Human papillomavirus or HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that causes diseases like genital warts, cervical cancer etc. Approximately 130 subtypes of HPV have so far been identified and out of them, only ten strains can cause genital warts. Out of these ten subtypes, only 6 and 11 are responsible for 90% of the genital warts cases. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from these two subtypes with the help of vaccines like Gardasil. However, it can only protect you if you take it before being exposed to HPV. It cannot help you if you have already been infected.
It is important to understand that the warts are only the visible symptoms, some strains of HPV or Human papillomavirus is the root cause. HPV is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during the sexual activities with an infected partner. The warts do not always appear as soon as the person is infected, but may undergo a latent period. The person thus infected can still infect others. Sometimes the warts disappear without treatment, especially if the body’s immune system is strong.
If you have some wart like growth in your genital areas, have it diagnosed by the doctor first. It can be done clinically by observing the area with magnifying glasses or with colposcope. Sometimes, acetic acid is applied on the infected area to detect the warts, especially if they are too small. The treatment should start once it is established that what you have is really genital warts and nothing else. Of course, if your immune system is strong, it may clear the warts without any medical intervention.
All such treatments invite some sort of side effects too. It is therefore important to check which treatments are least harmful. In first-line treatment option Podofilox is always given preference by doctors due to some important factors like they being cheaper and causing lesser side effects. Most possible side effects in treatment for genital warts is scarring in the region affected through warts. Available in the form of gel or cream, Podofilox is easier to apply on warts. Even sufferers can apply them by their own on the affected areas. Though Podofilox is safe and effective doctors also suggest for other medicines like podophyllin and Imiquimod or Aldara. They are most useful topical immune response creams for warts.
As such, Podofilox, because of its low cost is the first line of treatment. It can be applied by the patient him/herself. It is marketed as Condylox, Wartec and Warticon. Since it is the purified version of podophyllin, the common anti-mitotic solution made from crude herbal extract, it is far safer than podophyllin, but less safe than other self-applied medicines like imiquimod (marketed as Aldara) or sinecatechins (.marketed as Polyphenon E or Veregen).
There are also some excellent over the counter medicines that you can apply. Such medicines do not have any side effect and most of them claim to cure the warts from the roots and therefore the warts once healed do not recur. There are also some home remedies that the patients can apply successfully. On the other end, are the doctor-applied treatments for genital warts. Cryosurgery is supposed to be the safest method, safe even for pregnant women. Cauterization, surgical excision or laser ablation too are other options.
Among the patient applied prescription medicines, the Podofilox group of medicines are preferred by many because of low cost. They should not be used if you are pregnant because the medicine is absorbed by the skin to cause foetal harm. The Condylox, Wartec and Warticon etc fall in this group. They are found in cream or gel form. There are other genital warts cream too. However, all of them need to be applied cautiously to get the optimum benefit with least side effects. Applying them at quicker intervals or in greater amount than has been prescribed will not heal your warts quickly, but will invite violent side effects. People have even gone deaf because of that.
Pregnant women should specially be careful while undergoing treatment for genital warts because even genital warts cream can be harmful for the foetus. Such women should never go on self-medication although some excellent wart removing creams are available over the counter. For the sake of your unborn child, see a doctor first and start the treatment under him. Meanwhile do everything in your capacity to strengthen your immune system.
Being a professional, Matthew McMillan only recommends the best cure possible for the genital warts treatments. His methods are highly recommended and information of genital warts home remedy can be found at TreatmentForGenitalWarts.com.
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