Warts Questions

Hi Doctor,

I cannot get into see a recommended dermatologist for over a month and I have some questions regarding genital warts that were treated.

5 years ago, I had a visual diagnosis of genital warts by a GP doctor.  I had them frozen.  About 6 months ago, I noticed some growths which looked like warts in my anal area but none in my vaginal area.  I went to my OB-GYN for visual inspection.  She removed a large growth from my rectal area for biopsy and froze the smaller ones.  I went for 2 treatments and then went for a follow-up and she confirmed they were visually gone.  Then, I called for the biopsy results and they told me it was a skin tag and not consistent with genital warts. She only did a biopsy on this particular growth. When I started asking questions, she really did not have any information available to me.

Now, I am completely cofused.  How could the biopsy not show it was a wart or could it have just been that particular growth that was removed was not a wart?  Then, 2 months ago, I had a pap test done which included HPV test and it came back normal/negative.  Now, I am again confused.  Could it have cleared or would it have showed up at all?  This was 4 months after the removal.

My questions are as follows:

1.  Based on the information I provided, do you think I could have had gential (genital) warts?

2.  Would a Dermatologist be able to do any sort of test/inspection now with the growths removed?  I really would like to know if I had warts or still have the virus?  

3.  If I did have warts, now, more than 6 months later, is there any possibility I am still able to pass the virus to a partner?  I am in a new relationship and absolutely do not want to tell my current partner about this.  I am not having sexual intercourse yet and certainly tell them when I do but I am not sure if I will move to that point.  There is lots of touching, oral sex, etc.  Am I putting them at any risk?

4.  Is there any DNA test I can have done?  Every STD clinic I have spoken to had no advice on this and and I received conflicting information.  I cannot find any doctors in my area that specialize in HPV or STDs so should I stick with the dermatologies appointment?

Thank you for your help, this is driving me crazy.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

1. Based on the information I provided, do you think I could have had genital warts?
Could have had, yes.  It's also possible that you didn't.  Certainly the anal growths seem not to have been warts.  As for the vaginal ones, there's no way to prove it one way or another.  Perhaps you can call the GP and ask whether, in light of the negative biopsy results, he or she was sure on inspection grounds (which is the usual way the diagnosis is made.)

2. Would a Dermatologist be able to do any sort of test/inspection now with the growths removed? I really would like to know if I had warts or still have the virus?
If there's nothing there now, the dermatologist won't be able to tell.

3. If I did have warts, now, more than 6 months later, is there any possibility I am still able to pass the virus to a partner? I am in a new relationship and absolutely do not want to tell my current partner about this. I am not having sexual intercourse yet and certainly tell them when I do but I am not sure if I will move to that point. There is lots of touching, oral sex, etc. Am I putting them at any risk?
This is a reasonable question, but no definitive answer can be given.  We simply don't know whether the virus is still present (in your skin, not in you), and whether it's transmissible.  This is true for all warts, genital or otherwise.  The sensible (and responsible) thing to do is to get rid of the warts (which you did, if indeed you had them), and that's it.  If there is any risk, it's a small one, and there's nothing you can do about it anyway.  I think it would be reasonable for you to not bring it up with a new partner at this point.

4. Is there any DNA test I can have done? Every STD clinic I have spoken to had no advice on this and and I received conflicting information. I cannot find any doctors in my area that specialize in HPV or STDs so should I stick with the dermatologies appointment?
Not that I know of.

Sorry I can't dispel your uncertainty more definitively.  That's the limits of our knowledge at this point.  Keep in mind that tens of millions of people have had genital warts, and their life goes on.  Yours should too.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[confused in london]

So its been really hot and sticky here lately and with all of the walking around I've been sweating quite a bit. A few weeks ago as i'm walking and my groin area was quite sticky some of my pubic hairs most definitely were tangled up and i chose to ignore it for a while till it was so painful that I went into a bathroom to investigate.. sure enough they had knotted up and been basically ripped out of the side of my thigh near my crotch. A few days later i noticed a small bump that is flesh colored but red at times because it is constantly irritated by the friction of just walking -- I think it's a skin tag but I'm not sure and was wondering if you could let me know waht you think and if this would be a typical way a skin tag would form??