As a sexually active man or woman, it is important to be concerned about sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. One STD that people often dismiss as negligible is genital warts in Singapore. Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and can only be transmitted through sexual activity. As most Singaporeans do not frequently go for STD checks, they put themselves and their sexual partners at risk of contracting genital warts.
Read on to find out more about genital warts and what you can do if you ever contract genital warts.
Signs and symptoms of genital warts
Genital warts may not be visible to the human eye. When they are, they appear as small lumps that have a similar colour as your skin. It is possible for the warts to appear as a cluster of multiple warts or as a singular wart. In general, genital warts can be uncomfortable and painful.
Men and women have genital warts in different areas. For men, genital warts may appear on the penis, scrotum, inner thigh or inside the anus. For women, genital warts may appear on the inside of the vagina or anus. Both men and women may experience genital warts inside their mouth and throat if they come into contact with HPV through oral sex.
Genital warts are especially dangerous to women because they may eventually cause cervical cancer, which is considered a very serious complication.
If you are experiencing symptoms of genital warts, it is crucial that you visit an STD clinic in Singapore to get your symptoms alleviated and your condition treated. Over-the-counter pain relief will not be able to treat genital warts.
The cure for genital warts and HPV
Many cases of genital warts are caused by HPV. HPV is considered one of the most widely transmitted STD in the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) actually say that a significant number of sexually active people will contract HPV at some point in their life.
While genital warts will eventually disappear after some time, HPV in the body cannot be cured. If a doctor diagnoses you with genital warts, they may prescribe you with topical wart treatments which will help relief pain and minimize appearance of the warts. If these warts do not disappear, then your doctor may recommend a minor surgery at a wart clinic to remove the warts.
If you have contracted HPV, you may have multiple breakouts of genital warts over the course of your life.
Preventing HPV
While there is no cure for HPV, there are vaccines available to build up the body’s immune system against contracting HPV. Visit your STD clinic to get vaccinated.
Conclusion
Genital warts can prove to be a painful condition for most people. If you suspect that you have contracted genital warts, we recommend that you visit an STD clinic for your treatment.
STD tests will help you identify STD conditions such as genital warts, HIV and chlamydia.