Genital Wart Removers Over The Counter Not The Best Option

Most health care professionals strongly disapprove of sufferers of genital warts doing self-treatment and making use of over-the-counter medication. The reason for this is that the genital area has the most sensitive skin on the entire body and when a person uses medication on this area incorrectly, skin damage can be the result. Yet, many thousands of people use these over-the-counter medications with success; therefore, it is not the medication itself that is being objected to, but the irresponsible use thereof.

The most used over-the-counter topical treatment for genital warts are products containing salicylic acid the most common brand names in this range are Dr Scholl’s Wart Remover, Wart-Off, compound W and Freezone.

Before any person embarks on any form of home treatment for genital warts it is imperative that he or she consults with their doctor as any kind of treatment of the genital area should be undertaken with great care. People with a known sensitivity to salicylic acid, or have diabetes or is HIV positive should not use these products. Any products containing salicylic acid should be avoided by any pregnant female as well. If at any time during home treatment of genital warts, redness or irritation happens you should immediately contact your doctor.

There is another form of treatment for genital warts available. On the market there is an over-the-counter remedy that does not destroy skin as salicylic acid products do. But the topical cream interacts with the skin and thereby prompts the body’s immune system to start attacking the virus. Feedback from patients who have used this cream says that about half of the patients experienced total removal of warts that were treated and the other half reports that all treated warts shrunk quite dramatically.

The manufacturers of this new generation topical creams claim that the body uses its own immune system to attack the genital warts and control the outbreaks and have the potential to totally cure these warts. The manufacturers thereby claim that they can save sufferers of genital warts the trauma of having to discuss this highly embarrassing condition with doctors, thereby adding to the quality of life of sufferers.

It must be remembered though that all health care practitioners advise against the use of any over-the-counter medication and self-treatment of genital warts. Before you decide on any over-the-counter treatment that it is best to first discuss any form of treatment with your doctor as you do not want to make an already serious problem worse by damaging your skin.

If you have any doubts and questions about genital warts you can contact the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [NIAID]. They are part of the National Institute of Health and will advise you on prevention, diagnoses and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

Are Genital Warts An Indication Of Child Abuse?

It is a very good course of action for adults who have noted genital warts in a child to contact the social services. Over the years, pediatricians have believed that genital warts are an indication that child abuse has taken place. More recently, these professionals base their decision on more than the occurrence of genital warts in children. There is a very good reason for this and it comes from highly experienced professionals in the field of child abuse.

One such highly specialized professional is Dr Sara Sinal. She is a pediatrician working at the Brenner Children’s Hospital. Cases that involve the abuse of children are her specialty. She noticed that the virus that is the root cause of genital warts is also found in children who suffer from laryngeal warts. These are warts that occur in the throat and mouth. For this reason these children are placed under the care of an ENT (ear nose and throat specialist). Even though these children carried the HPV (virus that causes genital warts) these children were not victims of sexual abuse.

It is true that the virus is exactly the same as the one that causes genital warts but it is in a different area of the body. Because the warts are not in the genital area it is not assumed that they are linked to abuse. Dr Sara Sinal and her colleagues examined just how the diagnosis of child abuse and genital warts was made. Dr Sinal is of the opinion that children who have not been abused can have genital warts. This can happen without sexual contact having happened. She recommends that Social Services should only be contacted if there are also other implications of abuse in children. She has stated that it is devastating for a family and the child to have to deal with a report that is not true. Dr Sinal and her team advise that each and every child must be very carefully examined to completely rule out sexual abuse.

There are children who have genital warts who have never been abused and there are those without genital warts who are indeed victims of abuse. HPV can make warts appear in the mucous membranes. These can be found in the respiratory organs, mouth, genitals and anus. Genital warts are undoubtedly the most rampant of all the venereal diseases in the United States. If an expectant mother is infected with HPV the chances are very great that it will pass from her to the unborn child.

Whether genital warts are evident in adults or children it is vital to get to a medical practitioner as soon as you can. It is best to start treatment right away so the warts do not spread over a larger area. This makes it harder to get rid of. The only one who can decide whether or not a child may have genital warts due to child abuse is a trained medical practitioner.

Genital Warts – Males Find It Harder To Diagnose

Firstly, what must be understood is that genital warts in males are not the actual disease, but the physical manifestation of the HPV virus. Getting the warts in the genital area means you have been infected by the HPV virus. The genital warts can vary hugely in form and appearance; they can appear as smooth, pebbly lumps or rough, fingerlike protrusions and they can appear on the penis, scrotum, rectal area and urethra. Often males overlook small genital warts as they are obscured by pubic hair and only realize much later that they have been infected once lumps appear in more exposed areas.

It is very important that men understand that any form of treatment for genital warts cannot cure the HPV virus, the goal of treatment is to try to stop the spread of the viral infection and to remove the actual genital warts. You must also realize that as long as the HPV virus is alive in your body, you can have recurring outbreaks of genital warts that will have to be treated. Also, until the virus dies, you are able to pass on this virus to your sexual partners, especially as condoms do not always cover the affected areas. There is only one way to reliably prevent the spread of the infection and that is to not have skin contact with any infected tissue.

There are several forms of treatment available to treat genital warts and not all treatments are equally successful for all cases. It may be trial and error to find the exact treatment that works the best for you. Your doctor can provide treatment in his office in the form of Cryotherapy, where the male genital warts are removed with liquid nitrogen. There is also the option of using a chemical compound called TCS [trichloracetic acid] for removal of the genital warts. Another option is electrocautery; this is where an intense laser light is used to burn away the male genital warts, but this is a costly procedure and not all doctors have this option available to patients. Whatever form of treatment your doctor decides on will depend on exactly where the genital warts are located, the number of warts to be treated and also the size of the warts.

You also have the option of using prescription treatments at home to treat your genital warts yourself. Doctors strongly advise against home treatment of genital warts for the genital area is most delicate and the harsh chemicals contained in topical creams for treatment of genital warts can damage the skin. It is understandable though that often people prefer to use home treatments where they can apply the treatment in privacy and if you decide to go ahead with home treatment, you can use creams such as Imiquimod or Podofilox.