Genital Wart? And Whats up with this UTI stuff

[scarredtodeath]

So I have a new girlfriend and we are both pretty safe save for a few times when we had sex without a condom, since about mid may.  I am worried about a bump at the base of my penis that may or may not be a genital wart, there is only one right at the base where the pubic hair begins, so in grooming with a razor I removed it by accident it bled, but not severly.  So I used a hot blade to stop the bleeding, which I normally do with cuts, it hurt but it stopped the bleeding, I put some hydrogen peroxide on it and went on my way.  She does not have any warts or anything of that sort at the moment, and I was told that if I did infact have a GW it would have shown up on her by now.  That being said, is it possible that I have something other than a GW, I had a GF before who never got any...strange, this thing has been around since 01.  
Also she has gotten two UTIs from us having sex, is there a way that I can prevent these, her doctor told her that they are not STI related and that I was not the cause, that it could have been anatomical and or chemical.  Do you agree with this dr?  Thanks for the help and any suggestions regarding both topics will be greatly appreciated.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Genital warts of the penis are most common on the parts of the penis that receive the most friction during sex, i.e. the head and shaft.  A single lesion at the base of the penis could be a wart, but other things are more common.  Molluscum contagiosum, due to another virus, sounds like a possibility; it is a trivial condition with no serious outcomes, but it can be sexually transmitted.  But the bottom line is that you have to see a health care provider; you'll never know for sure what's going on until you are examined professionally.  Absence of warts in your partner is only a slight clue.  It could mean it isn't a wart, but many wart virus infections are asymptomatic, especially in women, who can have internal warts that they don't notice.

Your partner's doctor is right about her urinary tract infections; you are not the source.  UTIs in women are often triggered by sex.  This is even recognized in folklore:  'honeymoon cystitis' has been recognized for hundreds of years in women soon after they become sexually active.  (Cystitis means bladder infection.)  The bacteria that cause UTI are not transmitted by sex.  They exist in and around the vagina and are 'massaged' into the urethra (urinary opening) during sex.  For women in whom this remains a frequent problem, sometimes her doc will prescribe an antibiotic pill to be taken after sex (or 3 times a week if sex is more frequent than that).

Good luck--- HHH, MD

[monkeyflower]

Lots of women are prone to UTIs, particularly after sex. It doesn't have anything to do with you per se; it's because the friction of intercourse massages bacteria already on her vulva (usually e.coli) into her urethra.

So, what to do. The usual advice is to drink plenty of water, and urinate before and immediately after intercourse. Some women find drinking cranberry juice every day is helpful in preventing UTIs; you probably don't have to get 100% cranberry juice (tart--sort of like lemon juice), but a mostly-cranberry juice will do. If this continues to be a problem, her doctor might give her a prophylactic antibiotic to take every time you have sex, or if it's not just related to sex, maybe a long-term antibiotic regimen. But that's up to your gf and her doctor...

Also, is she well lubricated during intercourse? I have nothing to back this up, but I think dry sex is bound to produce way more friction and discomfort all the way around. If lubrication's an issue, buy and always use some water-based lube like Astroglide (you should always use lube anyway--her natural lube will ebb and flow, and using lube makes for more consistently comfortable, pleasurable, and slippery sex). When it gets sticky, just add water or saliva.

[scarredtodeath]

So you think it is more than likely not a GW?  I sprayed it with vinegar, and nothing happened to it, this thing has been around for 6 years, my Mom told me Warts dont last that long, no matter how bad they are.  
Thank you for the advice on the the UTI matter, I will bring it to her attention!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your mom is right; no wart lasts 6 years.  Same for molluscum contagiosum.  Your original question didn't say how long you had the bump.  It has to be a skin tag, fibroma, mole, or some similar problem--nothing you can transmit to another persson.

[scarredtodeath]

So how long does a wart last for information's sake?  And I went to the derma, and they said it was more than likely a skin tag, that will continue to come back....so it needs to be cryo'd!  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

More information that should have been provided in your original question!  Why in heaven's name didn't you say you had been to a dermatologist??  A dermatologist's opinion from direct examinatinon is much more reliable than an online opinion from me or anyone else.  Since s/he said you have a skin tag, that's what it is.

Warts generally go away within a few months, rarely longer than 1-2 years.

This is my last comment.

[concerned66]

Genital warts of the penis are most common on the parts of the penis that receive the most friction during sex, i.e. the head and shaft.

is this true even with a condom?

[concerned66]

ive had a wart on my hand for over 14 years...... do they behave the same way as genital warts as in they clear within 1-2 years?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

In theory, warts might be more common at the base of the penis in condom users.

I repeat no wart lasts 6 (or 14) years.  Most likely the bump on your hand either never was a wart, but some other sort of skin lesion (mole, fibroma, etc); or it was originally a wart, but the wart tissue has long since been replaced with scar tissue or normal skin.  If you don't believe me, show it to a health care provider, preferably a dermatologist.

If I correctly remember your username, you have found a number of opportunities to sneak in personal health questions on other threads.  It's time to stop.  Feel free to comment, but I'll delete any future questions related directly to your health/STD concerns.