Anal Warts Information & Commnunity

You’d been noticing tiny, pinhead sized blemishes around the anus for sometime now and thought they’d go away on their own. But that did not happen, in fact, these small bumps grew to become pea-sized. And when the physician diagnosed your condition as condyloma acuminate, caused by human papilloma virus (hpv), you almost bid goodbye to the cruel world. Actually, you couldn’t have been more right! Anal wart, the common name for condyloma acuminate, can become cancerous, if left untreated for a long time (1).

According to the American Social Health Association almost twenty million Americans are afflicted with at least one form of sexually transmitted hpv and this dreaded condition continues to invade five-and-a-half million people annually, making it the most prevalent and rapidly spreading sexually transmitted disease in the US (2).

Defining anal warts

The photos of anal wart certainly paints an ugly picture. This relatively common and bothersome condition does not appear as anal wart alone; it may present itself as anal genital wart, common warts on hands and plantar warts on the feet too (2). The surprising thing is anal wart symptoms don’t inflict any pain or discomfort. Mostly, you’d remain totally unaware of the presence of the warts (1).

Getting anal warts

Human papilloma virus (hpv), with over a hundred strains, is the culprit for causing anal hpv wart. This highly contagious microorganism finds access to another person through sex or even close skin to skin contact. This generally gets manifested as warts, but unfortunately, this infection can occur without warts too (3).

The bad news is, if these warts are not removed, they generally multiply and appear as very tiny bumps to large cauliflower-shaped growths. Almost two-thirds of those having sexual contact with infected individuals generally develop genital or anal warts within three months (2). And, as already stated, if left untreated for long, these warts can become cancerous (1).

Preventing anal warts

Once you know the anal wart cause, its prevention simply boils down to safe sex practices. But here even condoms won’t help. A condom offers limited protection, as it doesn�t cover all the skin, inviting infection. So, the best way is to avoid sex or sex play with those displaying visible warts (3). Another important point to note is not to share sex toys or anal lube with an infected partner. Even putting finger in the anus of an infected person or having his percum or semen on the fingers can transfer the infection to you (3). Although, soap and water doesn’t kill this virus, it’s still a good idea to shower well immediately after sex to wash the virus off the skin (3).

Treating anal warts

Anal wart treatment generally includes topical chemical solutions, topical anti-viral solutions, immunotherapy, cryotherapy (using liquid nitrogen), surgical removal and electro-surgery (2).

And the good news is you don’t have to be hospitalized for getting a cure for anal wart. Even the cautery and excision technique can be performed on an outpatient basis and the patient can go home after the procedure. Let’s see the various treatments (1):

a. Medications: Very small warts, accessible around the anus, are treated with medications. However, your physician will need to exercise great care and precision in applying strong medicines directly to the surface of the warts, since injury to the normal skin surrounding the warts is possible. The treatment is a long drawn out one.

b. Cauterization or surgical removal: As per dictionary.com, cautery is an agent or instrument used to destroy abnormal tissue by burning, searing or scarring, including caustic substances, electric currents, lasers and very hot or very cold instruments. Thus, electrical cautery, laser surgery and surgical removal are the general methods of removing the warts. These procedures are especially suited for warts inside the anal canal, which are usually not accessible for treatment by medications. The good news is once the warts are removed, they generally don�t come back for months or years, even though the hpv may remain in the body (3).

So, if you’ve painless blemishes and bumps in your anal region, it’s time to visit your physician. Proper diagnosis and treatment will not only help you in curing this ailment, but in regaining your self esteem too.

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