whitehead/blister like bumps - genital warts???

hello, i am a 30yr old hispanic male and i have 3 very small blister or whitehead like bumps in my pubic area and shaft. no wider than 1mm, if that. only slightly pronounced and the appear whitish-pinkish. edges seem perfectly round, they look rather smooth and are all the same size.

a couple are in my upper pubic region somewhat near each other, and one in my foreskin. i first noticed them back in mid-december after shaving (trimmed w/clippers, i never use a blade). i have noticed a few more whitish ones randomly around my shaft and foreskin when i pull the skin taught, but those are pin-head size.

no rashes ever, none of them itch, burn, or bother me at all, aside from knowing they are there. they are not grouped together or appear in any discernable pattern. it's been 4 months and they have not changed at all that i can tell, so i dont think its herpes...

does this sound like genital warts? all the pics ive seen online appear to only be of advanced cauliflower cases, or ones large enough to protrude noticably. am i simply worrying too much?

[anon920]

::bump::

I've come to the conclusion that they must be... I'm going to try either the std clinic or a dermo. though with no insurance i dont really feel like paying $200 for a visit then god knows how much for removal. i hear the clinics provide a cream of some sort? how well do those work, and will the clinic do any sorta biopsy sample to see what strain i have?

More importantly after delving into the expert forums for a while, am I correct in the following:

1) hpv is so common, that virtually anyone sexually active, safe sex or not, will be exposed to it at some point anyway. there is no need to feel a "guilt" for contracting it, its almost just a fact of being sexually active at this point.

2) your body, with a healthy immune system, will fight off hpv on its own in about 1yr, by developing an immunity that keeps it dormant. when it does, any warts go away on their own, *with or without removal/treatment* (tho removal/treatment helps speed things up a bit).

3) recurrence after the above is quite rare (if at all), due to the immunity you've developed once the body fights it off.

4) after it is gone, and with 6-12mo w/no recurrence, you can consider yourself "cured". -current- tests cannot discern between inactive strains being free from the system, or simply dormant, so its safer to assume a lifelong state of dormancy (resulting in the ill-informed "its for life, there is no cure" stigma).

5) at this "cured" point, transmission risk to an unprotected partner is so low, there is no need to worry about it. sexual activity with a partner infected with the same strain(s) you were, will not exacerbate existing warts on them, spread them, or instigate a recurrence in you (reinfection?) if you already overcame it yourself (immunity).

so with the above in mind (in regards to a single strain), can i view it sort of like catching the chickenpox? i.e. you catch it once, get over it, and you're good. sure it stays dormant in your system, but henceforth recurrence is rare and infection to others almost nil???

Any replies are greatly appreciated. Also this is as far as a male is concerned. I am aware infections in females can pose more complications.

[Mags370]

Look at my pics for what my vaginal warts look like. I saw your first post but thought maybe one of the guys would answer. They know more about what the male experience is like. Mine were never white and the fact yours have not changes they could be just any normal sort of skin condition. Having several, the lack of pain or itching and location does relate to warts. Def doesn't sound like herpes which would be painful sores.

Answers:
1. TRUE! :)
2. True, with warts treatment often speeds up the process and prevents having excessive growth. Also the smaller the warts the easier to treat and the less treatment is needed.
3. It takes about 24 months for the body to fight off HPV. Some people do have flare ups but that is not the norm.
4. True
5. There are almost 40 high and low risk gential (genital) strains of HPV. So if you have unprotected sexual contact with someone who has a strain you have not had then you could get the new strain (s) and repeat the process of clearing it from your system. You may not develope symptoms and not even know.

Yes, it is only important for women to get yearly paps, men to have yearly exams and both sexes to have their dental exams on time. Otherwise there is not a high risk of serious health issues. Prevention is the key.

You have done a great job educating yourself without panic and fears! Hope all goes well with your seeking medical attention.