G Warts: Causes, Treatment and Prevention

G warts is the short name many people use for genital warts: small, harmless growths on the skin of the genitals or around the anus, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They are common and treatable, though finding one can be upsetting. This guide explains what g warts look like, how the virus spreads, the treatments a doctor can offer and how to lower the chance of them coming back.

Key takeaways

• Genital warts come from low risk types of HPV, not the types linked to cervical cancer.
• They spread through skin contact during sex, even when no wart can be seen.
• Treatment clears the warts you can see, but HPV can stay and warts often return.
• A Medio doctor can talk treatment through by phone; freezing needs a visit in person.

What Genital Warts Are

Genital warts are skin growths caused by certain types of HPV that infect the genital and anal area. Doctors call them anogenital warts, and g warts is the everyday name. They can occur alone or in small clusters.

The HPV vaccine given at school protects against the types behind most genital warts.

Symptoms of Genital Warts

The main symptoms of genital warts are small, soft bumps on or around the genitals that are skin coloured, pink or grey. They can be flat or raised, single or grouped into a shape a bit like a cauliflower. Most g warts are painless, though some itch, feel irritated or bleed a little after sex.

In women, genital warts can grow on the vulva, inside the vagina or on the cervix, where they are sometimes first noticed at a cervical screening test. In men, genital warts appear on the penis, the scrotum or the skin nearby. Anogenital warts can also form around or just inside the anus. Many people carry the virus with no symptoms at all, and warts can take weeks or months to appear after contact, so it is often hard to know when the infection was caught.

How the Wart Virus Spreads Between Partners

The wart virus spreads through close skin to skin contact with the genital or anal area of someone who carries it, usually during vaginal, anal or oral sex. Penetration is not needed, and the virus can pass on when no warts or lesions are visible; shared sex toys can carry it too. Because the virus is so common, most sexually active people meet it at some point without ever knowing. Genital wart treatment removes the warts but not the virus, so a partner can still be exposed after the skin looks clear. There is no screening test for g warts: a GP or sexual health clinic diagnoses them by looking at the skin.

Prescription Treatments Applied at Home

Two prescription treatments can be put on visible warts on the outer genital skin at home. Imiquimod cream, which is only available on prescription in Australia, prompts the immune system to clear the warts and is usually applied three times a week for several weeks. The other is a paint or cream made from a plant extract, applied twice a day for three days and then rested for four, in weekly cycles. Both can redden and sting the skin, neither is used in pregnancy, and neither suits internal warts. Pharmacy wart paints made for hands and feet must never be used on genital skin. These treatments clear the warts, not the human papillomavirus infection beneath them.

Freezing and Other Treatments Done by a Doctor

Freezing with liquid nitrogen is the treatment most often done in a clinic, repeated every week or two until the warts are gone. It suits warts in most places, including around the anus or inside the vagina, and it can be used in pregnancy. Larger or stubborn lesions may be removed by laser, by minor surgery under local anaesthetic or with a fine electrical probe. A GP, a sexual health service or a specialist does these in person, and people with a weakened immune system may need more visits. None of these removes HPV from the body. Because genital warts are sexually transmitted, a doctor may suggest tests for other infection types at the same time.

Preventing Genital Warts With the HPV Vaccine and Condoms

HPV vaccination protects against the two HPV types that cause most genital warts, along with several types linked to cancer. In Australia it is offered free at school to 12 and 13 year olds, catch up doses are free up to age 25 through the National Immunisation Program, and older adults can ask a doctor whether it is worth paying for. It works best before any sexual contact, but it can still help adults.

Condoms lower the chance of passing HPV on, although they cannot cover all the skin that carries it. Limiting new partners and not smoking also help.

If you are wondering how you got genital warts, the honest answer is often unclear. The virus is passed on through skin contact during sex and can sit unnoticed for months or years before warts appear, so a new wart is not proof a partner has been unfaithful. There are many types of warts, and the HPV types behind hand and foot warts rarely cause genital warts.

When a Genital Lump Needs a Doctor's Check

Any new genital lump, sore or growth you are unsure about is worth a doctor's check, because other genital conditions can look like warts and some need different treatment. Have it seen sooner if a lump bleeds, grows quickly, hurts or turns into an open sore, if you are pregnant, or if your immune system is weakened. Warts that occur inside the vagina or anus may need an examination in person. The routes of transmission for genital infections are shared, so a doctor may suggest tests for other sexually transmitted infections. Genital warts are not a sign of cervical cancer; cervical screening every five years looks for the high risk types of HPV instead.

How Often Genital Warts Come Back After Treatment

Genital warts often come back after treatment, most commonly within the first few months, because treatment removes the warts you can see but not the papillomavirus in the skin around them. New warts can occur in the same spot or nearby, and they are treated the same way as the first time.

There is no single best treatment for genital warts. The choice depends on how many there are, where they are, whether you are pregnant and what you prefer, and a doctor may change the treatment if one is not working after a few weeks.

Over time the immune system brings the virus under control for most people, and new genital warts usually stop appearing. Being vaccinated against HPV can protect you from other types you have not met. These low risk HPV types are not the ones linked to cervical cancer.

Summary

G warts are common and treatable but often return, and vaccination lowers the risk. If you are worried about g warts, a Medio doctor can talk it through by phone and, where the doctor thinks it right, send an eScript, a pathology request or a referral.

Frequently asked questions

What are warts?

Warts are harmless skin growths caused by HPV. Genital warts look like soft, skin coloured bumps on the genitals, sometimes grouped like a tiny cauliflower.

How can I treat a wart?

Treatment depends on where the wart is. Pharmacy paints often suit hand warts, but genital warts need a doctor; if you do not treat them, nothing dangerous happens, though they may spread.

Can a doctor help with g warts?

Yes. A Medio doctor can talk through your symptoms in a telehealth consult by phone and, where suitable, prescribe a cream, arrange STI tests or refer you for freezing.

How to get rid of verruca vulgaris warts?

Verruca vulgaris is the medical name for common hand warts. Many clear within two years, and pharmacy salicylic acid paints or freezing can help.

What is the hardest type of wart to get rid of?

Plantar warts on the soles are often the most stubborn, as they grow deep under pressure. Genital warts also often return after treatment.

What naturally kills warts?

No home remedy is proven to kill warts; the immune system usually clears them in time. Other ways to treat warts, such as tape or plant oils, have little evidence and never suit genital skin.