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Archive for October, 2009

What Are Genital Warts: An Overview

In today’s society where many people are what is termed “sexually active”, meaning they have multiple partners over a period of time where unprotected sex is practiced. The risks of both catching and infecting others is greatly increased as genital warts (HPV) is one of the most virulent STD’s encountered today.
There is a lot of information that goes into understanding what are genital warts. An overview of what are genital warts provides the simple explanation that they are flesh-colored or gray growths that both men and women can get in the genital and anal region. Genital warts are also the most common sexually transmitted disease caused by the transmission of a virus. Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus or HPV.
The transmission and infection of genital warts is not obvious to the partners.
Both men and women can get genital warts at any age. Those between the ages of seventeen and thirty-three are the most common patients with genital warts. Carriers are highly contagious and there is a sixty percent risk of getting genital warts with just one sexual contact with someone who has been infected. In children genital warts can occur through nonsexual modes such as direct manual contact. However, the presence of genital warts in children is always cause for suspicion of sexual abuse.
What Are Genital Warts Caused By
Genital warts are caused a virus called the human papilloma virus or HPV. There are over a hundred different types of this virus have been identified. It has been established that over forty of these viruses can infect the genital area. Although ninety percent of genital warts are caused by two types of the HPV virus, number six and eleven. Both of these types are considered low risk, meaning they don’t have a high cancer causing potential. Then there is HPV 16 which is responsible for fifty percent of the cervical cancer cases and types 16, 18, 31 and 45 have accounted for eighty percent of other cancers.
More specifically when considering what are genital warts caused by, they result when the viral particles are able to penetrate the skin or mucosal surfaces through any microscopic abrasions in the genital area, which can occur during sexual activity. After the HPV virus invades cells there is a latency period, hwere the virus lays dormant for a period of several months to years. Although most of the time two-thirds of people who had sexual contact with a partner with genital warts developed the warts themselves within three months.
Another aspect of what are genital warts caused by that many are not aware of is the fact that genital warts are associated with the use of birth control pills due to increased sexual contact without barrier protection, multiple sex partners and having sex when an individual is too young.
Is this the scourge of modern societies promiscuity , it leaves unmistakable signs, is very uncomfortable, highly embarrassing and above all is highly contagious. One has to ask oneself is all the possible pain, inconvenience and suffering, worth the momentary pleasures of unprotected sex.

Why Sexual Intercourse is the Number One Method of Causing Genital Warts

Sexual Intercourse is the number one method through which HPV strains which cause genital warts are passed on. Having sexual intercourse with a partner who is already infected with the HPV genital wart strain will give you a 66% chance, or two-thirds of a chance, of getting genital warts yourself. Sexual intercourse in this case implies not only vaginal sex, but also oral sex, and anal sex.

There are ways by which you can prevent or avoid getting genital warts, but if your sexual partner has it, then there’s a likelihood that you will also get it. And since it might take a few months even a few years for genital warts to manifest itself in a person who has been infected, even a person who is reasonably certain that they don’t have genital warts might indeed have the HPV infection present within them.

There’s also the chance that if you indulge in oral sex with an infected partner, that you can get genital warts HPV strain in your throat. (Laryngeal papiolloma) Although using a condom or spermicides will not give you a 100% success rate of preventing or avoiding genital warts, not using either one is just asking for disaster to befall you. If you have sex with a partner who has genital warts, you have a two thirds chance of getting it yourself. By using a condom however, you can significantly cut down on that risk.

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How To Recognize Genital Wart Signs

Genital warts symptoms usually refers to various symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Genital warts signs may refer to those signs only noticeable by a doctor. One thing is certainly true; if you ignore early genital warts signs you could be doing an injustice to yourself and your partner. Some signs of genital warts actually manifest themselves in a peculiar way and you may not recognize them in time, but if there are early genital warts signs these should not go unheeded.
If you have HPV after that there’s a great chance that you could go on to display genital wart signs. Whilst it’s true that a few people won’t display genital wart signs and symptoms, most people will.
There’s also a chance that genital wart signs will only manifest itself in hard to see places such as the vagina or the cervix. This means that even if a person is in distress from genital HPV they might not know it.
And for the better part people will use over the counter medications to cure themselves using self diagnosis and thinking their genital warts to be something else completely. As you may guess this isn’t a good idea.
What becomes worse is if you believe yourself to have genital wart symptoms and still try to cure yourself using some of the countless over the counter cures which are used for other types of wart problems. These are much too strong to utilize in the treatment of genital wart problems.
In many instances you will cause yourself greater harm than good in trying to treat yourself without first getting a professional medical diagnosis. There’s also the risk factor that genital wart problems such as scarring resulting from the warts themselves or from the treatment.
Scarring isn’t a hundred percent guarantee if you get genital wart signs, but you must be aware of the probability of it. Another consideration which you will encounter if you have genital wart signs is that of recurrence.
Since the HPV viral infection which makes the appearance of genital warts isn’t in itself curable, genital warts once removed, can re-appear. This is in part attributable to the fact that the HPV virus itself doesn’t quit your body until your immune system fights it off.
There is currently no medication to help your immune system do this, so unless you live a very healthy lifestyle, and sometimes not even if you do, it can take up two or more years for that particular strain of the virus to be eradicated from your body.
This also means that if you contract another, diverse strain of the HPV infection that you may display genital wart signs all over again.
Owing to this reason the fact that you can get to be infected with an entirely new strain of HPV altogether it becomes difficult to say whether you have a new infection or whether your body is still fighting off an old infection.
This is also a fine reason to have a healthy change in lifestyle, one which is conducive to maintaining optimum health and one where your natural immune system can fight off genital wart invaders without too much of a issue. Be sure to seek medical advice if you show any genital wart signs.

