Confused about my doctors advice

Hi --  just got back from the doctor's office, where I was examined for a strange growth on my anus. I'm confused about some things he said, and I'm wondering if you can clarify.

I had gone in because I saw/felt a white or gray lump. He said it was "thickening of the skin" caused by irritation.  I said I was relieved because I was afraid it was a wart. He then replied that a wart is actually one of the things that could cause it, but added that it could either be HPV or a "regular wart." I thought all warts were caused by HPV?

I have an appointment scheduled for a biopsy to see if that's what it is. Can you make some sense of this for me? How is "thickening of the skin that's caused by irritation" related to a wart? And how can a wart be anything other than HPV?

[Jasmina Jankicevic, MD, MSc, CCRP]

Welcome to the Dermatology Expert Forum.

There are quite a few differential diagnoses for perianal “lump”. Results of a biopsy combined with clinical manifestations should be sufficient to your dermatologist to establish the correct diagnosis.

Regarding your question about warts - they are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of HPV. Different types of HPV cause different types of warts.    Clinically, warts are usually small, flesh-colored, white, pink or tan, somewhat, not as smooth the touch as healthy skin.

Wishing You Optimal Heath,
Dr. Jasmina Jankicevic

[ptf2476]

As an update: He described the condition as hyperkeratosis, and said it could be caused by multiple things, including possibly warts. Shouldn't warts be easily diagnosed by sight?

[draob5]

Asymptomatic hyperkeratotic lesions on the anal region usually one of three causes :
1-skin tag ,
2-condyloma acumenata  --------------    HPV
3- condyloma lata  -------------------------   syphilis 2econdary stage