is not covered by the condom. As such, you may choice to avoid sex until your warts have cleared.
It is rare for warts to pass from a mother to a baby during childbirth. It is a good idea to tell your antenatal team if you have anogenital warts while you are pregnant.
Anogenital warts cannot be spread through hugging, kissing, sharing towels or baths or from swimming pools or toilet seats.
Most people with HPV infection will not develop visible warts and the virus will go away on its own. This means you may not know whether you or your partner have the virus.
The average amount of time for warts to develop after contracting HPV is between 3 and 11 months but this could differ in each individual.
You might notice or feel small lumps on the skin. These are usually skin coloured but can occasionally be slightly darker or pinkish. They may feel rough to the touch but are not usually painful or itchy. They can occur as single warts or in groups in the following locations:
Genital warts are usually painless but may occasionally itch and cause some inflammation, or bleeding from the anus or the urethra (the tube that carries urine).
There is no routine test for genital warts but in most cases, warts have a typical appearance and a doctor or nurse can diagnose them just from looking.
If you can see lumps that you think may be warts, you can visit an axess sexual health clinic
You will only be offered treatment if you have visible warts. The aim of treatment is only to remove visible warts; it will not clear the infection from your body completely. This means that the warts may come back.
Treatment may include the freezing of the warts by a health professional or creams or liquids prescribed for home use.
Wart treatments sold at the pharmacy are not suitable for use in the genital area.
The main way that visible warts are prevented from developing is your immune system’s response to the virus.
If the immune system is preventing the virus from replicating quickly then there are usually no visible warts. Reducing the amount you smoke and drink, as well as living a healthy balanced lifestyle can help support your immune system to fight the virus effectively.
There are several other ways to help prevent the spread of genital warts:
It is rare for genital warts to cause any long term health problems.
