Frequently Asked Questions About Genital Warts

Welcome, friend!

We have created this page to answer ten of the most frequently asked questions about genital warts and the HPV virus.

Anyway, let’s get started. Below are the top ten most commonly asked questions we have received from readers just like you.

To begin, click on a question below!

Most Common Questions about Genital Warts:

1. What is genital warts?
2. How did I get genital warts?
3. Is the Human Papillomavirus what causes genital warts?
4. Can genital warts be permanently cured?
5. Can I spread HPV to my children accidentally?
6. What is Wartrol?
7. Are genital warts and genital herpes the same thing?
8. Will my genital warts go away on their own?
9. Does my doctor know what he’s talking about?
10. What do genital warts look like?

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to scroll through the Q & A below, one by one, or you can just click on a question above to jump straight to the answer.

What is genital warts?

Answer: Genital warts is a nastly little sexually transmitted disease that is caused by a number of sexual interactions with an infected partner. Genital warts is the most commonly spread STD and a shocking percentage of sexually active people are already infected by it. The virus responsible for your outbreaks is called the Human Papillomavirus or HPV. There are many strains of the HPV virus and some are more difficult than others to treat. In fact, in rare cases, a new HPV strain can develop an immunity to treatment and other methods of removal will have to be considered. You should know that this is extremely rare but it still exists. You can visit your doctor and schedule an appointment to have a bloodwork test that will be analyzed to see if you are infected by one of these rare strains.

How did I get genital warts?

Answer: Well, you could have gotten genital warts in any of about 5 different ways but most likely you contracted them by coming in contact with an infected individual’s genital region (including the anus). Any skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual can result in accidental transfer of the virus. You should also know that you can contract genital warts from a person even when they are not on an outbreak or look perfectly healthy. Occasionally, genital warts can remain dormant in a carrier’s body for up to six months before showing any signs of symptoms. In a sexually active individual, six months can mean fairly widespread exposure and you may have accidentally infected someone else without even knowing you have the virus in the first place.

Is the Human Papillomavirus what causes genital warts?

Answer: Yes, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is what causes genital warts in humans. It should not be confused with the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) that is known for causing genital herpes.

Related Pages: 5 Shocking Facts about STDs

Can genital warts be permanently cured?

Answer: No. At the time of writing this page, nobody has found a cure for genital warts just yet and the disease remains incurable. Currently, only treatments exist that can hide the symptoms of genital warts and provide semi-permanent relief from the virus. Fortunately, there’s millions of dollars in research being done every single year and with technology and medicine advancing at an extreme rate of speed, you never know when a scientist might discover a cure for genital warts! I hope to live to see the day when genital warts is fully eradicated and we don’t have to worry about this stupid virus ever again. If you sign up for our mailing list, you can bet that you’ll be of the first people to know if someone discovers a miracle cure. We follow the medical industry news very closely.

Can I spread HPV to my children accidentally?

Answer: Yes. You can accidentally spread the virus to anyone you come in contact with. It’s a scary thought but it’s the truth. This is why it’s so important to wash your hands frequently and avoid touching or scratching your genitals throughout the day. If you do happen to touch your genitals (even if you’re not currently experiencing an outbreak), it’s absolutely a MUST that you wash your hands with soap immediately. The last thing you want to do is have to live with the fact that your children will have to grow up with a STD and not even know they have it. By practicing proper hygiene, you can avoid the entire situation and forget about ever having to sit them down for an awkward conversation when they’re older about how you accidentally gave them your genital warts. Yikes!

What is Wartrol?

Answer: Wartrol is a popular homeopathic treatment for genital warts and the HPV virus. Wartrol is one of many products that utilize the powers of concentrated homeopathic therapy to dull and suppress the symptoms of genital warts. Treatments like Wartrol usually cost much less than prescription medications (which typically cost thousands) and can be purchased safely and securely over the internet with your privacy guaranteed. The company that sells the product has been in business for nearly a decade now and complaints are few and far between. From what we’ve gathered in the past few years, Wartrol seems to be the #1 choice for people buying non-prescription genital warts treatments. Treatment options start as low as $30/month when you buy six months at a time and cost about $50/month when you buy one bottle at a time. We invite you to check out some of our published Wartrol reviews in the reviews section of our website.

Are genital warts and genital herpes the same thing?

Answer: Not at all. This is a fairly common mistake that most people don’t know the correct answer unless they are infected with either virus and have seen their doctor for a consultation and have discussed the virus. Genital warts is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and genital herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). They are two completely different viruses that happen to affect the same regions of the body.

