Genital Warts
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Genital Warts key facts
Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) genital HPV infections are the most commonly transmitted sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. Here, we will take a closer look at genital warts. Their causes, symptoms, treatment options, and how to prevent them from being transmitted.
What are Genital Warts?
Genital warts are classed as an STI (sexually transmitted infection). Genital warts are lumps or growths that appear in and around the genitals. They vary in size and shape, from small lumps to larger clusters, that look like cauliflowers. The virus can remain dormant in the body and not everyone infected with the HPV virus will develop symptoms.
What causes Genital Warts?
Genital warts are caused by certain strains of HPV that are spread through sexual contact, during vaginal, oral or anal sex.
What are the symptoms of Genital Warts?
Symptoms of genital warts will vary from person to person. Some individuals may not experience any symptoms, but when they do appear, they may look like small, flesh-colored lumps on the vagina, vulva, penis, anus, or rectum. Genital warts may also occur internally, on the opening to the urethra, cervix, inside the vagina, or in the anus. Genital warts may cause itching, discomfort, or bleeding, or may not cause any pain at all.
Diagnosis of Genital Warts
If you think you have genital warts, speak to your doctor or a nurse. They will visually inspect the affected area to identify the genital warts. You may also need to have a biopsy taken to rule out other conditions. Make sure you give your doctor your full sexual history to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
What are the treatment options for Genital Warts?
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) with no cure. There are however various treatments available to manage and remove genital warts. Treatment will depend on the size, location, and number of warts. Treatments include topical applications, cryotherapy, laser treatment, or removal of the warts surgically. These treatments will remove visible warts, but will not treat the HPV infection itself.
Topical treatments
Topical treatments are applied directly to the warts. These work by stimulating the body’s immune response to destroy the warts. Creams and solutions may be applied over a period of time. Do not use over-the-counter wart treatments on genital warts, as they may not be effective or may be too harsh.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze warts, causing them to blister and fall off. Multiple treatments may be needed for the complete removal of warts. Common side effects include mild pain or discomfort during and after the procedure. Discuss your treatment and any concerns you may have with your healthcare provider.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment is often used for larger or more difficult to remove warts. It uses a focused beam of light to target and destroy the warts. You may require a local anesthetic to numb the area prior to treatment. Once again, you may require multiple treatments to remove the warts.
Surgical Removal
Surgical removal, such as excision or electrosurgery, involves cutting or burning the wart off, under local anesthetic. Surgical removal may be used for larger or more extensive warts that have not responded to other treatments. Speak to your healthcare provider for medical advice and for the risks and benefits of this form of treatment.
How do I prevent Genital Warts?
Prevention requires practicing safe sex and taking advantage of available vaccination options.
HPV Vaccination
Vaccination is recommended for both males and females. It is an effective form of prevention, that helps to reduce the high risk of contracting genital warts and certain types of cancer. Side effects are mild, but may include soreness at the injection site, headaches, fever or flu-like symptoms. Speak to your healthcare provider for medical advice and follow the recommended vaccination schedule.
Safe Sexual Practices
Practicing safe sex will reduce your risk of contracting or spreading genital warts. Use condoms correctly during sexual activity and limit sexual partners to reduce the risk. Regular screenings for STIs is also important, as well as discussing your sexual health with your partner to ensure shared responsibility.
What are the complications of Genital Warts?
Genital warts do not normally cause serious health problems, but visible warts can cause emotional and psychological distress. In addition, certain strains of HPV may also be linked to an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. Regular screening will help to detect and manage any potential problems associated with genital warts.
Seeking Medical Assistance
If you think you have symptoms of genital warts, speak to a healthcare professional for a diagnosis. Discuss your options, and how to prevent future outbreaks. Also, make sure you have regular check-ups and screenings, to maintain your sexual health and well-being.
Frequently asked questions
How are Genital Warts transmitted?
Genital warts are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Condoms do not provide full protection against HPV infection as the virus can infect the scrotum, thighs, or groin, which are not covered by a condom.
