Genital Warts

Common, Flat and Plantar Warts

Warts are benign tumors caused by nvasion of the outer skin layer (epidermis) by the papilloma virus, or HPV. By adulthood, 90% of all people have antibodies to the virus, indicating a history of at least one wart infection. They are mildly contagious from person to person, and from one area to another on the same person. They can appear anywhere on the skin, but most likely on the fingers, hands and arms. They are most common in children and young adults between ages 1 and 30, but may occur at any age.

Frequent Signs and Symptoms
A small,large, raised bump on the skin with the following characteristics:        

• Warts begin very small (1mm to 3mm) and grow larger.         
• Warts have a rough surface and clearly defined borders.       
• They are usually the same color as the skin, but sometimes darker.      
• Warts often appear in clusters around a “mother wart.”        
• If you cut into the wart surface, it contains small black dots or bleeding points.    
• Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus infects the skin that covers the anal and genital areas. HPV is spread from person to person from sexual and skin-to-skin contact. The warts usually appear one to six months after infection, but may appear many years later. Some people who are infected never get warts. Genital warts are not cancer. Genital warts are a common problem, with 24 million Americans having HPV infection.

What are the symptoms of genital warts?
Genital warts are usually rough, dry, and painless growths that often look like a small cauliflower. They can grow on any part of the genitals or anus. The warts can be flesh colored, pink, or light gray. While most warts look like a small cauliflower, some are very tiny and hard to see or feel. Other warts can be flat topped or dome shaped. Some people have many warts that can grow to form a large group.
Genital warts can cause itching, pain, irritation, and bleeding in both men and women. Women may also have vaginal bleeding and discharge from irritated genital warts

• Small bumps occur on the skin over the affected area of the body, but not on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.
  
• The bumps contain white curd-like material. The material contains the virus. The virus can spread from person to person by touching that material.
  
• The person with the rash usually feels fine. The bumps don't hurt or itch.
  
• This skin rash is found mainly in children and young adults.
  

• There is no single effective treatment for warts; management is based on the age of the individual as well as the size, number, and location of warts.
• Since a virus is what causes warts, there is no guarantee the warts just won’t grow back.
• Treatment involves the physical or chemical destruction of the lesion
• Warts can be anesthetized and then scraped (curetted), burned (desiccated), lasered off (evaporated), or surgically cut out (excised)

A variety of chemicals are also used to eradicate warts,

• strong concentration must be applied at regular intervals by the doctor
• some might be prescribed to be used at home
• Over-the-counter preparations are also available.

ALL of these treatments can lead to permanent scarring or disfigurement.  Scars from alternative treatment modalities on plantar surface of the foot might cause more problems and discomfort than the original lesion itself and that has been proven in last literature.
Despite numerous treatment modalities, warts quite often require repeated treatment because they are difficult to eradicate and commonly recur.

In our clinic, we utilize several lasers to treat warts in adults and children of all ages.

The most popular among patients is Pulse Dye Laser due to minimal post treatment discomfort.

Pulsed dye laser treatment simply cuts off the blood supply to a wart and causes it to dry up and fall off.

The average treatment takes about 15 minutes and does not require anesthesia. Immediately after treatment patient is comfortable to return to his/her daily activities.

Laser treatment is safe for adults and children, and can be used on warts anywhere on the body, including venereal warts.

Can warts be treated anywhere on the body?
Laser can treat warts in all locations on the body. This form of treatment is also very effective for venereal warts caused by HPV. Our office deals sensitively with this condition on a regular basis.

Is laser treatment painful?
Most Pulsed Day Laser and treatment is fairly comfortable. If ablative lasers like CO2 or Diomed are used Dr. Tryzno numbs sensitive areas with local anesthetic.

Can children have laser treatment for wart removal?
Laser is the most effective treatment available for children also.

We successfully treat patients that have failed other treatment modalities.