Genital Warts Removal Treatment in Hyderabad

Why do genital warts occur? What is inside a wart? Where do genital warts appear? Can girls get genital warts? How long do genital warts last? How long do anal warts last?

Unlike skin tags that happen mainly due to skin irritation, anal or genital warts happen due to HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infection. The time taken from the infection to the formation of warts varies significantly based on:

Incubation period, which is the time from the infection to the appearance of the first symptom, for HPV varies from 3 weeks to 8 months.
In some people there is an added latency period, where the person does not have any symptoms but has enough viral load to transmit it to his sexual partner
For almost 80% of infected people, the body's own immune response can clear the infection in 18 to 24 months 1. This also clears the genital warts. Some people might not want to wait for this long and might seek immediate treatment - especially if the warts are affecting their sex life and causing discomfort to the partner.

Structure of a genital or anal wart:

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The wart tissue is made of 2 important parts:

‍Epithelial cells: These are the regular skin cells of the outermost layer of the skin. But these cells are infected by the viral particles and they become abnormal and proliferate or increase in numbers causing the raised and typical look of genital or anal warts
Viral DNA & Protein: Inside the infected epithelial cells are viral DNA and viral proteins. The viral DNA produces specific proteins that helps the virus hijack the regular mechanisms of the epithelial cells

Genital warts can appear on penis, vulva, vagina, cervix, perineum (area between the anus & genitals), and anus and affect both men and women.

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How do I know if I have genital warts or anal warts? Are genital warts painful?

You can know whether you have genital warts just by looking at it. You can Google search for images.

These are small skin color and can appear as a cauliflower like bigger growth or small skin elevations
These usually appear in clusters and can spread and grow rapidly
These warts are painless, if accompanied with pain, then perhaps these are not genital warts or have got secondary infection

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How do I stop getting warts? How do you stop warts from spreading?

HPV Vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the infection. But this vaccine must be taken at a very young age of 11-12 years. This vaccine is recommended to be taken before the first sexual encounter, because after this, the likelihood of already having contracted HPV is very high. Since these vaccines are expensive and have little to no protective cover in the adult age group, it is not recommended
Practice safe sex by avoiding multiple sexual partners as far as possible. Use protection to prevent not just HPV but any other sexually transmitted diseases
Get tested for other STDs: In case you have warts it is wise to get tested for other STDs as a precautionary measure

The above are ways of not just preventing HPV but also stopping its spread.

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Can HPV be killed? What kills HPV fast? Is genital warts 100% curable? What kills warts permanently?

Similar to many viruses, there is no cure for HPV. The good news is that, just like most viruses, HPV virus is also controlled by the body's own immune response. Hence, vaccination is the only pharmacological way to prevent HPV.

Unfortunately our immune system, or even treatment to remove warts does not 100% clear the virus. The virus continues to live inside the epithelial cells and thus there are chances of relapse of genital warts.

Can I spread HPV to my family? Do I have HPV if my girlfriend / boyfriend has it? Should I worry if I have genital warts?

Yes, HPV can spread to your sexual partner or even other family members. HPV transmission happens when an HPV infected skin or mucous membrane is directly or indirectly in contact with others. This is called horizontal transmission. Example is sharing of personal items like towels, or through unclean hands.

In case you have visible warts, in order to protect your partner see the below point. To protect other family members:

Ensure you always clean your hands after touching the warts and the infected part
Do not share your personal items like towels or clothes with any of your family members

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What is the best method for prevention of HPV transmission? What are the precautions I need to take if I have genital warts or anal warts? Can you spread HPV after warts are removed?

Unlike some Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), HPV transmission can only be reduced but cannot be completely prevented.

