Anal Warts

What are anal warts?

Anal warts, also called condyloma accuminata, are growths on the surface of the skin. Condyloma can grow inside and outside the anus and can spread to infect the genitals. Anal warts are fleshy growths that vary in size and color. They can be solitary or grow in groups.

Anal warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which lives on the surface of the skin. HPV spreads through skin-to-skin contact and can be transmitted through sexual and nonsexual contact via fluids or direct contact with anyone who is infected with HPV.

Most commonly, HPV is transmitted through sexual contact. While condoms can decrease your risk of transmitting the disease, they do not entirely protect you from infecting someone else or being infected by someone else.

If you have anal warts, it’s important that you get treated to avoid worsening the disease and spreading the infection to others. HPV and anal warts significantly increase your risk of getting cervical, anal, vaginal, or vulvar cancer.

What are the symptoms of anal warts?

Anal warts aren’t usually painful or tender, so they can be easy to ignore or misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids. Anal or genital warts are moist, fleshy, and situated on or near the anus. They can be grey, brown, or the color of your skin.

Other symptoms include:

• Bleeding, especially after passing stool
• Anal itching
• Anal drainage, such as mucous

If you suspect you or your partner has anal or genital warts, it’s important that you seek treatment and take precautions to prevent spreading the infection.

Who’s at risk of anal warts?

You can be at high risk of having or spreading HPV and anal warts if you:

• Have multiple sexual partners
• Have any sexual contact, including oral sex
• Have unprotected sexual contact
• Have a history of sexually transmitted disease (STD)
• Your partner has anal warts or an STD

To decrease the spread of HPV and anal warts, seek treatment if you suspect you or your partner is infected, abstain from sexual contact, limit your number of sexual partners, and never have sex without using a condom.

What treatments are used to eliminate anal warts?

Typically, anal warts are initially treated using topical medications. If this treatment isn’t effective, surgery might be required to remove your anal warts. A number of surgical options include:

• Laser removal
• Surgical excision, requiring local or general anesthesia
• Cryotherapy, using cold temperatures to kill HPV

Surgery is usually the best option to treat your anal warts completely and avoid recurrence. You can trust the providers at Progressive Surgical Care to offer quality, compassionate treatment catering to members of the LGBTQ+ community .

For a consultation about your anal warts, call or schedule an appointment online today with Progressive Surgical Care.