How do I know I have Genital Warts?
Symptoms include growths or lumps on the skin around the genital area. Warts vary in size, shape, and texture, from being small and flat, to large cauliflower-like clusters.
Can I treat Genital Warts at home?
Topical medications prescribed by your doctor are available for use at home. These treatments are safe and effective, but you must follow the instructions to avoid adverse reactions.
How do I stop getting Genital Warts?
Engaging in safe sex will reduce your risk of contracting genital warts. Using condoms correctly, regular STI screening and talking openly with your sexual partners, as well as limiting the number of sexual partners you have, will all help to prevent the transmission of the virus.
Are there vaccines to prevent Genital Warts?
Vaccines are available for the prevention and reduction of HPV infections as well as the risk of developing genital warts and related cancers. The vaccine is recommended for both males and females. The vaccine is most effective when given before sexual activity begins, but those who are already sexually active will still benefit from receiving the vaccine.
What natural remedies can I use for Genital Warts?
There is limited evidence that natural remedies are effective for the treatment of genital warts. However, natural remedies that are used, include tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and aloe vera. Speak to your doctor before using any such alternatives.
What self-care tips are there for managing Genital Warts?
Self-care tips include good hygiene, avoiding sex when being treated, avoiding picking at the warts, loose-fitting clothing, and having a healthy diet and exercising regularly to maintain a healthy immune system.
Can Genital Warts cause Cancer?
Most HPV infections do not lead to serious complications, but certain types of HPV can cause cancer. These include anal, head and neck, penile and cervical cancer. You should make sure you have regular screenings to prevent HPV-related cancers.
Prognosis and long-term outlook
Genital warts can be treated and managed effectively with the correct medical treatments. With regular follow-ups, the prognosis is good. Remember, HPV infections can clear over time, without treatment, but you should continue to practice safe sex and have regular screenings to monitor your overall health.
Conclusion
Genital warts are common sexually transmitted infections that may cause unsightly and uncomfortable symptoms. Treatments such as topical applications, cryotherapy, or laser treatments are however available. You may also help to reduce your risk of infection by practising safe sex and receiving the HPV vaccination, both of which will improve your overall sexual health and well-being.
References
Service Guide
Everything you need to know about Getting Treated Privately
What does the Get Treated Privately service do?
The Get Treated Privately service is a private prescribing service which is designed for adults aged 18 years and over, who are experiencing health issues and who would like to receive a fast-track assessment and if applicable, a treatment plan from a qualified prescribing clinician. Treatments are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from our regulated online pharmacy.
Is this a safe service?
Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by our Medical Director, Dr. Aseel Hamoud. Unlike other prescribing services which operate using faceless questionnaires, our service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our prescribing clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any prescriptions supplied are at the sole discretion of our clinician prescriber. There is no charge for the consultation.
What is a prescribing clinician and is it safe for me to use them on the NowPatient platform?
Our prescribing clinicians are board-certified pharmacists, nurses, or doctors who can also prescribe any medicine for any medical condition, subject to accepted accreditation and good clinical practice. They are all registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist independent prescriber is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each prescribing clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with our prescribing clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.
Is the service available worldwide?
Yes, the Get Treated Privately service is available worldwide.
Do I need to pay for this service?
Yes. This is a private service. You do not need to pay for the consultation. You only pay for the cost of the medication you are prescribed.
How do I book a consultation?
Once you have logged into your account, you will need to navigate to the Get Treated Privately service card which is located as a service item on the dashboard.
Using the action button on the service card, you can select one of the following – ‘Search Treatments’ or ‘Search Conditions’.
Depending on the search type and the product/condition that you would like to get treated, you will be taken to a consultation booking screen. Follow the simple steps to complete your booking. During the booking confirmation, you will be able to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language and gender of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available expert clinicians who are trained to assess the medication or condition chosen. Once you have confirmed your booking, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification, SMS notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before the virtual consultation is due to start.
