Warts are caused by a viral infection in the top layer of skin. There are more than 100 strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Of those, approximately 40 types can cause genital warts. Vaginal warts, a form of genital wart, are highly contagious. They are spread by skin-to-skin contact as well as through self-infection.
Benign
Vaginal warts are benign growths, meaning that they are not themselves cancerous. Further, vaginal warts do not cause cancer, though other strains of HPV are responsible for cervical cancer.
Who is at risk?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that genital HPV is the most common form of sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States. Many people who carry the virus are unaware that they do so because the disease is often asymptomatic. The CDC further reports that not all people exposed to HPV will develop genital warts. The individual's immune system may play a role in this. Those with strong immune responses may never develop symptoms.
Transmission
HPV is spread through direct contact. Anyone who is sexually active can have and spread genital HPV. Condoms may lessen the chance of spreading genital HPV, and therefore vaginal warts, but they do not ensure that the virus will not be spread. This is because HPV can be transferred from and to areas of the skin that are not covered by condoms.
HPV is transmitted through all types of direct-contact sexual activity. Oral, anal and vaginal sex are all implicated in the spread of the virus.
Vaginal warts are not always visible and so abstaining from sex only when warts can be seen does not eliminate the risk of infection. Vaginal warts can be found in and around the vagina and on the cervix.
A vaccine for HPV is available that can protect against most forms of genital warts.
Self-infection
Warts are friable, meaning that they break apart easily and shed cells. Because of this, warts are easily spread from area to area. Additionally, even after warts are removed, the virus stays in the system and new outbreaks can occur.
Treatment
There is no cure for HPV. There are, however, treatments for a variety of the symptoms, including treatments for vaginal warts. Treatment for vaginal warts is identified as either patient-applied or provider-applied.
Patient-applied treatments for vaginal warts include the home application of a topical solution, gel or cream that destroys the wart. Local irritation is a common side-effect of some topical treatments, and some are not recommended for use in pregnant women or by women who intend to become pregnant because safety during pregnancy is unknown.
Provider-applied treatments include the removal of the warts. Cryotherapy involves freezing the wart, usually with liquid nitrogen, until it falls off. Electrosurgery uses electricity to burn the wart away. Scissors and shave excision cut the growth off where it is attached to the body.
Two other forms of provider-applied treatment for vaginal warts are the application of a topical solution and laser therapy. Each of these treatments involves risks; recurrence is common, and a combination of therapies is sometimes necessary.
