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Do Genital Warts do better in dry climates?
Hello Dr's,
My question is does an areas climate and most importantly humidity levels in your immediate surroundings effect recurrences of genital warts? I ask this question because four years ago I got genital warts from a girlfriend while living in Chicago, and had regular recurring warts for 3 more years while living in Chicago (A notoriously humid environment). Then I moved to Denver Colorado a year ago, and this whole year I have had three warts (probably because I left one intact from Chicago and it multiplied here), whereas I had tons (50+) in Chicago each year. I just had a treatment done for the three warts here in Denver and there is no signs of any coming back 2 months after treatment which is also a very good sign! Do you have any thoughts, opinions, or medical knowledge of humid environments making genital warts harder to fight? I don't know if my condition is just clearing up finally, or if Denver's dry environment is clearing this issue up. (Presumably because warts like wet conditions and it's very dry here). I ask this question because my girlfriend and I live in Denver still, and we dislike the social life here, and would like to move to San Diego, but I'm afraid to move because my warts have cleared up so nicely here. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and I really admire the forums you have going on here! -Mike
My question is does an areas climate and most importantly humidity levels in your immediate surroundings effect recurrences of genital warts? I ask this question because four years ago I got genital warts from a girlfriend while living in Chicago, and had regular recurring warts for 3 more years while living in Chicago (A notoriously humid environment). Then I moved to Denver Colorado a year ago, and this whole year I have had three warts (probably because I left one intact from Chicago and it multiplied here), whereas I had tons (50+) in Chicago each year. I just had a treatment done for the three warts here in Denver and there is no signs of any coming back 2 months after treatment which is also a very good sign! Do you have any thoughts, opinions, or medical knowledge of humid environments making genital warts harder to fight? I don't know if my condition is just clearing up finally, or if Denver's dry environment is clearing this issue up. (Presumably because warts like wet conditions and it's very dry here). I ask this question because my girlfriend and I live in Denver still, and we dislike the social life here, and would like to move to San Diego, but I'm afraid to move because my warts have cleared up so nicely here. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and I really admire the forums you have going on here! -Mike
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Warts definitely do not need mosture "to thrive and survive". Penile warts are more common in uncircumcised men (under the foreskin), but that seems to be related more to susceptibility to HPV -- which is higher for moist, thin tissues. But once an HPV infection is established, there is no evidence (that I know of) that overt warts are any more or less likely on dry than moist skin, or in warm/humid environments than dry ones. Acne is an entirely different story -- biologically entirely different from HPV.
For those reasons, my opinion and advice above are unchanged. Your genital warts need not be a consideration in decisions about where to live. It will make no difference.
For those reasons, my opinion and advice above are unchanged. Your genital warts need not be a consideration in decisions about where to live. It will make no difference.
Thank you for responding to my posting Dr Handsfield,
My diagnosis was from top professionals of the field of dermatology (several), and maybe I exaggerated a bit, but I definitely have had a lot of warts appear on me in my first 3 years of having genital warts. Now it has seemed to almost be virtually gone if not very close to gone (if this last treatment takes care of them).
On another note, my thought that was warts need moisture to thrive and survive, and since I'm living in a dry area they won't have the moisture they need to thrive? I'm suprised to learn that warts aren't effected by more sweat being produced (humidity in the air makes you sweat more). If humidity you feel has virtually zero bearing on the creation or prevention of warts from being in a more humid place, I will definitely move to San Diego the place my girlfriend and I want to be. I have seen your numerous awards and take your opinion as the bottom line.
I know my acne has cleared up a lot since I've been here, but that's bacterial and has a lot to do with moisture. You don't think humidity plays a factor with making your skin more moist--leading to wart growth? This will be my last response and I really am hoping for a final answer as we totally don't like living here!!!
My diagnosis was from top professionals of the field of dermatology (several), and maybe I exaggerated a bit, but I definitely have had a lot of warts appear on me in my first 3 years of having genital warts. Now it has seemed to almost be virtually gone if not very close to gone (if this last treatment takes care of them).
On another note, my thought that was warts need moisture to thrive and survive, and since I'm living in a dry area they won't have the moisture they need to thrive? I'm suprised to learn that warts aren't effected by more sweat being produced (humidity in the air makes you sweat more). If humidity you feel has virtually zero bearing on the creation or prevention of warts from being in a more humid place, I will definitely move to San Diego the place my girlfriend and I want to be. I have seen your numerous awards and take your opinion as the bottom line.
I know my acne has cleared up a lot since I've been here, but that's bacterial and has a lot to do with moisture. You don't think humidity plays a factor with making your skin more moist--leading to wart growth? This will be my last response and I really am hoping for a final answer as we totally don't like living here!!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
There are no data to suggest warts have different natural courses based on climate or environmental humidity. It is conceivable that immediatley local humidity -- i.e. warmth and moisture related to clothing etc -- could have some effect, but these are pretty much unrelated to weather and climate, and even here there are no data. Almost certainly your differing pattern of wart recurrence has anything to do with your move from Chicago to Denver. Your warts should not have any influence at all on moving to San Diego or anywhere else in the world.
The other issue, though, is whether your current (self?) diagnosis of warts is correct. You describe an atypical course, since genital warts rarely last so long, occur in such numbers, or recur as frequently as you descibe. And of course not all genital bumps are warts. You may be entirely right -- there's no way I can tell from what you say here -- but if your recurrent genital warts have not recently been professionally evaluated, you might consider it to be certain that the current diagnosis is correct.
I hope this helps. Thanks for your kind words about the forum.
Regards-- HHH, MD
There are no data to suggest warts have different natural courses based on climate or environmental humidity. It is conceivable that immediatley local humidity -- i.e. warmth and moisture related to clothing etc -- could have some effect, but these are pretty much unrelated to weather and climate, and even here there are no data. Almost certainly your differing pattern of wart recurrence has anything to do with your move from Chicago to Denver. Your warts should not have any influence at all on moving to San Diego or anywhere else in the world.
The other issue, though, is whether your current (self?) diagnosis of warts is correct. You describe an atypical course, since genital warts rarely last so long, occur in such numbers, or recur as frequently as you descibe. And of course not all genital bumps are warts. You may be entirely right -- there's no way I can tell from what you say here -- but if your recurrent genital warts have not recently been professionally evaluated, you might consider it to be certain that the current diagnosis is correct.
I hope this helps. Thanks for your kind words about the forum.
Regards-- HHH, MD
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