If you have warts there are some measures you need to take to reduce the chances of transmission to your sexual partner:

Abstinence: This is the only proven method to significantly reduce the transmission, when visible warts are present. Unfortunately, while condoms provide limited protection they do not guarantee 100% protection. Hence, doctors recommend complete abstinence when the warts are visible, as visible warts have a very high concentration of the warts and can easily transmit the virus.
Talk openly to your partner: While this might be a difficult conversation, it would be helpful to explain to your partner why you would want to abstain until the warts are cleared off. Please note that genital warts do not only spread due to sexual transmission, but can be passed with any kind of direct or indirect skin contact such as sharing a towel.
Use of topical creams: Our doctor can prescribe topical creams like Imiquimod Cream which helps in local immunity boosting or Podophyllotoxin Cream that prevents cell division. These creams can help is clearing visible warts faster

Please note that while laser or surgical wart removal or topical creams help in removing visible warts it does not guarantee prevention of transmission.

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Is it OK to leave warts untreated? How can I take care of genital warts at home?

Genital or anal warts should not be left untreated, and you must consult a doctor for the condition:

Untreated warts can become larger - larger warts cannot be removed by laser and might need surgical excision
Can spread to other parts of the body if and untreated growing warts can spread more easily

Even if you do not want to go for laser wart removal like treatment options, there are prescription-only topical creams that our doctor can prescribe for controlling the infection. These topical creams can be applied at home.

Since genital warts are due to a viral infection, at Smart Surgeons we cannot solicit any natural or home remedies as these are not tested in clinical trials.

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How can I boost my immune system to fight warts? What vitamins fight warts?

One of the scientifically proven methods is the HPV vaccine that can help the body produce antibodies specific to the HPV virus. But in India this is not a commonly administered vaccine and due to the age limit for the efficacy of this vaccine, the number of vaccinated people is even less.

There are other ways that can help you boost your overall immunity that can help in clearing out the virus and improve your chances for getting rid of genital or anal warts. We will not get into these general immunity boosting measures like regular exercise and balanced diet, as there is plenty of content available on the topic.

There are no specific HPV exercises or diets, but an additional tip for HPV warts is to practice good hygiene in the affected area and practicing safe sex to avoid infection transmission.

What doctor is best for genital warts? Can a gynecologist remove genital warts? What type of Dr removes genital warts?

Genital warts can be treated by 3 types of doctors

General physician and dermatologists can help you in diagnosis and prescription of topical creams
Surgeons or dermat clinics with right equipment such as CO2 laser can help in laser wart removal
Surgeons, in addition to lasers, can also do surgical removal of larger warts. In fact with the right equipment, surgeons can provide the widest treatment range for warts removal
Gynecs can also remove warts, but they might not have the right equipment for doing the removal.

Smart Surgeons, with our equipment setup and qualified surgeons, offer the widest treatment options for genital warts treatment.

Are there any diagnostic tests for genital warts? Is there any blood test for genital warts?

For genital warts there is no need for specific diagnostic tests or blood tests. Physical examination by a doctor is enough for diagnosis. Since genital warts are related to HPV which can be sexually transmitted, our doctor may prescribe additional STD tests based on your medical history. The STD test is more of a preventive measure to be better informed of your health situation.

In addition to this, due to increased risk of cervical cancer in women exposed to HPV, our doctor may recommend regular cervical cancer screening for your overall health. While this is not for your warts, since warts clearly indicate HPV infection history, it is always a good suggestion to get regular screening.

What is the most successful treatment for genital warts? What is the fastest way to get rid of genital warts?

In principle genital or anal warts can be removed through topical creams and through physical removal of warts using laser or surgery. A combination of these can also be used, where a doctor prescribes topical creams in addition to laser removal.

At Smart Surgeons we provide the most advanced treatment for genital or anal warts due to availability of CO2 laser:

For small warts we use laser or RF for targeted destruction (burning off) of wart tissue with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue
For larger warts (cauliflower like growth) our surgeon can cut out the wart tissue using scalpel and cautery
In addition our doctor will prescribe topical creams to reduce recurrence rates and reduce transmission risk.

Laser and surgical removal are the fastest way to remove visible warts. It has to be noted that none of the available techniques in the world can completely remove the risk of HPV transmission even after visible warts are removed.

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Can I remove warts without surgery?

Genital warts can clear on its own over months with the body's own immune response. Most of our patients come for wart removal due to shame and cosmetic concerns.

