Genital warts are one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STD)’s in the United States at this time. The cause of genital warts is the human papilloma virus (HPV). Both men and women may be infected with the human papilloma virus and not be aware of their infection. This is due to the fact that in most cases there are no genital wart symptoms. The warts can be so small; the only way to see them is through an examination by a health care provider. It is hard to pin point the time that a person was infected. hpv can lie dormant in the skin cells for months, or up to five years, before they surface.

When a person is unaware of the wart virus, because of the lack of genital wart symptoms, everyone that they are sexually active with will become infected with hpv as well. Having multiple sexual partners in today’s world is taking a very big risk with your personal health. When becoming sexually active with a new partner not only are you at risk for being infected with the wart virus with them, but you are exposing yourself to every sexual partner that they have been with for the last five years.

If couples would go together to a health care provider and be tested for STD’s before ever becoming sexually active they could eliminate the stress and fear of becoming infected with the wart virus. Remember a person can be infected even if in their mind they are sure they are not. This is the scary part because when a person has not experienced any genital wart symptoms, it is hard to convince them they need to be tested. Women need to have a Pap smear at least once a year the health care provider can tell if she has genital wart symptoms. If genital wart are left undetected for a long period of time cancer may occur. Men not being aware of the genital wart symptoms, and leaving the condition untreated for a prolonged period of time is at risk of cancer also.

At this time there are 20 million people infected with STD’s in the United States alone. There are one million new cases per year, with another estimated one million that are unaware that they are infected, because they haven’t any genital wart symptoms. Call a health care provider as soon as possible to be tested. This will alleviate the fear of being one of the estimated new STD’s cases that experienced no genital wart symptoms. Although no cure exists for genital warts, there is a verity of treatments available to help eliminate genital wart symptoms.

Penetration does not have to take place for a person to be infected with genital warts.

Infected skin cells from a partner that has no genital wart symptoms, can attach themselves to the genital area of a partner that is not infected with genital warts therefore infecting them also. Sex toys, and being touched by hands, that have touched the wart virus will infect partners as well. Never share bath towels nor lines with anyone the infected skin cells may have attached themselves to these articles also. Remember a partner will not always have genital wart symptoms so therefore everyone needs to be cautious.

Young adults, and teens are at the greatest risk for being infected with HPV.

Because they have multiple partners, and do not always use a protection. In most genital wart cases there aren’t any genital wart symptoms. A condom, or dental dam, is recommended for protection these devices are not 100% guaranteed, but they offer some protection. Infected genital areas may not be completely covered with these methods used for protection, and infected skin cells in body-to-body contact may cause genital warts also.

In men genital wart symptoms can infect the urethra, penis, scrotum, and rectal area. Warts may appear as soft, raised masses with a surface that can be smooth on the (penile shaft), or rough with many finger like projections (anal warts). Other genital wart symptoms may appear pearly, and cauliflower shaped, some are rough with a darker surface. While some lesions are raised, others will appear flat with a slight elevation above the skin. Genital wart symptoms can appear as lesions that can be hidden by hair, or in the inter aspect of the uncircumcised foreskin of the males.

Women’s genital wart symptoms will have a similar appearance, and occur in the moist areas of the labia minora and vaginal opening. Lesions that appear on the outer genital area will require an extensive examination of the vaginal canal, cervix, and the anorectal area. When warts occur in the vaginal area, they are usually without genital wart symptoms. It is rare but women may experience these genital wart symptoms bleeding after sexual intercourse, itching or vaginal discharge.