Just saw Dermatologist.

[345medhelpFAN]

Hello -

In Jan/Feb 2004 I was exposed to a girl with genital warts.  I watched myself closely and noticed nothing.  In May 2004 I do recall seeing what I felt were either two small moles or ingrown hairs, but just nothing that I thought would be warts.  In June of 2004 I saw a urologist to make sure I was in the clear.  I did not specifically point out these two little bumps at the base of my penis, on the front, at the hairline.  He checked me over and said he didn't see any warts.  Sometime over the summer I recall picking at one, I even thought I got rid of it, but it seemed to return.  Fast forward to now.  I decided last week to just make sure everything is ok, before I get serious in a new relationship.  I saw a board certified dermatologist in my area and he knew within seconds they were warts.  He froze them and I follow up in 6 weeks.

My understanding of genital warts is that most people clear the infection/supress the infection, etc within serveral months sometimes longer, sometimes faster.  At this point its been 13-14 months since exposure and almost year since I noticed them.   I would think that my body has suppressed the virus at this point and these warts would have died off eventually.  Or is it the case if you have warts, then you have an active virus?  I just have to believe that I am near the end at this point?  Any thoughts?  Thanks.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I'm afraid that most of the questions you have don't have decisive and clear answers.  Are warts contagious?  Presumably, but it's hard to say exactly how contagious, since many partners live together for years with one having warts and the other not getting them.  Does treating them make them less contagious?  Probably, but you can't say for sure, because some virus could be latent and not visible.  Do condoms prevent spread?  Not known.

So what to do?  The same as the tens of millions of other people who have once had warts--treat them till they're invisible, and make sure your partners get regular Pap smears, which women should do anyway.

I would also have a talk with the dermatologist to clarify these points, and to be sure he was sure, and wasn't just getting rid of them to be on the safe side.....

Sorry for the uncertainty, but that's the limitations of our knowledge, and you don't need to put your life on indefinite hold just because you had warts and treated them.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[345medhelpFAN]

Thanks.  I did a vinegar test before I went to the Dr. out of curiosity and two of the tiny spots did react, appeared a little bit white after a few minutes.  I know vinegar is not accurate, but it makes me think the Dr. was right.  When I go back for my follow up, I will talk to him more and I will also look to see if he is just trigger happy with the liquid nitrogen.

I was a little surprised when he said warts, because a urologist said i had nothing and I was free and clear.  

Warts, like you said in many responses, are typically on the shaft and out where you can see them, you almost know it, when you seem them, this is not how I feel, but I have a follow up and we will see if the freezing did the trick, etc.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Vinegar often gives false positives (meaning it shows white when nothing is there.)  I agree that the fact that the urologist thought they weren't warts warrants at least a little skepticism.

Dr. Rockoff