Vaginal Warts

What are vaginal warts? Vaginal warts are a type of wart which is triggered by the Human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts in general are caused by the Human papillomavirus. A lot of people get worried and annoyed when they find out that a wart is starting to grow on a part of their body. Not only does it make them feel conscious, but it can also make disrupt their everyday routines. Warts are benign skin tumors which are usually described as hard, bumpy thickening of the skin with a rough, uneven surface and small black dots on top of it.

Sadly, the Human papillomavirus is a prolific type of DNA virus with over 50 types and 130 different strains. Each strain and type produces a unique kind of wart affecting different parts of the body depending on their level of action. Genital warts can be compared to warts that are commonly found on exposed areas of the body like palms, feet and knees. They may also feel hard and bumpy just like the common types. However, it is caused by a different strain of the human papillovirus. Vaginal and genital warts are usually caused by HPV 6 and 11 which account for almost 90% of all cases of genital warts while a few portion of the statistics represent HPV 16 and 18 which is more serious compared to the former. Another term for vaginal warts is venereal warts.

How can these vaginal warts be detected?  The Papanicolau’s smear or more commonly called as Pap smear is a simple procedure which enables the early detection of genital warts. However, there are some cases wherein the warts affect only the inner area of the vagina. A sterile applicator is swabbed into the vagina and is smeared into a plate for microscopic examination.

Symptoms of vaginal warts include the presence of bumpy, hard lesions on the outer portion of the vagina. Skin characteristic may vary from rounded to scaly, depending on the virus strain affecting it. This is the most common symptom that carriers notice. Another would be an increased frequency of yeast and fungi infections. Because warts can affect the vagina’s protection against yeast and other fungi, recurrence of yeast and fungal infection is very possible.

Vaginal warts are considered as an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) because they are often spread and passed on via sexual contact. The most common people who get venereal warts are those who are sexually active and with multiple sexual partners. Since this type of wart is very contagious, they can also be transmitted through direct contact. To prevent acquiring venereal warts, avoid direct contact with vaginal secretions, always wear protective devices such as condoms when engaging into sexual contact (although wearing condoms is not an assurance of protection), and avoid multiple sexual partners.