HPV Genital Warts?

Question

Symptoms
What does it look like?
Treatment

Answer 1

Most people who have a genital HPV infection do not know they are infected. The virus lives in the skin or mucous membranes and usually causes no symptoms. Some people get visible genital warts, or have pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, vulva, anus, or penis. Very rarely, HPV infection results in anal or genital cancers.

Genital warts usually appear as soft, moist, pink, or flesh-colored swellings, usually in the genital area. They can be raised or flat, single or multiple, small or large, and sometimes cauliflower shaped. They can appear on the vulva, in or around the vagina or anus, on the cervix, and on the penis, scrotum, groin, or thigh. After sexual contact with an infected person, warts may appear within weeks or months, or not at all.

Genital warts are diagnosed by visual inspection. Visible genital warts can be removed by medications the patient applies, or by treatments performed by a health care provider. Some individuals choose to forego treatment to see if the warts will disappear on their own. No treatment regimen for genital warts is better than another, and no one treatment regimen is ideal for all cases.

There is no "cure" for HPV infection, although in most women the infection goes away on its own. The treatments provided are directed to the changes in the skin or mucous membrane caused by HPV infection, such as warts and pre-cancerous changes in the cervix.
http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/sexual-health/std/genital-warts.htm

Answer 2

Infection with HPV usually does not cause symptoms. Most HPV infections are latent, meaning the virus is present but is not multiplying or producing any signs of infection. Visible genital warts appear only during active infection. (However, you may spread the virus even if you do not have warts.) Warts may look like tiny bunches of cauliflower or like flat, white areas that may be difficult to see.

When symptoms do develop, they usually occur 2 to 3 months after infection. However, they may develop from 3 weeks to many years after infection. Possible symptoms include irritation, itching, and bleeding.

Genital warts caused by the most common types of HPV often go away on their own without treatment. After you are diagnosed, if you do not have symptoms or cosmetic concerns, you may observe your condition without using treatment. This is called watchful waiting.

Experts sometimes differ on how to treat the condition because genital warts often go away without treatment and because treatment does not eliminate the HPV infection.

Treatment will depend on:

The number of warts and their size and location.
Any problems the warts are causing.
The side effects and costs of treatment.
Your health professional's skill in treating warts.
Your preferences.
Even if you are treated to remove visible warts or your warts go away without treatment, the HPV infection is not cured; it remains in your body's cells.

Even with treatment for genital warts, you still may be able to spread the infection. Condoms may help reduce the risk of spreading the infection, but they do not fully protect against genital contact.

Answer 3

They are clustered, cauliflower like growths can affect the penis, vagina, anus, and perineum area. You need to see the doctor they can give you a cream to put on them or they can freeze them off. See the web site below for pictures.


http://cancer.about.com/od/hpv/a/HPVpictures.htm