Genital warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus or HPV, for short.  They are unsightly, gray or flesh-colored growths that resemble lesions or blisters.  Just like all other types of warts, they appear on the skin in clusters and spread easily through skin-on-skin contact.

While the warts themselves can be removed through various methods of treatment, there is no specific cure for the viral infection that causes genital warts.  This means, once diagnosed, it is highly recommended that you seek treatment of genital warts immediately.  This may sound easier than it really is – contracting genital warts is not as readily accepted by anyone as say, getting chicken pox.  Once this infection has been confirmed by a doctor, it usually means a probe of some kind into your personal life and sexual preferences and habits.  And usually, the probe will reveal an immediate need for you to change them.  Most people would deny such so-called unsavory sexual habits, making it even more difficult for doctors to specify their source.

It is also an important point to note that once these warts have appeared, they may recur in the future at any time.  This is because it is not possible to rid the body or area of every single virus cell that causes genital warts – for the moment, there is a small number of viruses left behind which will be too weak or inactive to be activated.  This number may increase with time or, should fate have it, be reactivated through another skin or sexual contact.

Given the unattractive scenario, what is a cure for genital warts?  As mentioned earlier, there is no guarantee that once contracted, they will never return to the same spot.  So, once cleared of these warts, you should consider:

-    Practicing safer sex.  Use a condom at all times, until and unless you are absolutely sure of your partner’s sexual history or have been together for a while before resorting back to condom-less intercourse.  As genital warts can be transferred through oral and anal sex as well, the condom, obviously, is not a sure-fire way of NOT contracting genital warts.

-    Asking your partner if he or she has checked for genital warts.  This type of warts is unique in that a person can be infected with the virus without showing any obvious physical signs of contracting HPV in their systems.  This means you or your partner may, unsuspectingly, be transferring the virus to each other.  If only one of you has checked, being diagnosed with genital warts usually means one of you has had sex or some kind of sexual encounter with a third party.

-    Abstaining from any sexual encounters.  Taking note that HPV can be transferred even without full sexual intercourse, once diagnosed and when treatment for genital warts is completed, it would be a good idea to just abstain from any sexual adventures for a while.  Unfortunately, there is no known effective “cooling off” period – it is best to just wait for a few months, at least, to make sure the warts do not come back.

Scientifically, one cure for genital warts is with medication.  Genital wart cream is available at most pharmacies and clinics with a prescription.  These are antifungal creams – some of which are pretty harsh on the skin.  These may cause some skin irritation upon use.
Stronger types of genital wart creams may require topical application by the doctors.  This means they are applied onto the infected area only in the doctor’s office.  This is a precaution as too much application may cause harsher reactions or more extensive recurrence of the warts.

Some creams, like Aldara, may cause local skin irritation upon application.  On top of that, most do not guarantee a non-recurrence without some kind of change to lifestyle or sexual habits.
You can also “make” your own genital wart cream.  These are natural, homemade products that have definitely do not have any preservatives or additives in them.  And as you made them yourself, you know they are safe to use on your most private parts.  The most popular ingredients for DIY genital wart creams are:

1.    Garlic

2.    Yogurt – unsweetened and unflavored

3.    Vinegar

4.    Herbs like basil, rosemary and thyme

Other homegrown ingredients are also popular but these, by far, top the list as the must-haves in genital wart home remedies.

Having genital warts is no laughing matter.  It is time to start investigating how they got transferred.  As they can only be passed on through sexual encounters, that narrows down your search so have a good look at yourself (and your partner, if you have one).

Genital warts could be the wake-up call you needed to change your lifestyle.