Can genital warts be treated?

Yes. A variety of treatments are available for established cases of genital warts. The following are treatment options on how to get rid of genital warts:

• Podophyllotoxin, 0.5% solution or 0.15% cream. Apply twice daily for 3 days, followed by 4 days’ rest, for up to 4 weeks. It is suitable for home treatment of external warts. Rub Vaseline or petroleum jelly at the base of the warts before rubbing the cream to avoid burns. Podophyllin should not be used in pregnant women.
• Imiquimod cream applied 3 times weekly (and washed off after 6-10 hours) for up to 16 weeks is also suitable for external warts. Contraindicated in pregnancy)
• podophyllin and imiquimod creams are home remedies for getting rid of genital warts.
• Cryotherapy which involves freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen is also a treatment modality, but the recurrence rate is high.
• Surgery can be used for genital warts removal. This is done under local or general anesthesia
• Electrocautery, involving cutting the warts with electric current is a treatment option for warts. It is now discarded because of the risk of inhalation of HPV associated with it. An inhaled HPV fume/smoke can cause laryngeal carcinoma to the doctor and staff in the treatment room if the treatment room doesn't have a proper ventilation system.

Does PULSE Bangkok provide anal wart or genital wart treatment?

Of course, PULSE CLINIC provides treatment for anal warts and genital warts as well as warty lesions in other area of the body, Book an appointment for an STD test and treatment or Consultation. 

We use podophyllin or trichloroacetic acid (TCA) following sexually transmitted infection treatment and prevention guidelines. 

Chemical cautery with a solution of 60 to 90 percent trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is most effective when treating a few small, moist lesions.

Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) kills genital warts by destroying the proteins in the cells. TCA also can destroy normal cells, which is why you need a careful application by a well-trained doctor. A doctor applies TCA once a week. Only the wart must be treated to avoid irritation to surrounding normal tissue.

How well does it work?

Studies show that TCA treatment can remove warts in up to 80 out of 100 cases after 6 weeks of treatment, depending on the size and location of lesions. TCA is most effective on small, moist areas of warts.

What are the side effects of treatment?

TCA usually causes several minutes of mild to moderate discomfort at the site where it is applied. The medicines are not absorbed easily by the body. So it may cause local skin irritation but not whole-body (systemic) side effects. It is hard to control how deeply the acid penetrates the skin. If the acid burns too deeply, you may have pain, skin irritation, and ulcers that will heal. Common side effects of this medicine include: Burning. Swelling of the area where medicine is applied. Tenderness of the skin.

Cryotherapy Method

What is Cryotherapy? Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy or cryosurgery is a highly effective freezing treatment to remove a wide range of benign skin lesions.

Our clinic offers liquid nitrogen cryotherapy/cryosurgery for:

• Removal of actinic keratosis
• Removal of seborrheic keratosis
• Removal of skin tags
• Removal of common viral warts on hands, arms, body, and feet
• Removal of genital warts, anal warts, penile warts, vulvar warts
• Removal of molluscum contagiosum
• Removal of dermatofibroma

What are the benefits and potential side effects of cryotherapy?

The benefits of this treatment are its quick preparation time, on-the-spot application, minimally invasive nature, minimal to no bleeding, low risk of infection, limited wound care, little to no need for injectable anesthesia, and no sutures required.

Possible side effects include blistering and hypopigmentation, though scarring is rare.

Most skin lesions can be addressed in a single session, though some may need 2 or 3 treatments.

What is the cost of cryotherapy?

• The cost of each cryotherapy session starts at 3,000 THB (DF 1,200 THB + 1-3 lesions)
• 1 – 3 sessions may be required to ensure complete removal of lesions.
• Additional topical and/or oral medications may be prescribed to supplement the treatment or for wound care.
• HPV vaccination will be encouraged for those who have not been vaccinated. 

Aldara Cream

Aldara (imiquimod) 250 mg cream is a topical medication primarily used to treat certain skin conditions, including external genital warts, superficial basal cell carcinoma, and actinic keratosis. It works by stimulating the immune system to help fight the virus or abnormal cells.

You typically will apply the cream to the affected area a few times a week. Common side effects may include redness, irritation, or peeling at the application site. Always consult a doctor for personalized advice and information.   

For more information about the medication and ordering process,

please email pulseliving@pulse-clinic.com or chat on your preferred platform. 

 +66-84-226-2569    @pulserx         PulseClinic

What else do I need to know?

If large areas of warts are being removed and multiple treatments are needed, doctors may not recommend TCA treatment because of the pain and burning. Genital warts may go away on their own. Treating warts may not cure infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts. The virus may remain in the body in an inactive state after the warts are removed. A person treated for genital warts may still be able to spread the infection. Condoms may help reduce the risk of HPV infection. The benefits and effectiveness of each type of treatment need to be compared with the side effects and cost. Discuss this with your doctor.

Can HPV infection be prevented?

Condoms don't guarantee protection from infection. This is because HPV can be transmitted by skin contact with areas not covered by condoms.

One of the best ways to protect yourself from HPV infection is to get the vaccine. The vaccine protects against 4 types of HPV (types 6, 11, 16, and 18) that can cause cancer and genital warts. 

HPV Vaccine

• Age less than 15 years old: 2-dose regimen (day 1 and month 6)
• Age above 15 years old: 3-dose regimen (day 1, month 1-2, month 6)
• Immunocompromised people such as HIV-infected patients: 3-dose regimen (day 1, month 1-2, month 6) regardless of age

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