Genital warts are considered to be the most common form of STD (sexually transmitted disease) and are caused by the virus called human papilloma virus (HPV).  Genital warts can be transmitted during sexual activity and by skin-to-skin contact with an individual who has the virus.

When the warts appear after infection, they can either be internal or external. In women they tend to be located in the vulva, the vagina, the anus and the cervix, whereas in men they can be found on the penis, the urethra and scrotum, as well as inside or on the anus.

It usually takes from between two weeks right up to several months for warts to appear after infection, and most individuals affected will not have any symptoms at all. People that do develop the warts may notice tiny, flesh-like growths which may appear anywhere in the anal or genital area. These are normally painless, but sometimes they can start itching.

Genital Warts

If an individual suspects that they may have genital warts, a medical appointment would have to be made, where the doctor would carry out a physical examination of the entire genital region, the anus included. The virus can never be eliminated from the body once infected, so outbreaks can occur spontaneously. Treatment for the visible warts though, include special liquids or cream put onto the wart, cryotherapy (freezing the warts off) or heat treatment to burn them off, removal by surgery or a less common method is to inject them with a certain drug.