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HPV CONSUMING MY LIFE
Doctor,
I recently went to a dermatologist and had warts removed from my hands. While i was there I
was curious about small bumps by my pubic region at the base of my genitals. Sure enough he says
they look sexually transmitted and we go ahead and freeze them (flat warts).
I am overwhelmingly distraught with the idea that I have an incurable disease that will be with me for
the rest of my life. I also have a girlfriend. She has
received two of her three shots of I am assuming Gardasil but then stopped.
1.) Is she at a big risk of being infected with warts (have had intercourse for 3 months with no signs as
of yet) ?
2.) Is it true that a majority of wart causing HPV strains will clear (of both wart causing symptoms and
the virus itself) ?
3.) How long is the normal clearance rate for these strains if above question is true ?
4.) Going forward what precautions would you recommend for intercourse? i.e. always wearing a condom
until warts are gone? Wearing condom for additional periods after warts are gone?
5.) I also have heard that flat warts can be a symptom of high risk hpv, do you support this theory?
Thank you for any help you can provide. I hope this investment will help ease my woes.
I recently went to a dermatologist and had warts removed from my hands. While i was there I
was curious about small bumps by my pubic region at the base of my genitals. Sure enough he says
they look sexually transmitted and we go ahead and freeze them (flat warts).
I am overwhelmingly distraught with the idea that I have an incurable disease that will be with me for
the rest of my life. I also have a girlfriend. She has
received two of her three shots of I am assuming Gardasil but then stopped.
1.) Is she at a big risk of being infected with warts (have had intercourse for 3 months with no signs as
of yet) ?
2.) Is it true that a majority of wart causing HPV strains will clear (of both wart causing symptoms and
the virus itself) ?
3.) How long is the normal clearance rate for these strains if above question is true ?
4.) Going forward what precautions would you recommend for intercourse? i.e. always wearing a condom
until warts are gone? Wearing condom for additional periods after warts are gone?
5.) I also have heard that flat warts can be a symptom of high risk hpv, do you support this theory?
Thank you for any help you can provide. I hope this investment will help ease my woes.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum. Thanks for your question.
Before I even read the question, it is apparent from the title and your username that you are far more worried about HPV than most people are or anyone should be. HPV almost never is serious enough to be "consuming my life" or to warrant something like "please lord no".
You might have another conversation with your dermatologist about his confidence you have genital warts. It isn't always possible to accurately diagnose flat warts based only on visual inspection, and the location is a bit atypical; most genital warts involve the head and shaft of the penis (although pubic area lesions aren't rare).
Assuming the diagnosis is correct, the warts and the underlying HPV infection will clear up (and would have done so eventually even without freezing or other therapy). Although prolonged or recurrent infections occur from time to time, it's not the norm. Also, don't feel you have been singled out. At least 80-90% of all humans get genital HPV, often several times, and up to 20% develop warts as a result. Getting genital HPV is a normal, expected fact of being a sexually active person.
To your specific questions:
1) I would strongly urge your partner to have her third dose of Gardasil. She is probably partially protected by 2 doses, but it makes no sense to not go for complete protection. Because she has had 2 doses, though, and because Gardasil covers the two HPV types that cause 90% of genital warts, the odds are good she won't be infected, even if you have genital warts. She doesn't need to start over just becase the last dose will be late. Immunization is just as effective no matter when the last dose is given.
2,3) Yes, that's true. Without treatment, the wart-causing HPV types generally clear up in 6-12 months. It might be faster after treatment with freezing or other methods.
4) You need take no precautions with your current partner. She has been repeatedly exposued to what ever HPV strains you are carrying, and she is either immune to it (because of her vaccination or from prior infection) or she has become infected already. Either way, at this point neither condoms nor anything else will make any difference.
5) I know of no data that flat warts are any more likely than other warts to be caused by high risk HPV. Anyway, as a sexually active person, it's a good bet you've already had one or more high risk HPV infection. The high risk types are just as common than the types that cause warts, maybe more so.
Take a look at the thread linked below, which gives further information about HPV that you should find reassuring. You can find many others as well through this forum's search function.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1522088
So don't panic. Follow your dermatologist's advice, and encourage your partner to finish her Gardasil. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Before I even read the question, it is apparent from the title and your username that you are far more worried about HPV than most people are or anyone should be. HPV almost never is serious enough to be "consuming my life" or to warrant something like "please lord no".
You might have another conversation with your dermatologist about his confidence you have genital warts. It isn't always possible to accurately diagnose flat warts based only on visual inspection, and the location is a bit atypical; most genital warts involve the head and shaft of the penis (although pubic area lesions aren't rare).
Assuming the diagnosis is correct, the warts and the underlying HPV infection will clear up (and would have done so eventually even without freezing or other therapy). Although prolonged or recurrent infections occur from time to time, it's not the norm. Also, don't feel you have been singled out. At least 80-90% of all humans get genital HPV, often several times, and up to 20% develop warts as a result. Getting genital HPV is a normal, expected fact of being a sexually active person.
To your specific questions:
1) I would strongly urge your partner to have her third dose of Gardasil. She is probably partially protected by 2 doses, but it makes no sense to not go for complete protection. Because she has had 2 doses, though, and because Gardasil covers the two HPV types that cause 90% of genital warts, the odds are good she won't be infected, even if you have genital warts. She doesn't need to start over just becase the last dose will be late. Immunization is just as effective no matter when the last dose is given.
2,3) Yes, that's true. Without treatment, the wart-causing HPV types generally clear up in 6-12 months. It might be faster after treatment with freezing or other methods.
4) You need take no precautions with your current partner. She has been repeatedly exposued to what ever HPV strains you are carrying, and she is either immune to it (because of her vaccination or from prior infection) or she has become infected already. Either way, at this point neither condoms nor anything else will make any difference.
5) I know of no data that flat warts are any more likely than other warts to be caused by high risk HPV. Anyway, as a sexually active person, it's a good bet you've already had one or more high risk HPV infection. The high risk types are just as common than the types that cause warts, maybe more so.
Take a look at the thread linked below, which gives further information about HPV that you should find reassuring. You can find many others as well through this forum's search function.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1522088
So don't panic. Follow your dermatologist's advice, and encourage your partner to finish her Gardasil. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Tea tree oil has been mentioned on this forum by others with warts, but I know nothing about it. Best I can tell, it's quackery; I doubt it will be helpful over and above freezing or whatever other treatment your dermatologist recommended. And antioxidants to "boost" the immune system for sure is useless. I'm sure it's harmless to try, but I wouldn't spend the money.
Glad to have helped otherwise; thanks for the thanks. Take care.
Glad to have helped otherwise; thanks for the thanks. Take care.
Thank you so much for your speedy response. In my opinion this service is worth far more than 22 dollars. If it would be beneficial I will gladly post updates to my current situation. On a different note I have one more question. I am currently applying tea oil to my warts as well as working out more consistently and consuming more antioxidants in order to help further boost my immune system to fight off any infection I have. Do you think this behavior is beneficial? Once again I am thankful for your reassurance and will sleep a lot better tonight knowing that this is merely an infection that will not be life long or threatening.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
