Warts?? I'm scared!!

About 4 months ago i noticed very very small (1-2mm) bumps (5-12 on each lip) on the inner lips of my vagina, i went to see the doctor about them and she said that they aren't warts because they don't look like them, she told me that they were cysts and that i couldn't really do anything about them. That provided me with a bit of comfort since i had recently tried to have unprotected sex with a guy, it was too painful for me though so we didn't fo through with it. i had told this to the doctor and had said i was concerned about std's even though i didn't have prolonged contact with his penis and it was in water and becuase i wasn't sure of his sexual history and his friends had told me that he got around alot. I examine them almost everyday and they don't go away or get larger but i have noticed 1 or 2 more recently and am scared to have sex with my bf because i don't want to give him whatever it is that i might have. The bumps are small, white, mostly flat, they aren't round, they are kinda cualiflower shaped and they don't itche, i have tried popping them but it hurts. please help!!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

As I have said before in this forum, I cannot "compete" in diagnosis with the opnion of a knowledgable health care provider who has examined you personally.  Assuming your doctor is experienced (e.g., a gynecologist or a family medicine doctor who has seen lots of genital warts), you probably can be pretty sure you don't have warts.  However, it can be difficult to be certain about small lesions, and "cauliflower shaped" cerrtainly sounds like warts are a possibility.  So I suggest you return to your doctor and ask her to check them again.

In any case, it doesn't sound serious.  Neither warts, sebaceous cysts, skin tags, or other conditions like you describe should cause pain.  The most common cause of painful intercourse is vaginismus, i.e. spasm of the muscles around the vaginal opening--which in turn is usually due to fear or anxiety (of which you seem to have plenty).

Finally, I'm not sure what you mean about having sex "in water" (in the shower, hot tub, etc??).  Anyway, that would not protect against STD.

Bottom line:  Go back to your doctor, tell her the entire story, and rely on her advice.  Good luck--   HHH, MD