Most HPV viral infections have no signs or symptoms at all. So anybody can be infected with genital warts and may spread the disease to another person without knowing. Yet, some of the people can experience visible warts. Till 2 to 4 weeks after infection, Genital warts do not appear. Sometimes it takes months before the warts become visible. Genital warts do not generally pains, but they can be irritating. They appear in different shapes and sizes – from totally flat warts to bumpy cauliflower-like warts. They can appear in single form or in groups.
In the males, it can be seen on the penis or underneath the foreskin. The warts can also be located in the urethra or at the very end of it in most cases, and the area near the rectum. In the females it appears on the orifice of the vulva, in the vagina, or by the urethra. Genital warts may also occur in and/or around the rectum.
Though genital warts are sometimes visible to the naked eye as they can be flat, but they generally can be felt through an itchy and burning sensation. The warts which are not visible to the naked eye can show the symptoms by which we can detect the disease.
In the women, genital warts can grow on the walls of the vagina, on the vulva, the area between the anus and the external genitals, and the cervix. In case of men, they can appear on the tip or shaft of the penis, on the scrotum or on or near the anus area. People who are active in oral sex can also develop genital warts in the mouth or throat. They get infected from their partner if they are engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse.
Genital warts can show the following signs and symptoms:
o Small, flesh-colored or gray swellings in the genital area
o Several warts groups together taking on the shape of a cauliflower.
o Itching or discomfort in the genital area
o Bleeding during the intercourse.
What are Genital Warts?
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Often, genital warts show no signs or symptoms. They can be so small and flat that they aren’t visible to the naked eye. Occasionally genital warts may grow into large clusters.
A person who has been infected with genital warts may have warts appear at any time. It sometimes takes several weeks to several months to develop the warts and other symptoms after exposure to genital warts. In some of the cases the warts take even longer to appear. The HPV virus can remain in the body for a very long time show no symptoms at all. Since most of the HPV infected people show no symptoms, it’s very important for anyone who is sexually active to get regular medical checkups.