Depending on certain medications which require our clinicians to have your up-to-date blood pressure readings, you may be required to submit a virtual blood pressure check, using your smartphone or device. We will provide you with full instructions, when this is required.
What happens during the remote video consultation?
During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to assess your condition and potential treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment is a safe and suitable option for you. If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your Cart at the end of the consultation.
Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your doctor of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your doctor is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.
What happens at the end of the consultation?
At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise you if any referrals were made to your doctor, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.
If a referral letter was issued to your doctor, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘Documents’ section of the dashboard. If you were prescribed a treatment, it will now be available in your Cart.
When you go to your Cart, you will be able to select the treatment, checkout and make payment. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our regulated online pharmacy for processing.
What if the prescriber does not prescribe what I want?
We operate a safe prescribing service. This means that our prescribing clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a self select service where you can choose a medication and simply buy. If the clinician that sees you does not prescribe anything, then you will not be charged.
Will I get status updates for my order?
Yes. When your treatment is approved, and after you have checked out and paid for your order, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in the ‘Notification Feed’ section on the dashboard.
How will my order be delivered?
All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour).
For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.
For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with NowPatient. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.
Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?
Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.
Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.
Where do you deliver?
We currently deliver to all postcodes/zipcodes worldwide. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.
When will my order arrive?
We aim to ship all orders placed Monday – Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day. All deliveries are shipped by Royal Mail, which delivers Monday through Saturday in the UK. For deliveries outside of the UK, please check with your national postal service for accurate delivery days.
Our delivery options have the following delivery times:
- UK – Royal Mail Tracked 24 & Signed for Delivery – Next day delivery
- Europe – Royal Mail Tracked – Typical delivery of 3-5 working days
- Worldwide – Royal Mail – Typical delivery of 5-7 working days. If a tracked option is available for your country via Royal Mail, this service will be applied.
What should I do if my order has not arrived?
Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘Notification Feed’ section of the dashboard, at any point after dispatch.
Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system. If after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.
Can you prescribe GLP-1 weight loss injections?
Yes. However, with GLP-1 weight loss medications, the license requires that there are support resources put in place as part of the plan including coaching for a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet. Our clinicians will discuss this with you, if you are prescribed this type of treatment.
You can learn more on our Weight Loss Programs feature page.
What’s included with my order?
If you are ordering prescription medication, your order will contain your medication only.
If you are ordering weight loss injections, your order will contain:
- Your prescription of pre-filled weight loss injection pens
- Needles
- Sharps bin for safe disposal of needles (if ordered as part of the bundle)
Can I reorder my medication, if I have already been prescribed a course?
Yes. However, as a responsible prescribing service, we do not issue more than one monthly cycle of medication at a time. This means that, if you would like to reorder, you will need to rebook a consultation.
This is important, because it allows our clinicians to keep track on the progress of your treatment plan and ensure that the medication remains safe and effective for you.
What is the earliest I can reorder my medication or treatment?
14 days after you have received your first monthly supply, we will send you a notification to advise you that you are eligible to reorder your medication. To ensure that we are able to safely prescribe the next supply, you will need to rebook a consultation.
This ensures that our clinician can check in on your treatment plan and ensure it is working as intended and continues to be safe, suitable and appropriate for you.
How do I reorder my medication?
When you are eligible to reorder your next medication, we will send you a notification reminder. This notification reminder will request that you book a consultation with a NowPatient Clinician.
You should book a suitable time and date for the consultation.
At the end of the consultation, the clinician may advise you to either
- Stop the treatment
- Stay on the current dose
- Increase the dose
If our clinician deems it safe for you to continue taking the medication, the medication will be added to your cart, from where you can checkout.
Delivery will be made in line with our delivery timescales.
As a responsible prescribing service, we will always monitor your treatment plan to ensure that it remains safe, effective and suitable for you.
How do I reorder weight loss medication?
Our weight loss programs are built to closely monitor treatment progress and safety. Please refer to the Weight Loss Programs Service Guide that explains how you can reorder or step edit your dose.
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