Wart or Mole?

[cc3456]

Several years ago, I developed what I thought to be a mole in my pubic area, just below my underwear line.  It was light/flesh colored and slightly raised.  I went to the dermatologist, who removed and biopsied it.  While I remember that there was no concern with it, I do not remember specifically what she said it was.  Since then, that 'mole' has grown back, along with 3 others, in the same region.  They all look the same, are not painful or itchy, and cause no problems other than cosmetic annoyance.  I went to a different dermatologist (I have since moved out of state) who is now telling me that it looks like genital warts.  I am concerned because I was not sexually active when these first appeared, several years ago, I have only had one partner since then (my husband who does not have genital warts), the first dermatologist obviously did not think it was a wart, and I know of no source of where I could have contracted genital warts.  The dermatologist plans to biopsy one of them and freeze the rest off.  Do these really sound like genital warts?

[Hollyv]

I am a little confused—Did you see a Dermatologist or a physicians assistant. If you only saw a PA then I would highly recommend a physician and maybe an OB/Gyn instead of Derm. While both should have an understanding of your problem, usually OB/Gyn’s have more expertise in a sexual area. And HPV is usually caused by sexual contact which you did not have. I think the comment of keeping an “open mind” is a little ridiculous because it appears they are guessing on the diagnosis. The new office should want the report in order to treat you effectively and have an understanding of any past medical problems. You should be able to get a copy of your past report because both the past physician should have it and there should be a copy at the lab that was read by the pathologist. It is your right to receive a copy of these reports. You can also request a copy of your physician’s notes, where he/she should have written comments when you visited and when the biopsy was performed. Waiting a few weeks to get that would be helpful instead of just having treatment blindly (and of course paying for it). And, if it were me and I needed a biopsy after you receive your past results, I would just biopsy one and not have the others frozen off until I knew the diagnosis. If you get the biopsy report and you feel comfortable you can post what your original results were. I would ask friends for recommendations of good Dr.’s in your area.

[cc3456]

Thank you!  I have been trying to get that past biopsy report from my previous doctor and have postponed any further treatment from my new doctor until those reports come.  When I told my new doctor that I'd prefer to wait because I had some concerns, she was surprised and told me that I need to keep an open mind about the diagnosis so that she can treat me well.  I am leaning, at this point, towards a new doctor since I am beginning to feel less and less comfortable with this one (PA).  Thank you again for the advice.  

[Hollyv]

I would try to get the biopsy report from your first Doctor and have either him or your new physician explain the report to you. It is really important that you have that information and it is also important to have this information to compare it to the new biopsy. I would be surprised if they were warts that your physician did not explain it to you, so it sounds like it was a benign growth. Genital warts are usually from skin to skin sexual contact, so if you did not have sexual contact, it would be doubtful that they are genital warts. If your husband had past sexual contact, he could give the virus to you and not show signs of warts himself. There are other reasons for lumps and bumps on our body and many of them are benign. I would not worry at this point and just go through the biopsy. Good luck.