HPV Treatments :: What are HPV symptoms?

Depending on the type of HPV, some women have infections that cause abnormal cell growth (dysplasia) on the female cervix. A woman may only find out she has HPV when her annual Pap smear results indicate abnormal cervical cell changes.

Other types of HPV cause visible genital warts. In women, these growths may develop inside the vagina, where they are hard to detect. They can also develop on the lips of the vagina or around the anus. In men, they usually appear on the penis, but they are also found on the scrotum or around the anus. Very rarely, growths can be found in the mouth or the throat.

The growths are typically soft, moist, pink or red swellings and are usually painless but may itch. If allowed to grow, they can block the openings of the vagina, urethra, or anus and become very uncomfortable. They can be single or multiple growths or bumps, raised or flat, small or large and sometimes form a cauliflower-like shape. Depending on their location, genital warts can cause sores and bleeding.

Source: Brown University Health Education

Some HPV types will cause non-genital warts, such as common warts, flat warts, and plantar warts. Common warts appear most often on the tops of the fingers and hands, usually along the cuticles, as rough, thick, cauliflower-like papules that develop solitarily or in large numbers. Black dots, which are minute blood vessels, can be seen in them, especially after paring down some of the thickened skin. Small satellite warts may surround the original lesion because the virus is usually present in a one-centimeter radius surrounding the wart. Flat warts are small, slightly elevated, flat-topped, pink or tan papules, are smoother than the common wart, and have minimal scale. They occur primarily on the face, arms, and legs, and a person can have several, even hundreds of them. Plantar warts occur on the soles of the feet, are often thick and callused, grow inward, and can be quite painful and bothersome. Tiny clusters of warts, called mosaic warts, are particularly stubborn and resistant to treatment.

Source: Dermatology Channel

HPV Treatments :: HPV Treatments

However, there are several treatment options available for genital warts.

• The goal of any treatment should be to remove visible genital warts to get rid of annoying symptoms. No one treatment is best for all cases.
• Treating the warts may possibly help reduce the risk of transmission to a partner who may have never been exposed to the wart-types of HPV.
• When choosing what treatment to use, the health care provider will consider the size, location and number of warts, changes in the warts, patient preference, cost of treatment, convenience, adverse effects, and their own experience with the treatments.
• Some treatments are done in a clinic or doctor's office; others are prescription creams that can be used at home for many weeks.

• Cryotherapy (freezing off the wart with liquid nitrogen). This can be relatively inexpensive, but must be done by a trained doctor or nurse.
• Podophyllin (a chemical compound that must be applied by a doctor or nurse). This is an older treatment and is not as widely used today.
• TCA (trichloracetic acid) is another chemical applied to the surface of the wart by a doctor or a nurse.
• Cutting off warts. This has the advantage of getting rid of warts in a single office visit
• Electrocautery (burning off warts with an electrical current)
• Laser therapy (using an intense light to destroy warts).This is used for larger or extensive warts, especially those that have not responded well to other treatments. Laser can also cost a lot of money. Most doctors do not have lasers in their office and the doctor must be well-trained with this method.
• Interferon (a substance injected in to the wart). This is rarely used anymore due to extensive side effects and high cost. Less expensive therapies work just as well with fewer side effects.

Treatment of cervical dysplasia depends on the severity, the presence of HPV, risk factors, and patient's preference. For ASCUS and mild dysplasia (low-grade SIL/CIN I), the physician may perform HPV typing. If no virus or a low-risk strain is present, Pap smears may be repeated at 4- to 6-month intervals because ASCUS and mild dysplasia often resolve without intervention.

If a high-risk strain of HPV is present, colposcopy and biopsy may be indicated and treatment depends on the results of the procedures.

High-grade lesions require treatment. There are several methods available to remove the abnormal tissue, including electrocauterization, cryosurgery, laser vaporization, and surgery.

HPV Treatments :: Electrocauterization

HPV Treatments :: Cryosurgery and cryocauterization

HPV Treatments :: Laser vaporization or ablation

HPV Treatments :: Cone biopsy

HPV Treatments :: Screening

A Pap smear is recommended for all women when they reach the age of 18 or become sexually active, whichever occurs first. After that, a number of factors affect the frequency of screening. The American Cancer Society recommends that women who have three negative Pap smears in 3 consecutive years may have them less often, depending on general health and sexual activity.

The NIH Consensus Conference on Cervical Health recommends that Pap tests can be done less often (after three consecutive negative results) if the patient is low risk. Low risk means no more than two lifetime sexual partners and a partner with no more than two lifetime partners. Most women should continue to have a yearly Pap smear.

A history of cervical dysplasia, genital warts, HIV infection, and in utero DES exposure may warrant Pap smears at more frequent intervals. Women should discuss screening frequency with their physicians.
Source: Women's Health Channel

HPV Treatments :: HPV and Genital Warts Alternative names

HPV Treatments :: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Common Misspellings