My friend has genital warts...?

Question

She has been cured for a year, she can only pass it to someone if it pops up again!

Do you think she should tell every man that she has s*x with that she HAD it?

Answer 1

A person CAN get rid of genital warts, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have gotten rid of the virus that causes them - HPV. There is NO cure for HPV. For most women the virus can go away on its own though. Their bodies can basically "fight it off".

She should tell every future sex partner she has though. Even if she got rid of the warts she still might have the virus and can still spread it to any future sex partners.

Answer 2

Just because she doesn't have the warts doesn't mean she doesn't still have the HPV virus that causes them. There is no way to detect the particular strand of HPV virus that causes the warts, so for the safety of those she has sex with, she needs to tell them she may still carry the virus. It's not fair to risk passing this virus on to unsuspecting people. While there is no cure for the virus, the immune system may get rid of the virus on its own, given enough time. Keep in mind, a person can go months, even years, without having any symptoms and still carry the virus AND pass it on to others. Condoms won't protect a person from the disease, as it can be passed on through skin contact of the entire pubic area, as well as through oral sex. Symptoms often (but not always) first show up during pregnancy, because pregnancy suppresses the immune system. If your friend were to become pregnant in a few years and still carries the virus, she will almost certainly get the warts during the pregnancy (and most of the time, doctors will refuse to treat them during pregnancy, because the chemical treatments could harm the baby and even otherwise there's not much point because they are almost sure to return anyway). If she doesn't have any symptoms, I think it's pretty safe to say she no longer carries the virus. Please advise her though, that this STD can cause complications during pregnancy and there's a possibility she may pass it on to the baby, unless she has a c-section. If she doesn't, there's a risk of the baby getting the virus in his/her throat (on the larynx) and grow warts there, closing up the throat and requiring surgery while he/she is still quite young, possibly multiple surgeries if the symptoms return.

A couple of things she can do to aid her immune system in fighting the virus are to eat healthy and don't smoke. Smoking definitely makes it worse. I feel for her, because I've heard (from a nurse working in the hospital where I used to work) that probably around 75% of people who have had multiple partners or have had sex with someone who has had multiple partners carry the virus and most don't even know it. All the best to her.

Answer 3

The answer to "Is HPV always contagious?" isn't known but the evidence is pretty clear that in most cases, the immune system is able to clear/suppress the virus naturally.

The absence of visible lesions does not guarantee the virus cannot be transmitted to a new partner, but many experts think the risk of transmission diminishes greatly in one who has gone awhile with no additional lesions detected. The hard part is knowing for sure (does "awhile" mean 6 months...1 year...or what?) and in some cases the virus can activate down the road (although in most cases it doesn't seem prone to do this.)

Go to www.ashastd.org (website of the American Social Health Association, HPV info and message board).

Answer 4

You cannot cure genital warts. I am not sure where you go the idea that she has been cured. Genital warts are forever but you don't always have symptoms. Yes she needs to tell EVERY man she is with that she HAS it.............not had HAS it. Tell your friend she needs to learn more about genital herpes since she doen't seem to realize it can't be cured but merely treated.

Answer 5

there is no cure for genital warts. She still does have them. Sure she hasn't had an outbreak in some time, however it is still possible to transmit them between outbreaks.

Knowingly exposing somebody else to potentially devastating disease is not only irresponsible, but absolutely repugnant.

Answer 6

No tell her not to go back and tell every man that shes had sex with, because what if that guy didn't get it, then she would look really stupid, let them find out. but do tell future partners

Answer 7

she doesnt have to tell people in her past if she doesnt want to, especially guys. most guys dont show signs of having it and flush it out of their systems in about 2 years.

future guys need to know (the girl who gave me it never told me and it sucks)

Answer 8

actually she can pass it on at any time and yes she needs too