Question: What causes vaginal warts?
Answer: Vaginal warts are one type of genital warts, caused by a particular strain of virus, known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). There have been over sixty strains of HPV discovered with approximately 12 identified as causing genital warts .
Question: Are vaginal warts contagious?
Answer: Yes, vaginal warts are highly contagious, as they are caused by a viral infection.
Question: How are vaginal warts spread?
Answer: Vaginal warts are spread through skin to skin contact, particularly sexual interaction that involves genital-genital contact. Vaginal warts are a sexually transmitted disease.
Question: What do vaginal warts look like?
Answer: Vaginal warts vary is size, shape and number. It is possible for warts to be flat or raised. Some vaginal warts resemble moles, while others have a cauliflower like appearance.
Question: How soon do vaginal warts appear after infection?
Answer: Typically, the presence of warts occurs after a few months, but this ranges based on the individual and can occur from weeks to years after initial infection.
Question: Can the warts on my hands or feet become vaginal warts?
Answer: Warts located to the hands and feet are typically a different strain of HPV and can not be transmitted to become vaginal warts.
Question: Will the warts go away without treatment?
Answer: Without treatment, the amount of warts can remain unchanged, increase in number and size, or go away. There is no accurate way to determine how your HPV infection will react.
Question: If the warts go away, will they come back?
Answer: This is completely dependent upon the individual. The majority of individuals will have one major outbreak and either several smaller or no further outbreaks. However, there is no accurate way to predict this.
Question: When can I have sex again?
Answer: It is advised that sexual contact be avoided during the presence of vaginal warts, as sex will only serve to irritate the infection from friction, delaying overall healing rates.
Question: Are vaginal warts the same as HPV?
Answer: In short, both yes and no. The human papillomavirus has many strains, of which only a small number cause vaginal warts.
Question: How common are vaginal warts?
Answer: The rates change based on population and age, but it is estimated that over 1 million people in the United States contract genital warts each year. It is also estimated that over 20 million Americans are currently infected. However, most HPV infections are naturally suppressed by the body’s immune system and therefore remain undetected.
Question: Will vaginal warts affect my pregnancy?
Answer: The majority of pregnant women do not experience complications due to vaginal warts. However, it is possible that vaginal warts can keep the vaginal walls from expanding efficiently. While rare, it is also possible for the baby to develop warts in the throat, causing breathing complications. Therefore cesarean section delivery is usually recommended by physicians.
Question: Are there natural methods to treat vaginal warts?
Answer: Yes, there are a variety of natural methods available for the treatment of vaginal warts including supplementation, creams, changing dietary and lifestyle habits , and improvements to personal hygiene.
Learn more about ways to boost your immune system naturally here.
Sources:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/HIVandSTD/genital_warts_fact_sheet.html
http://www.fpa.org.uk/information/leaflets/documents_and_pdfs/detail.cfm?contentid=145
