Treating Genital Warts is possible. Genital warts are caused by a virus called HPV. It is spread through sexual intercourse and is highly contagious. Although HPV itself cannot be cured, there are genital wart treatments that can reduce the risk of transmission and remove the warts themselves. Genital warts are detected by applying a small amount of acetic acid to a wart, which will cause it to turn white.
The best treatment is prevention. Abstinence is the only surefire way to prevent contraction but there is now a vaccine called Gardasil which protects against HPV types; 6, 11, 16, and 18, all of which cause genital warts and/or cervical cancer. If prevention cannot be used, then there are forms of treatment.
Podofilox is a cream or gel that fights genital warts and is the most common and inexpensive form of genital wart treatment. Small amounts are applied to each wart two times daily. This will cause them to disappear temporarily. Imiquimond is another cream similar to podofilox but is less reliable and prone to fungal infection.
Liquid nitrogen cryosurgery is another common form of genital wart treatment. It removes the warts for up to six months. Trichloroacetic acid is used to kill individual warts but it is not as effective as cryosurgery and is not recommended for women. Regular surgical removal is only performed on large warts and has a high risk of scarring. The warts can be removed with a laser but this is no more effective than the rest of these treatments and is more expensive. It is usually only used as a last resort.
Although the warts can be removed and treated, there is no cure for HPV. It is strongly urged by the government and many support groups that you be very careful during sexual intercourse and when choosing your partners.