The usefulness of treatment for genital warts is not just in removing the warts themselves. The virus which causes genital warts has also been proven to cause cervical and other types of genital cancer. if you get yourself treated now. It can help yo prevent cancer later.



Treatment for genital warts has many aspects to it. If you are a woman, you should not just get treated. You must also go in for annual cervical smears to ensure that there are no cancerous cells developing. Annual Pap smears are a simple and effective way of detecting any untoward cancerous changes. Early detection will lead to better outcomes and much less morbidity.

Your treatment for genital warts depends on some parameters. Some considerations you will have to keep in mind are whether you are pregnant, whether you have had warts before and have you taken treatment in the past. The treatment also depends on the size of the warts and their response to medical treatment. If you have severe symptoms, treatment may be modified accordingly.

You must be careful if you use over the counter medication for genital warts. It is better if you avoid this altogether. Treatment for genital warts should be taken from a qualified medical practitioner only. If you self-medicate, there are chances that the preparation you use may cause intense irritation to the genital areas. You might find symptoms like itching and burning getting worse. This can lead to secondary infection , if you continue self - medication.

If you are going in for medical treatment of genital warts, you might need a doctor's supervision. Creams are available which can be applied locally. Some creams should be applied only be a doctor in view of the side effects they might have. Podofin is a podophyllum resin which can be applied locally by your doctor. Tricholoacetic acid is another local treatment which should be applied by a qualified person only. Condylox is another promising treatment which has higher cure rates. This is also to be applied locally. You will have to abstain from sex while using this cream as it can cause condoms and diaphragms to disintegrate. Newer treatment like Aldara are also available. This may cause local side effects like burning though. The last resort in case you have recurring warts may be injectable interferon therapy.

If you are pregnant, have large warts or warts which are resistant to local creams, you might need surgery. the surgical options are painless. They have higher cure rates and a better outcome too. You may be advised cryotherapy where the warts are frozen with liquid nitrogen. This will make them slough off leaving a skin wound behind. Another option is a simple surgical excision under local anaesthesia. This has very high sure rates and less chances of recurrence. Laser therapy is also used in the case of very large warts.