Anal Wart Remedies

Overview

Anal warts develop after infection with certain strains of the human papillomavirus. The are the same disease as genital warts,but in a different location. Also known as condyloma acuminata, anal warts are not cancerous and are usually not painful. Thus, some people do not know they have them. Effective treatments are available for anal warts.

Symptoms

Anal warts, like other genital warts, take the form of bumps, either alone or in groups. They can be very small and flat or can grow as large as 1 cm in diameter and become pedunculated--meaning they look like they are growing at the end of a stalk--with a cauliflower-like appearance. The warts can be pink, brown, gray or white. At times they may cause itching or bleeding.

Treatment Types

Remedies for genital warts include those that are administered at home by the patient and those that are administered by the health care provider in an office setting. Podofilox, which comes in a 0.5 percent solution or gel, is a chemical that can be applied at home, as can imiquimod 5 percent cream, sold under the brand name Aldara. Methods available only in a doctor's office include cryotherapy, podophyllin resin, trichloroacetic acid, bichloroacetic acid and surgical removal. All work by killing the tissue that is infected with the wart virus. All of the methods work by destroying the tissue infected with the wart virus with exception of imiquimod, which stimulates the body's immune system to fight the virus itself.

Time Frame

After a person is exposed to HPV, genital warts typically appear after six weeks to six months have passed. Most cases of anal and other genital warts can, with treatment, be controlled within three months, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, recurrences are common within the first three months after the warts have resolved, in which case another round of treatment can be administered.

Considerations

Treatment of anal warts can get rid of the bumps but not necessarily the infection that causes them, according to the CDC. It is possible that the warts will come back. Treatment may reduce the chance of infecting a sexual partner, according to the CDC, but does not rule out the possibility. The CDC also says that no one treatment modality has been proven superior to others.

Prevention/Solution

Condoms offer some protection against the virus that causes anal warts, but they do not work 100 percent of the time because HPV can live in areas that remain exposed. Abstinence is the only method that is completely effective in preventing transmission. A vaccine called Gardasil is approved for women and girls ages 9 to 26. It protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause genital warts, and 16 and 18, which can cause cervical and other cancers.