Up until the early 1900s, genital warts were thought
to be a form of syphilis or gonorrhea. These are both
sexually transmitted diseases. Human Papilloma Virus
which causes genital warts is also a sexually transmitted
disease and in fact is now the most commonly transmitted
STD. Although it is known that there are over 100
strains of HPV, some medical researchers believe the
number to be as high as 130 or more. Some of these
strains of HPV can cause
genital warts including flat genital warts while
other strains cause the common or flat warts which
usually occur in children.
The two completely different types of warts should
not be confused.
Flat genital warts is just a descriptive term to
describe all the different genital warts when they
happen to have a flat appearance. If genital warts
appear, they usually occur as small growths on the
genital areas. They can be small individual warts
or they can accumulate into large groups of warts
on the genital tissues. And of course they can be
flat in appearance. If not treated, a genital wart
may grow quickly and take on a fleshy and cauliflower-like
appearance. The first indication of their presence
may well be a painful or itchy feeling in that area
particularly during sexual intercourse.
These genital warts can appear in the vagina, cervix,
on the penis and in the anal area. All of them are
very contagious and are primarily transmitted through
sexual contact. Once the virus becomes established
in the genital skin area and beyond in the vagina,
the cervix or the anus, it can either remain dormant
or multiply to cause a genital wart. The genital wart
is the most contagious stage but a dormant virus can
also be infectious and condoms do not necessarily
protect either party against infection.
Flat
warts are benign tumors and as we have said, they
usually occur in children. Flat warts are only about
the size of a pinhead and end in a point off the skin.
They are smoother than other kinds of warts and have
flat tops. Flat warts can affect any area of the body
(apart from the genitalia) but usually appear on the
face, fingers, hands, arms and knees and sometimes
in clusters with as many as a hundred together. Even
though flat warts are so small, they may have a negative
effect on the child’s self image and occasionally
they itch or hurt.
There are many other names given to flat warts such
as juvenile warts, periungual warts, plantar
warts, verrucas
and subungnual warts. Flat warts are similar to the
color of the skin and can therefore be pink, brown
or yellow. About 25% of warts disappear within 6 months
while most will go away in 2 to 3 years. They are
quite common in childhood and usually cause no serious
problems. But if they are a nuisance to your child,
they can be treated successfully.
Go
to our Genital Warts Treatment page