Remove Plantar Wart

remove plantar wart
how long does it take to remove plantar warts?

I have had this one plantar wart on my foot for 5 months. I have been treating it everyday with Dr. Scholl’s stuff and it seems to not get any bigger but it also never seems to go away. I try to dig out the wart, but it hurts like hell when i do that and it just never seems to go away. Is there another way to treat this and if there is how long will it take?

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Genital Warts Cure – A Few Things to Consider While Researching Home Genital Warts Removal Methods

Do you want to get rid of genital warts and unsure how to or where to go for help? Well you’re not alone. When it comes to genital warts removal, many people lean towards removing the warts on their own and in the comfort of their own home. Contracting genital warts may be embarrassing to you. So looking to seek advisement of a physician is not the first thing you may think of. That’s understandable.
While you want to get rid of genital warts on your own, you should definitely see your doctor for correct diagnosis and review your options. However, you may find that many of the methods the doctors use may be the same in theory. Plus some treatments may be expensive (especially if you do not have health insurance). Therefore, if you ultimately take the option to get rid of genital warts at home then you should look for certain things to help you find the best at home method. There are many at home methods to choose from.
You will have a couple of options if you’re considering doing your own at home genital wart removal treatment methods. Some of these options may be considered old fashioned. However, you should consider the fact that these “old school” methods are time tested and lasted through the generations. So they should provide results. So they may be worth researching.
When you start researching for a home wart removal method you should try the internet first. You should be able to find many web sites that focus on home remedies for genital warts. While your researching you may find that you have everything you need to get started removing your warts.
While there may be a large number of home remedies for genital wart removal, you may feel uncomfortable trying them. This may be due to lack of trust for the home remedy or you may think it may be a waste of time to try a home remedy. So your other option is to try over the counter wart removal products. These products can be found at any drug store or grocery store and most of them are less than twenty five dollars.
Over the counter wart removal products are safe to use only if you follow the directions carefully. While these products have to satisfy many requirements in order to be allowed to be sold to the consumer, you should be cautious using them. Most of these over the counter methods include burning or freezing the wart off. If you have genital warts, it may not be a desirable option for you. You see, most home remedies are not evasive on the skin.
As you can see, choosing the right home remedy for removing your genital warts can be done by yourself with some help from your physician. Many methods take a long time to be effective on the wart, while some may not be too comfortable for you to use. Therefore, you may want to consider trying a home remedy for removing genital warts first before trying an over the counter method. Whether you choose a home remedy or an over the counter wart removal method, reading and following the directions are key for success and safe genital wart removal.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. The information in this article is not a substitute for specific medical advice. It is recommended you seek a physician for medical advisement.

Genital Wart Remover – Does It Really Work?

Have you been searching for a magical genital wart remover? A diagnosis of genital warts means that you have to seek treatment immediately. Genital warts are an extremely common condition nowadays. The virus which causes these warts is sexually transmitted. The dangerous part s that the infection stays latent for up to three months. This means there are high chances that you might not even know that you are transmitting or contracting the virus.
If you or your partner has been diagnosed with genital warts, it is imperative to get advice from a qualified medical practitioner. You must not use over the counter remedies and genital wart remover creams that are advertised on the internet. You don’t really know what these sort of preparations contain. If you have itching or irritation of your genital skin due to the warts, these surreptitious preparations are bound to make things worse. If you use such a genital wart remover without any idea about what it is, you might actually end up having a secondary infection due to the inflammation these things cause.
Don’t try and search for a wonder remedy genital wart remover. You must understand that the infection is caused by one of many strains of the Human Papilloma Virus. The virus usually infects the topmost layers of the genital skin. it is a tough job eliminating the virus from here. The virus proceeds to stimulate the cells of the area to grow abnormally. This is what leads to a wart forming in the genital area. The problem when treating genital warts is that the virus may never be completely eliminated. There are chances that the infection can recur and that you may have warts again.
Now that you know why you should not use a fake genital wart remover, there are some preparations you can use. These are available on prescription by your doctor and you must use them only under medical supervision. Most genital wart remover medication that is available nowadays aims at removing the warts. New creams are also available which boost the local immunity and help fight the virus. The preparation you are prescribed depends on many factors. You might not be allowed to use these if you are pregnant or nursing a baby. You might also need another line of treatment if you have warts repeatedly or if the warts are too large to remove with creams alone.
You can choose from genital wart remover medication like condylox, aldara and podofin. Most of these creams have side effects like burning in the area where they are applied. You doctor can do a better job of applying these creams, so that the skin surrounding the warts are not irritated. After the first few applications, you may be allowed to do it yourself. Along with the application of creams you should also take precautions. You might have to abstain from sex during the period of treatment. This is because most creams make latex diaphragms and condoms weak. You must also take care never to remove genital warts on your own. if you try to pinch or pull out the warts, you are more likely to make the infection spread.