Surprising facts about genital warts

Imagine your penis or vagina with some scary, ugly and painful pumps? Really, if you give serious thoughts to such things, you would never ever have unprotected sex again. In fact, you would choose to abstain.

Genital warts are a sad and painful reality that some people have to deal with. You might already know about the normal skin warts that most people have, and they are not attractive either. But luckily, they are not painful. But genital warts, it’s something else altogether. Something you don’t want to ever experience.

ALSO READ: 5 possible reasons why you have vaginal pimples

And we are not just scaring you. It’s just putting things clear in black and white. Without further ado, Let’s have a look at some facts about these little demons that attack the nether regions, shall we?

1. They are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

Genital warts(Fiveprime) Pulse Live Kenya

HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection. There are over 38 types of the HPV virus and studies show that over 50% of sexually active men and women between the age of 15-49 have been infected by one or more types of the genital virus. All the same, of all the 38 types of this virus, only two of them (type 6 and 11) are clearly linked to genital warts.

2. Condoms are not safe

Banana with condom(Sexual Health Quarters) Why you lose erection with condom Pulse Live Kenya

While condoms have been known to be effective in the prevention of HIV and some sexually transmitted diseases, they are not completely safe when it comes to genital warts. Well, they may protect you from this virus to some level, but it’s still possible to get infected. This is due to the fact that the condom only covers some part of the private parts. As such, if the infected part comes into contact with your partner’s genitals, they get infected.

3. Your clitoris will be affected as well

Genital warts affect different parts(Shape Magazine) Pulse Live Kenya

Another study showed that genital warts are not usually uniformly distributed in your genitals. Some of the areas are more affected than others. This study showed that in women, warts were mostly found at the entrance of the vagina and the clitoris. In men, the warts were mostly distributed around the tip of the penis and the skin adjacent to the head. Other parts that are likely to be affected by warts included the anus, cervix, scrotum, perineum and the shaft of the penis.

4. They are common among uncircumcised men

One of the reasons why men are encouraged to face the knife is to reduce the risk of being infected with HIV. All the same, research shows a connection between genital warts and uncircumcised men. Warts have been found to be more common among uncircumcised men.

5. Your hygiene plays a part

Although hygiene does not necessarily cause genital warts, studies show that patients who neglect personal hygiene will have more warts and large ones for that matter. Also, the symptoms are more distressing in such patients.

6. If you have warts, you could have other infections

People with genital warts are likely to have other infections(Mandatory) Pulse Live Kenya

It has been found that patients with genital warts are more likely to have other infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, urethritis, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. One study found that gonorrhea was common among women with genital warts while urethritis was common among men with genital warts.

7. They worsen during pregnancy

Pregnant woman kneeling(BabyCentre) Pulse Live Kenya

Genital warts tend to enlarge and extend more during pregnancy. In some women, warts can be very dangerous to the extent that delivery becomes problematic.