HPV Possible Transmission And Treatment On Genital Warts

[tiger39704]

Hi, i've been reading a lot in this website and would like to ask several questions just to clear my doubts. I hope doctor can help me..

1. It has been said that we can clear up HPV infection by ourselves within 1-2 years time. If my body has been able to clear up my HPV infection, can I still transmit the virus to others?

2. Considering that i've been living with HPV for over a year, if let's say I have new genital warts and let's say I don't treat them, would it spread to other area of my penis? and is it possible for those warts to fall off when my body has been able to take care of the virus itself?

3. i've noticed a small white dot on the back of my penis but it's flat. When I said flat, it's totally flat, just like genital wart scars (i have them on the top of my penis). I dont remember if there was this white round dot there, do you think it's possible that it's a new wart? A new wart that's totally flat, and not raised at all?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sorry, we do not debate other web-sites, directly or indirectly here.  If you have had warts recently treated there may be areas of skin that are lighter in color as healing occurs but this resolves with time an is not scarring.  Your skin changes following cautery should resolve with time.  

If there is not visible recurrence of warts 3 months following your treatment, you can consider yourself cured an need not worry about recurrence.  

You need to be discussing these things with your own doctor. EWH

[tiger39704]

also doc, how do I know when will my body be able to clear up the infection? How many months after last outbreak should I wait?

[tiger39704]

hi thank you for your answers doc. i just want to ask you another question after you said that scarring is unusual. Well according to this page:

http://www.doctorgoodskin.com/ds/genitalwarts/faqs.php

Genital warts & scarring
Many times, genital warts may leave scars after they heal. The skin may look different after the warts heal. Your skin may look different than before because of scars or hyper-pigmentation

i believe that's what happened to me? This doctor did electrocauterization on me and ever since then (been 13 months) i have these scars on the top of my penis. My penis color is not white, it's a bit brown, and the scars are white (brighter than my penis original skin color basically). If i get erected, the scar colors would blend with my penis and i would hardly notice them anymore (as the skin get stretched, perhaps?)

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll be pleased to provide some answers to your questions.  Before I do however, I want to raise another issue.  I note that you mention both a flat lesion and scars from prior genital warts. Both are rather unusual and make me wonder about the diagnosis.  There are many genital lesions that are mistaken as warts, perhaps because warts are so very common.  Both patient and health care provider diagnoses are sometimes wrong.  Please make sure that the lesions you have mentioned are indeed warts.  You may wish to have a dermatologist take a look.   Now, on the your questions-

1. It has been said that we can clear up HPV infection by ourselves within 1-2 years time. If my body has been able to clear up my HPV infection, can I still transmit the virus to others?
No, once your body has eliminated the infection you should not be infectious to others.  

2. Considering that i've been living with HPV for over a year, if let's say I have new genital warts and let's say I don't treat them, would it spread to other area of my penis? and is it possible for those warts to fall off when my body has been able to take care of the virus itself?
When warts resolve without therapy they typical do not fall off by themselves as much as gradually bet smaller and then disappear.  Sometimes as this is happening, they might be scratched off.   Warts do not typically spread to other parts of the boy although on rare occasions this can occur when people o things to abrade the skin such as shaving- I have seen warts spread by being shave over so that the wart material is spread from the wart to closely shaved skin.  

3. i've noticed a small white dot on the back of my penis but it's flat. When I said flat, it's totally flat, just like genital wart scars (i have them on the top of my penis). I dont remember if there was this white round dot there, do you think it's possible that it's a new wart? A new wart that's totally flat, and not raised at all?
This would be unusual.  I suggest you make sure it is a wart by having a trained clinician, perhaps a dermatologist take a look.

I hope these comments are helpful. EWH