Related Pages: Genital Warts vs. Genital Herpes

Genital herpes are known to come and go as they please, and unfortunately for us, genital warts do not share the same trait. HSV infections are far more common than HPV and believe it or not, the majority of sexually active adults have already been exposed to the HSV virus at some point in their life. It is important to note that there are two types of herpes. The first type of herpes is harmless and is mostly just embarrassing. This type of herpes is commonly found around the sides of the mouth on the lips. It resembles an infected pimple except it doesn’t contain any puss. The second kind of herpes is whats responsible for genital herpes and that can be found in/around the same regions where you would find genial warts. This includes the shaft of the penis, the vagina, and the anus.

Genital herpes do not look like warts. They are flat and just look like patches of an infection or severe razor burn. Both simplexes of Herpes are commonly treated with medications like Valtrex (Valacyclovir) or naturally with organic treatments like Herpeset.

Will my genital warts go away on their own?

Answer: No. That’s the unfortunate thing about genital warts. Unless you take action, those little buggers will sit on your genitals for the rest of your life. There are several commonly accepted methods for removing genital wart clusters. One popular method is getting the warts surgically removed by a doctor. The downside of this method is that the procedure is very expensive and some people have reported feeling extreme pain during the surgery (comparable to a dentist drilling deep into a cavity… except on your genitals). Another method of removal is called cryotherapy which requires a doctor or nurse to use freezing cold liquid nitrogen to burn the wart clusters off of your genitals until they are dead enough to fall off (usually a couple days later). While many people say they’re not bothered by this type of operation, a decent amount of people have also said it is extremely painful and would not do it again.

Does my doctor know what he’s talking about?

Answer: Yes. It is always important to listen to your doctor. Only in rare occasions will a certified medical professional steer you in the wrong direction when it comes to something like finding a genital warts treatment. When a doctor tells you something about your condition, you should always believe him/her.

Remember: Anyone can make guesses about your condition over the internet but without physically examining your body, it is impossible to tell with certainty if you have a condition. Doctors hate it when patients self-diagnose themselves because it gives the patient a false sense of knowledge (and then if it ends up being something else, the patient will be skeptical of the doctor’s diagnosis). If you think you may have a medical condition or problem, it is absolutely important for you to speak with a physician who can give you real advice.

We at MyGW will never claim to know more than your doctor and we will never suggest you substitute a trained physician’s advice for something you see or hear on the internet. You should read all packaging and instruction that comes with any treatment you purchase over the internet carefully before proceeding with your treatment. Take note of any negative side effects you may experience while using the treatment and discuss them with your doctor for more information at your earliest convenience.

What do genital warts look like?

Answer: Genital warts have a distinct look to them and that is part of the reason why having an outbreak is so embarrassing. The warts grow alongside the shaft of your penis, or the edges of your vagina or anus. They protrude from your skin just like regular warts and can grow up to a half an inch tall. Living with genital warts can be one of the most uncomfortable things to do, especially if your warts are near your anus. They tend to group together in clusters of 4-6 individual warts and they resemble cauliflower (the white vegetable).

Related Pages: Genital Warts Pictures (NSFW)

The warts themselves can vary in color from white to grey, to pink or to just about any shade of red. The color of the warts can change depending on certain environmental factors like temperature. If you pick at your warts or they rub up against tight underwear for an extended period of time, the warts will probably be a dark red or almost purple. Warts that have been exposed for a long period of time tend to lose their color and fade to a light pink or white color and look almost like an oxidized battery lead. Genital warts can bleed very easily so picking at them is not recommended. When you scratch a wart cluster to the point of bleeding, you run the risk of having permanent scar damage that can be embarrassing. At the very least it will be a constant reminder of your infection for the rest of your life – We wouldn’t want that, right?

That’s it for now! Did that find the answer to your question?

We first started collecting questions from users to answer on this page back in 2010 and we’re pretty happy with what it has turned into today. By the end of 2012, we hope to have created the most valuable and authoritative genital warts resource database on the internet for learning about the disease and educating yourself about the human papillomavirus.

Does this FAQ ever get updated?

Yes, of course! This FAQ page is constantly updated (at least once a month) and we edit and revise it as needed. If you have an idea for a question that could be featured in our next FAQ update, please post it in a comment or email it to an administrator and we will be happy to help you out.

Page last updated: May 4, 2011

Future Plans & Ideas

We have plans to make more FAQ pages in the future but we need your help in populating them with questions! If you have a question about anything you’ve heard online or from a friend regarding HPV and genital warts, please send it to us in an email or comment using the form below.

Your feedback is important to us and we strive to answer everyone’s questions in a timely fashion. We realize that our website has been pretty confusing over the last few months. We’re desperately trying to make it better for our viewers like you.

So once again, thank you for your patience as we get everything organized! We really appreciate your support and we love you feedback. It’s people like you who make managing a community like this enjoyable.

Best Regards,
David C., Genital Warts Specialist & Contributor

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