Condyloma
Condyloma, commonly known as genital warts, comes from a virus (HPV) that can cause harmless warts in the genital area, or around the anus. The warts are usually lobed or round, slightly raised, pink or flesh colored.
The virus spreads through sex, probably even when there are no visible symptoms. From the time you become infected, it can take weeks, months or even years before symptoms show up – the appearance of small warts.
Men often get genital warts around the glans, the foreskin, the shaft of the penis, or at the opening of the urethra. Women can get warts on the labia, the vagina, urethra, mouth, or higher up – on the cervix. Both men and women can have genital warts around the anus, even without anal sex.
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Most people experience no physical inconvenience from their genital warts. The warts usually vanish by themselves over time. Despite of this, the burning sensation during intercourse or other problems is a reason to get rid of the warts through some kind of treatment. There are prescription creams that can be applied. Sometimes, the warts may be frozen, burned off or surgically removed. You can remove the condyloma, and perhaps reduce the risk of infection, but it is common that the infections relapses. All available treatments aim to remove the symptoms – the genital warts – not the virus itself.
Genital warts are one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, especially among younger people. The specific HPV virus that causes the most common genital warts are not the ones associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer.
