Ask yourself what do genital warts look like...

You have heard of them but do you really have the answer to the question, "what do genital warts look like?"

There are many types of HPV, human papillomavirus, which are the viruses that cause warts.

Out of that large amount only a few dozen actually produce warts.

Out of that group specific ones cause genital warts so the challenge is to learn what genital warts look like so that you can determine if you have that particular virus.

Who diagnoses them

A doctor should really be the individual that makes the diagnosis to figure out if you have genital warts since they know exactly what genital warts look like and how to treat them. We will cover the basics so that you can determine if you should go to the doctor or not. If you have a doubt, error on the side of caution because sometimes genital warts look like a big deal but sometimes they do not and they should always be treated.

Appearance of genital warts

Genital warts basically appear to be small red or light red growths that grow in and around the genitals, the sex organs. Sometimes the warts are large enough to see clearly but they are sometimes quite small in size. They can usually be identified because they tend to grow in groups of three or four and have been compared to little pieces of cauliflower. The genital warts can be uncomfortable but all in all they are supposed to be painless thought they can itch and bleed.

A person will usually get genital warts by skin to skin contact, unprotected sex of all kinds, with an infected person. The less the sex partner knows what genital warts look like the less chance that they know they have it. They may not be able to identify the genital warts symptoms they display, if any.

Testing

If a person believes they might have genital warts they should go to the doctor. The physician will do a handful of tests. These differ a bit for men and women by two. Both men and women are tested for gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HIV and syphilis using drawn blood, however the women re also given a pelvic exam and a pap smear along with a rectal exam. Since the doctor knows what genital warts look like they may be able to diagnose it by looking at the area.

If you know what genital warts look like and determine that you have them and will be going to the doctor for treatment then the best thing to do is keep the area dry and clean. It is recommended that you wear cotton undergarments so that you can minimize any irritation to the area. Most importantly, do not pick at your genital warts as that can cause them to hurt, bleed and worst of all spread. Warts spread rapidly.

Check out some effective genital warts treatments