What are genital warts and why should I worry about them? Won’t they just go away by themselves?
The viruses causing warts are usually types 6 and 11. They are associated with chronic warty lesions of the anus and genital area. They are not dangerous usually. But they may lead to lesions in the respiratory tract of the baby when infected mothers deliver their baby through the vagina. Also they are a common lesion on the vocal cords of adults probably acquired by oral sex. In some women, these lesions are associated with abnormal Pap smears and precancerous lesions of the outer portion of the genitalia. In both sexes, they are associated with precancerous lesions of the anal area. Their treatments are painful and may lead to scarring and pain with sex, even many years after the treatment. The warts are associated with anxiety, fear of cancer, depression, guilt, shame and loss of sexual interest.
