Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus, which is somewhat similar but quite different from the virus that causes common warts on the skin. Warts are contagious and can be transmitted to and by both men and women during sexual contact. If sexual partners engage in oral sex, warts can grow in the mouth and the throat.
Knowing the various stages of the disease, especially the beginning stages, is important in getting the necessary treatments for the condition. Sometimes, people who have grown warts in the genital area do not know that they already need medication simply because they were not aware of the signs and that they already are infected. Genital warts at their earlier stage are treated faster and more easily.
Between two and nine months after being infected, genital warts only show signs of redness. The infected area may feel sore and itchy. It is best to consult your doctor immediately once you feel irritation in your genitals as this may be a sign that you already have warts.
The next stage of the growth is the formation of red, gray, or flesh-colored bumps that appear flat or slightly raised. They usually emerge around the vaginal or anal areas. During this stage, it is not uncommon for bumps to grow in the throat and the mouth as well.
Eventually, the warts will continue to grow bigger and in groups within or around a given area. They will be identified as full-grown warts if they take the form and roughness as that of a cauliflower. If untreated, it can affect normal cells surrounding them, which may lead to various cancers. This does not happen all the time but some cases of anal, cervical, vaginal, and even penal cancers were caused by warts.
Most of the time, however, the warts die and fall off by themselves after a period of time. There are many exceptions to this, however, and anyone who has detected possible signs of warts in the genital area in the earlier stages should seek treatment immediately. Doctors can easily remove warts during the first or second stages. There is a wide array of treatments designed for various genital warts stagesbut the problem is better addressed early on.
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