Warts, genital
Most people who have an HPV infection will not develop any visible warts. If genital warts do appear, it can be several weeks, months or even years after you first came into contact with the virus.
The warts may appear as small, fleshy growths, bumps or skin changes anywhere on the genitals or around the anus. In some cases, the warts are so smallthey aredifficult to notice.
A person can have a single wart or clusters of multiple warts that grow together to form a kind of "cauliflower" appearance.
The most common places for genital warts to develop in women are:
The most common places for genital warts to develop in men are:
Warts are usually painless, although on some people they can become itchy and inflamed. If a wart becomes inflamed, it may lead to bleeding from the urethra, vagina or anus.
The urethra is the tube connected to the bladder, which urine passes through.Warts that develop near or inside the urethra can also disrupt the normal flow of urine.
Seetreatment of genital warts for more information.
You should always seek medical advice if you suspect you have genital warts, or a recent or current sexual partner develops genital warts.
Even if no warts have developed, you can be given advice on how to check yourself and what to do if they appear.
Treatments are only available with a prescription and may need to be applied by a nurse or doctor. It is also important to get a proper diagnosis in case the growth is not a genital wart.
If you do need a prescription treatment for warts, these are free from sexual health and genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics.
Find sexual health services near you, including sexual health and GUM clinics.
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It is recommended you avoid having sex until your genital warts are fully healed.
Genital warts are small fleshy growths, bumps or skin changes that appear on or around the genital or anal area.
Genital warts usually appear within two to three months of developing an HPV infection, although incubation periods of up to a year have been reported.
Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). The most common way HPV is passed from person to person is through sexual intercourse.
If you think that you may have genital warts, visit your local sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic.
Treatment for genital warts depends on the type of warts you have and where they are located. You do not need treatment if there are no visible warts.
Using condoms (male or female) every time you have vaginal or anal sex is the most effective way to avoid getting genital warts, other than being celibate.