HPV or Molluscum?

[brian_g]

About a year ago, I had an outbreak of small flesh colored bumps on my genital area which have been visually identified as genital warts by three different doctors.  These bumps however, can be popped with relative ease, and a hard white core comes out and then the area bleeds profusely (I didn't tell the doctors that they could be popped).  My question is, if I know for a fact that these are the same bumps that I have had from day one and that they can be popped, does that eliminate genital warts as a possible diagnosis? I have read and spoken to people about warts and the consensus is that you cannot pop them because there is no discharge.  I feel 95% confident that all 3 doctors misdiagnosed these bumps due to this deductive reasoning but I would like some more insight.

[ibizan]

I remember Dr.Hook saying the same thing about the difference between the two in the forum....and the hard white core being a symptom of the MC........as for doctors i think u can get five in a room and each will have a different opinion/diagnosis!

[brian_g]

Thanks for the website, this sounds like an exact description of what I have.  I keep reading the clear cut difference between the two is that a molluscum legion has a hard white core inside and a genital wart does not, which is what I am showing.  I find it baffling that 3 doctors could all diagnose these bumps as genital warts when they clearly are not.  Is it possible that since the treatments for both the viruses are the same, doctors just assume you have genital warts if they cannot accurately distinguish between the two possible viral infections?

[ibizan]

go to www.ashastd.org and click ont2 mulluscum contagiousum on left side of links...and see if this info is pertinent to what u have.this is a very reliable website...Drs.Hook and Handsfield in the Experts Forum sit on the board and refer others 2 it.

[brian_g]

Thanks for the link.  I guess my real question is, can a wart be popped and does it have a hard white central core?  From what I have garnered, warts have no discharge and are just mutated skin and cannot be popped.  People I have spoken to who have had genital warts say they cannot be popped and what I have is not warts, yet 3 doctors looked at said they look like genital hpv warts.  I cannot get a biopsy because there are no more bumps to biopsy since they have been gone for a couple months now.

[empathy60]

Many qualified health care professionals can competently diagnose genital warts.  However, misdiagnoses is always possible.  If three doctors had told me these were indeed genital warts, I would feel confident believing them.  I would ask your doctor to biopsy one of the bumps to see what it is if you are having such strong doubts.

You may also want to check out the expert forum for questions similar to yours.  This one may be relevant to your questions:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/249418

Hope this helps.