HPV filiform wart

[greekman1982]

Hi, I had a filiform wart under my lip for months without knowing what it was. I did not know that this was a sign of HPV. I read a lot about it and when I found out that it was HPV after having it checked, I got really worried. The reason I got worried was because I had genital contact with my boyfriend and we kissed as well. So the wart came in contact with all his body including his genital area and his anal area and at the time I had no clue about HPV. I read that the HPV strains that typically causes filiform warts are not the same as the one that causes genital warts.
I went to 3 different dermatologists and they all told me that the likelihood of transmitting a filiform wart to the genital area is unlikely and that I should carry on my life normally. They said if my boyfriend were to be infected, it would probably be with the same HPV that I have which is unlikely to be genital.
I am very worried and I don't know if I should inform my boyfriend on this or not. Also when I started remembering, it came to my mind that I might have used the same razor and shaving machine that I use to shave my face in order to shave down there. So I don't know if this might have led to me having genital warts (though nothing is visible and I know one could have genital warts without seeing them) and possibly transmitting them. I need your advise on this as I feel a huge burden of responsibility and I don't know whether my sex life should be held because of this.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. I'll try to help but from the sounds of things, I suspect that all that I'm about to say has already bees said by your doctors.  At last count there were well over 130 different types of HPV and more types are being identified all the time.  In addition, as you have heard, the types of warts that cause filiform facial warts typically do not cause genital warts and vis versa because to the biological tendency of different types of warts to preferentially infect different sites.  My sense is that you are worrying more than you should- would you feel as bad if you found you had a cold and that you might have given it to your boyfriend?  

My advice is not to worry.  Get your filiform warts taken care of by a dermatologist and go forward from there.  If you feel the need, you can discuss your diagnosis with your BF (who has already seen your filiform warts but now will learn what causes it) and that you are concerned but that multiple physicians have told you that there is nothing to worry about or to do other than be observant in the UNLIKELY situation that he could have been infected.  When genital warts develop, the process typically takes, on average 6 months.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yet another anxiety driven, repetitive question.  Filiform facial warts and genital warts tend to be caused by different HPV types.

I'll have nothing more to say.  EWH

[greekman1982]

Thank you very much Dr Hook. Not sure if I have exhausted my right to ask one last thing on this thread: Is it a high probability that the filiform wart I had (clinically observed as such) right under the lower lip was a genital one or one that would contain a high-risk HPV strain? Or is it more likely to have been caused by the strains that typically cause common facial warts. I know filiform warts are common and they do occur around the lips, but just want to make sure because I know that oral warts (in and around oral cavity) can be dangerous and I am not sure if the wart I had would be classified as an oral wart or as a regular common cutaneous skin wart.
The reason I am asking is that I I just found out that my sister might have used by mistake my shaving razor to shave pubic area/legs.
My concern is more for the cancer risk associated with HPV rather than warts themselves. Do you think she should have a Pap test in this case to assess her risk of developping cervical cancer?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

As you might imagine, there are no studies to address your question however based on all that is known, the risk is very low and even should infection occur is of no consequence.  I urge you once again not to worry.  EWH

[greekman1982]

Thank you Doctor, your answers are quite helpful. My last inquiry would be as follows: I also found some flat warts on my beard area in the neck. My boyfriend kisses me on that part so there is contact with mouth/tongue. How likely is it that he can develop oral warts from that type pf warts?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

It is not likey that warts would have been spread in this way although shaving warts has been described to spread them to adjacent areas.  You shoul dnot be worried about asymptomatic HPV however- it is a waste of time.  EWH

[greekman1982]

Thank you Doctor, my question would be how likely is it for that filiform wart to spread to my genitals knowing that i have used same razor/shaving machine to shave face and genital area (and there might have been blood or lesions in both areas). I am realy anxious especially that genital hpv could be asymptomatic and I might never know if I have it or not or if I caught it or not. Also from this whole thing, how likely would it be that I have the strain that will cause cervical cancer?