If you are scared of laser or surgical wart removal, you can discuss with our surgeon on topical treatments or creams as first line treatment.

Our surgeon can guide you based on your medical history, like how long you have had the warts and size of the warts. You can choose from the options you have and make the choice accordingly.

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What is laser genital warts removal? Is laser wart removal safe?

Laser wart removal is when a high intensity laser like CO2 laser is used to destroy wart tissue. Since lasers are very precise, they cause the least harm to surrounding tissues and have excellent healing and recovery time versus other modalities like cryotherapy. Lasers are most suitable for delicate areas like the face and genitals due to their precision.

Laser removal when used by trained doctors can be effective in removing visible warts and a safe modality of treatment.

How do I reduce risk of scarring after genital warts removal? What precautions should you take after genital warts removal?

Below are the after care tips for laser wart removal

Abstain from sexual activity to allow for healing and avoid risk of infection for 2-3 weeks
Take prescribed medicines by the doctor as advised
Keep the area clean by washing it with a mild soap solution
Apply cold compress in the treated area to promote healing and reduce swelling
After laser wart removal, you can apply fragrance free moisturizer to the treated area. This keeps down itching and keeping the skin hydrated
Resist the temptation to pick at scabs or scratch the treated area, as this can prolong the healing process and increase the risk of infection or scarring. Let the scabs or crusts fall off naturally

Below are the after care tips for surgical wart removal:

Abstain from sexual activity to allow for healing and avoid risk of infection for 2-3 weeks
Protect the treated area by wearing soft and clean underwear. Change the underwear if needed to keep the area moisture free
Keep the area clean by washing it with a mild soap solution
Avoid scratching and picking in the area to avoid secondary infection

If there is redness and swelling, you should immediately report to Smart Surgeons so that we can guide you immediately.

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Is there a risk of scarring after laser genital warts removal?

Laser warts removal goes through the typical healing process of initial scabbing, where dead tissue forms a scab. This scab naturally falls off after 1-2 weeks and overall healing can take 3-4 weeks.

The risk of scarring depends on the size of the wart, larger warts can lead to scarring while the smaller ones heal without scars. Hence, it is important to contact a doctor or Smart Surgeons even if your warts are small. Smaller warts tend to heal without scarring.

The risk of scarring can be reduced by post operative self care explained in our aftercare section.

Will a wart grow back if cut off? What is the recurrence risk of genital warts?

Genital warts have inherent recurrence risk and can be as high as 40% 2, 3. The reason for this recurrence is because the HPV infection is still present in the epidermal cells even after the wart is removed. These warts can recur after 70 months (median time for recurrence) 4.

To reduce the recurrence risk, our doctor may prescribe topical creams, but no doctor can guarantee no recurrence risk.

You can follow the tips from our self care section to reduce the recurrence risk.

Can I remove genital warts myself? Is it OK to pop a wart?

No, it is not recommended to remove genital warts yourself. Genital warts are a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and they require medical treatment to ensure proper removal and prevention of complications.

Removing warts by yourself also increases risk of secondary infections by bacteria and fungus and complicates the condition further.

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Does garlic remove warts? Can lemon remove warts? Can toothpaste remove warts? Does turmeric remove warts? How can I cure my genital warts naturally?

While there are some small studies on some home remedies like garlic extract, tea tree oil, etc. these are not part of any treatment guidelines. If the evidence was compelling, bodies like UDFDA or WHO would have included them in their guidelines. It is because of the scattered evidence and lack of guideline inclusion that doctors at Smart Surgeons will not recommend these home remedies.

Another issue with these home remedies is the risk of harming other surrounding tissues which might complicate the treatment. There are many popular websites that talk about some natural remedies, but you need to remember that for these websites getting traffic to their site is the primary goal and not to take responsibility for your treatment. If you look closely, you will see that most actual healthcare providers refrain from publishing this kind of content as they are directly responsible and accountable for patient care and well being.

As for home remedies, we would recommend going through our selfcare section which outlines safer tips which are recommended by doctors.

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