Genital Warts

A girl I am dating was previously diagnosed with HPV.  She said that the warts were taken care of and that they have not returned.  It has been a year since their removal.  Is it likely they will return to her?  I have heard that they are very contagious and that condoms do not adequately protect from it.  Please let me know what the chances of recurrance are and, if so, how contagious this can be.

Thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

The warts may come back and cannot be prevented.  It's hard to say how contagious they are.  There is no evidence that condoms can prevent recurrence.

Basically, sex is a gamble, in more ways than this.  Every partner you will ever have might have been exposed to HPV, whether they know and tell you or not (and they may not know.)  

If your girlfriend has no active lesions now, that's the best evidence you're going to get that contagion is unlikely.  It's not perfect, but that's what there is.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff