When a male gets genital warts, the condition can be both physically irritating and psychologically distressing due to embarrassment. Not a lot is known about the subject outside of medical circles as the very nature of the ailment means people dislike talking about it – just think about it, you wouldn’t exactly start up a conversation say, at a dinner party or in a wine bar on the topic of genital warts, would you? That is why this article aims to set out a few basics about male genital warts.

Causes

Genital warts are actually benign skin tumors belonging to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and you may find it quite unnerving to know that there are actually over sixty different types. The virus is a sexually transmitted condition which usually hits people in their 20’s.

Male genital warts are one of the more common sexually transmitted infections. This is because the HPV can transfer itself through any slight cut in the skin during skin-to-skin contact. Around 65% of people who come into contact with the virus will contract it within about three months. However, most carriers may not have any visible external symptoms as their warts can be so flat that they are invisible to the naked eye. Therefore, just because you may not see any warts on the person you’re with, it doesn’t mean you aren’t at risk from catching the virus. HPV can have an extremely long incubation period ranging from months to sometimes years during which someone may be infected but will not have any external symptoms.

Although the most common cause of genital warts is through sexual contact, in rare cases it is possible to contract the virus through indirect contact such as an infected towel. Babies are even susceptible to it during delivery.

Symptoms

Genital warts generally appear around two to four weeks after infection, but, as already noted, this incubation period varies greatly and ranges from months to sometimes years.

The warts themselves do not usually hurt but they are itchy and can grow on their own or in groups. In males, they congregate on the penis, underneath the foreskin, near the anus, and between the penis and scrotum. A wart can be flat with stalks or have a rough cauliflower appearance. They may also be so flat that they cannot be seen and the only way to know you have the virus is that the area will have an itchy or burning sensation.

A very good way to stop contracting the virus is to practice safe sex. Even so, this is not guaranteed. A condom will stop a great deal of skin to skin contact but inevitably, areas of skin infected with the virus will be exposed. The best prevention method, other than abstaining completely, is to keep to one exclusive sexual partner.

Although the body’s immune system can usually clear the virus within eight to thirteen months, it is always best to seek some form of treatment to stop another outbreak occurring.

© Megan Jackson

Megan is a teacher who likes to help people with genital warts issues. She is also a platinum-level expert author on EzineArticles.com which is the world’s largest article directory. Megan recommends using natural and homeopathic approaches such as Wartrol. For a special discount, just click here.