Genital warts are growths on the vagina and rectum in females. A sexually transmitted virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the warts to grow. The warts may cause pain and grow large in appearance. Over 1.4 million people in the United States have genital warts and about 50 percent of women will have some form of HPV before the age of 50, according to The Merck Manuals. Several treatment options help treat the condition.
No Treatment
The body may naturally rid itself of an HPV infection in a few years and the warts will go away as the virus leaves. No treatment is necessary to treat the warts for individuals with a healthy immune system. About half of women infected will have no warts eight months after acquiring the virus, according to the Merck Manual. Taking the option of no treatment decreases the chance of causing scars due to other treatment options available. If the warts do not cause discomfort, it may be best to leave them alone.
Surgery
Several methods can help remove the warts from the female genitalia. Warts that cause discomfort do not go away on their own and warts on pregnant women may need surgical removal. Several options are available to remove genital warts including cryotherapy, surgical excision, laser and electrocautery. With cryotherapy, the physician freezes the warts off the skin. A blister forms around the wart and the legion disappears as new skin grows back during the healing process, according to the Mayo Clinic. Repeat cryotherapy may become necessary for complete wart removal. Surgical excision of the warts includes using a local anesthetic medication to numb the area before the physician uses special tools to cut out the growth. A physician may also use a beam of light, called a laser, to remove the wart. This treatment is reserved for difficult to treat warts and for warts that encompass a large area. Electrocautery uses an electrical current to treat the genital warts. Repeat procedures of all surgical methods may become necessary for warts that return.
Medications
Prescription medications applied directly to the warts may help remove them. No over-the-counter medications treat genital warts. Several topical medications help with the treatment of the lesions including imiquimod, trichloroacetic acid and podophyllin toxin, according to The Merck Manuals. Imiquimod is a cream used to help the immune system fight HPV. A physician may apply a chemical called trichloracetic acid (TCA) to burn off the wart, according to the Mayo Clinic. A physician applies the plant-based podophyllin topically to destroy the tissue in the warts. Using topical medications may take months to completely remove all wart lesions and the warts may return after treatment is complete.
