Wart Treatments

Warts are fleshy growths that appear on hands and fingers, while plantar warts are one that occur on the soles of our feet. Common skin warts are either yellow, light gray, brown or gray-black, and are firm to the touch, they normally appear on the back of your hands, or near the fingernails.

Genital warts and HPV infection are transmitted primarily by sexual intimacy, and the risk of infection increases as the number of sexual partners increase. These warts are the most contagious, while common, flat, and plantar (foot) warts are much less likely to spread from person to person.

A number of problems can be caused by genital warts may during pregnancy. But before you get too alarmed, do realise that the problem is usually simply that if the warts are in the vagina, they can make the vagina less elastic and cause obstruction during delivery.

Warts of the genitals look like flesh colored masses of tissue. In some cases they may appear as bumps. Warts from sexual transmission can be raised or flat, small or large. Sometimes they’re clustered together in a cauliflower-like shape. These warts can get large during pregnancy, making urination difficult.

Warts on our private parts are the most common symptoms of HPV infection. However, most HPV infections do not lead to either warts or cancer; most infections go away by themselves, without causing any symptoms.

Genitally transferred warts may or may not show symptoms. If they do, the warts may appear as tiny cauliflower-shaped lesions that may be raised or flat. Genital warts do not affect the baby during pregnancy.

Genital Herpes (wart infection) sometimes occurs as a cluster of (often painful) fluid filled “blisters” that appear on a background of skin that is reddish or slightly inflamed. Fresh outbreaks of herpes after their initial outbreak is (we have been told) common when infected with HSV (type 1or 2) and may be associated with the menstrual cycle, emotional stress, illness (especially with fever), sexual intercourse, surgery, and certain medications… The medical profession calls these trigger factors.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV), is the correct term for warts of the genitalia and the course of the infection sometimes is not straightforward. Because, like it or not, they are small fleshly skin tumors of the genital and perianal area caused most often by the most common sexually transmitted virus, HPV 6 and 11. As we have already begun to describe Human Papilloma Virus spreads by skin to skin contact during vaginal, oral and anal sex and is estimated to affect 1% of the sexually active population aged between 16 and 50.

Warts and corns can be treated at home when accessible on the body, and not in a sensitive location. The idea is to remove thickened, diseased skin without damaging surrounding healthy tissue, and by so doing help the body to win over on the virus by removin the seat of the infection.

In the case of genital wart problems though home care is not really satisfactory, and you should obtain medical advice from the start and as soon as you see them.

Warts will not normally leave scars, though some of the more aggressive wart therapies might. The fact is though that you can re-infect yourself again by touching the wart and then another part of your body.

Cures that have been used in the past for this condition for plantar and similar warts but are in no way recommended in this article.

Warts may be frozen with various commercial freezing probes or with liquid nitrogen sprayed on or applied with a cotton swab. Cryotherapy is often used for plantar warts and warts under the fingernails.

Physicians themselves have said in the past that they do not know how to get rid of genital warts, making it difficult to keep coming back to get genital warts removed. Costly surgical procedures often leave scars, are painful, and require a significant amount of healing time.

Salicylic acid is the chemical most often found in over the counter products. Another similar acting chemical is retinoic acid. Salicylic acid is commonly used to treat normal warts, and some believe that it would help their genital wart condition, but this is so, self treating with salicylic acid can cause severe damage, particularly if used on the genital area.

This article is provided for general reading and entertainment and is not medical advice. Consult your medical advisor, doctor or nurse about all aspects of any ailment and treatment.