Genital warts appear
on the genitals or sexual organs of men and women and can also appear on the
buttocks or "bum". Warts appear as tiny flat bumps, or bumps that
look like cauliflowers. Some people can have the wart virus present in their
skin even though the warts cannot be seen.
Warts are caused by infection
from the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are many types of HPV, and some
are linked to pre-cancerous changes in the cervix. The types of HPV that cause
genital warts are not thought to be linked to cervical cancer.
If you are a sexually active
woman, you should have a regular pap smear test to help detect any pre-cancerous
changes to the cervix.
Genital warts are spread
by having sex with someone who is infected with HPV, whether they have visible
warts or not.
Using a male or female condom
will provide some protection, but only to the skin covered by the condom. Condoms
do not cover all genital skin so they do not protect the area 100 per cent.
Avoid having sex with someone who has sores or unusual growths on or around
their genitals.
Symptoms can include wart-like
bumps on your genitals and/or around your buttocks. These need to be checked
by a health professional. It may take from four weeks to three months, or longer,
for the warts to appear after you have been infected; sometimes they never appear.
You can be infected with the virus but not have any visible warts.
Treatment for genital warts
does not get rid of the HPV infection. A person treated for genital warts may
still be able to transmit the infection.
In some cases, the warts
will go away on their own. However, many people want to be treated to remove
the visible warts and also to lessen the chance of giving them to a partner.
Genital warts can be treated
by applying a liquid medication or by freezing them. You may need to go for
more than one treatment. Your doctor may prescribe a cream that you can apply
to the affected area for 4-6 weeks. Discuss treatment options with your health
professional to determine which treatment choice may be best for you.
Caution: Do
not use non-prescription wart removal products to treat genital warts. These
products are not intended to be used in the genital area and may cause serious
burning.
If you have different sexual partners, or if your partner has different partners,
you should also be tested for other STDs including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis
and HIV (the virus linked to AIDS). You should also consider getting vaccine
shots to prevent hepatitis B infection.
Please remember:
The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of getting
a STD.
Have sex with only
one partner who has been tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
who has been treated if necessary and who is having sex only with you. The
more partners you have, the higher your risk of getting an STD.
Use a female or male
condom every time you have sex. Condoms offer protection against STDs, but
they must be used properly.
A condom
acts like a barrier that helps prevent the exchange of body fluids, the
transmission of sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy.
A new
condom should be used each time you have sexual intercourse (anal, vaginal,
or oral sex).
Check the expiry date on the condom package.
Use
only water-based lubricants with the male latex condom. Oil-based lubricants,
such as petroleum jelly, lotion or baby oil, can weaken and destroy latex.
Female
condoms are made of polyurethane. This material can be used with any type
of lubricant, water-based or oil-based.
Some
lubricants contain chemicals called spermicides to help protect against
unwanted pregnancy. If they irritate your genitals, don't use them.
Do
not use a male condom together with a female condom as the friction created
may cause tearing of either product.
If
a condom breaks during sex remove it immediately and apply a new condom.
Remember!
Condoms do not offer 100 per cent protection from STDs and unwanted pregnancy.
It will not consistently prevent transmission of STDs passed through skin-to-skin
contact - for example, syphilis, human papilloma virus (warts) and
herpes. However, if used properly, they are very effective and can reduce
the risk of transmission of these STDs.
Place the condom on the
tip of the penis when it is hard and erect, but before it touches the partner's
body. Make sure that the rolled-up condom rim faces outward.
With the other hand,
pinch the tip of the condom to remove any trapped air, and unroll the condom
to the base of the erect penis.
After intercourse and
before the penis becomes soft, withdraw the penis carefully, holding the rim
of the condom against the penis, so that semen does not spill out.
Slide the condom gently off the penis, and knot the open end.
A condom can be inserted up to eight hours before sexual intercourse.
Open the package carefully.
Hold the small ring at the closed end of the condom between the thumb and
middle finger.
Find a comfortable position,
either lying down, sitting with your knees apart or standing with one foot
raised on a stool, squeeze the small ring and insert it into the vagina as
far as you can.
Put a finger inside the
condom and push the small ring inside as far as possible. It is also possible
to insert the condom by putting it onto the erect penis before intercourse.
Make sure that the part
of the condom with the outer ring is outside the body. The outer ring will
lie flat against the body when the penis is inside the condom.
When the penis enters
the vagina, make sure that the penis is inside the condom.
Immediately after sexual
intercourse, remove the condom by gently twisting the outer ring and pulling
the condom out, making sure that no semen is spilt and throw it in the garbage.
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