Genital wart is known by different names, such as
1.    Condyloma
2.    Condylomata acuminate
3.    Venereal wart
4.    Verruca acuminata
5.    Anogenital wart or anal wart
6.    Fig wart
7.    Moist wart
8.    Pointed wart
May be there are other names also. However, these small growths can sometimes be very painful and itchy. They are caused by some subtypes of Human papillomavirus. Human papillomavirus is kind of a viral infection with many strains. Among all the strains, types 6 and 11 cause 90% of all genital wart cases. Sometimes these growths can lead to cancer. However, most of them are benign.

Before talking about removing genital warts, let us look at the symptoms that will help us identify them. They occur on skins and mucus membrane lining. They can be very tiny or spread into large masses in genital or penis area. Sometimes, they are so tiny that they cannot be detected by human eye. Sometimes they multiply rapidly to form clusters. They can have the appearance of small flat bumps. Sometimes they have a cauliflower like growth.

In women, it grows inside the vagina, in the opening of the uterus or around the anus. In men, it grows around the tip of the penis, as well as on the shaft and the scrotum. They also grow around the anus in men.  Genital warts can grow inside the throat of those, who indulge in oral sex with infected partners. Other than being highly contagious, these warts have a capacity to travel from one part of the body to another.

 Remember, genital warts are spread through direct skin-to-skin contact during oral, genital and anal sex. To make matter worse, only 1% of those infected, develop clinically obvious warts, but those infected can still transmit the virus to their sexual partners. Therefore, you will not know if your partner is infected with HPV or not.

Actually it so happens that once the viral particles penetrate the skin and mucosal surface through microscopic abrasions in genital area that occur during sexual activities, a latency period of months and even years occurs. The HPV can remain in such latent stage for years without any outward symptoms, but can infect others as easily as manifested warts do. Eventually though, the body’s immune system clears these latent Human papillomavirus. However, they may have infected others by this time.

The good news is that it is not hard to cure genital warts. However, better news is that a vaccine has been developed, which can protect you from Human papillomavirus. Gardasil, like all vaccines, is a preventive medicine, not a therapeutic. Therefore, Gardasil should be used before exposure, ideally before beginning of a sexual activity. This vaccine is widely approved for use by the sex workers, who are overtly vulnerable to HPV exposure.

When we say that it is not hard to cure genital warts, we do mean the genital warts only.  Human papillomavirus is not curable by mainstream medicine. However, some alternative medicines claim to cure HPV. Mainstream treatment stresses on removing genital warts, rather than on curing HPV. Some claim that treatment of visible warts reduces their infectivity. However, there is no proof that removal of visible warts really reduces transmission.

All most all allopathic genital warts medication can cause depigmentation or scarring. Medications are of two types: Self-applied medications include:
1.    Podophyllotoxin solution – it is used in a gel or a cream
2.    Immiquimod – it is a topical immune response cream
3.    Sinecatechins -  is an ointment extracted from green tea.
Doctor-applied medications include:
1.    Liquid Nitrogen Cryosurgery – it freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen
2.    Trichloroacetic acid – it is less effective than cryosurgery
3.    A 20% podophyllin anti-mitotic solution – it is applied to the effected area and then washed off
4.    Interferon – it is effective, though bit expensive.
5.    Surgical excision – it is best for large warts
6.    Laser ablation – it is not more effective than surgical excision, but is used as last resort, it is extremely expensive

Alternate medicines such as Homeopathic and Herbal medicines have many genital warts medications. They not only claim they can cure genital warts, but also claim to have cure for Human papillomavirus. There is some genital warts medication, which is for local use only. These medications claim that they will draw out the warts along with the roots with no burning or skin irritation. The warts will then flake away without leaving any scars. Others offer pills to be taken orally along with locally applied medications to combat HPV.

Time taken for removing genital warts by alternate medicines depend upon the quality and size of the warts and also upon the immune system of the particular patient. The alternate medications claim warts removed will not come out again, something the mainstream medicines cannot. Therefore, it is worthwhile to try alternate medicines, if you have faith in them.