Genital wart removal can be accomplished through the use of medicines such as imiquimod and podophyllin or by surgery. The simplest method of surgical genital wart removal is excision, done under local anesthesia. Another surgical genital wart remedy is cryotherapy, the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart so that a blister forms around it and it will fall off as the skin heals. It could take several rounds of cryotherapy before treatment is successful. If warts are numerous, or they are resistant to other surgical methods, then a doctor might attempt laser treatment.
About one-third of all cases of genital warts cause no symptoms and go away on their own. Many genital warts, however, cause symptoms such as pain, itching and discharge. Genital warts are caused by a strain of human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that can be spread to others. Anyone who discovers a genital wart should seek treatment and advice from a medical professional.
Some genital warts are small, and others are large. They grow on soft, moist tissue in the genital region and can appear singly or in groups. Genital warts, if they're not treated, can quickly grow large. Often, they come to have a cauliflower-like appearance.
HPV can't be eradicated, but there are prescription medicines available that will accomplish genital wart removal. Imiquimod, a cream applied directly on the skin, helps a patient's immune system fight off the warts. Another medicine, podophyllin, is applied to the warts themselves and attacks their tissue. Trichloroacetic acid burns genital warts away. All of these genital wart treatments must be used under a doctor's supervision.
Over-the-counter medications to treat regular warts should never be used for genital wart removal. The skin and mucous membranes on and near the genitals are extremely sensitive. Over-the-counter treatments intended for regular warts are, at best, ineffective for treating genital warts and could even worsen a patient's uncomfortable symptoms by making affected skin and membranes even more raw and painful.
Pregnant women need to have genital warts removed before delivery, or they could pass HPV to their babies during the birth. In this case, genital wart removal surgery might be indicated. Patients whose warts do not respond to prescription medicines might also want to have surgery.
Even after genital wart removal has been accomplished, the warts can come back. HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease, so any patient who has been diagnosed with genital warts should tell his or her sexual partners. Warts are not the only concern with HPV. Some forms of the virus have been linked to cervical cancer in women.