HPV Treatment: Warts, Genital Warts, Cervical Dysplasia

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)HPVExplore This TopicShare this articleShare on FacebookShare on XShare on PinterestCopy LinkHPV

Understand the symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatments for HPV, a virus that causes genital warts. Find out who's most at risk of developing it and how to prevent it with lifestyle choices and immunization.

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• 1What Is HPV? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
• 2HPV Symptoms and Diagnosis
• 3HPV Treatment: Warts, Genital Warts, Cervical Dysplasia
• 4HPV Vaccine: What You Need to Know
• 5HPV in Men: Oral Cancer a Growing Concern
• 6HPV in Women: The Leading Cause of Cervical Cancer

SEE MOREHPV Treatment: Warts, Genital Warts, Cervical Dysplasia

Getty ImagesByJoseph Bennington-CastroUpdated on February 25, 2024Medically Reviewed byJane Yoon Scott, MDON THIS PAGE

• Genital Warts
• Cervical Changes
• HPV Cancers
• Skin Warts
• Preventing Skin Warts

ON THIS PAGE

• Genital Warts
• Cervical Changes
• HPV Cancers
• Skin Warts
• Preventing Skin Warts

Of the more than 150 types of human papillomavirus (HPV), at least 40 can infect the anal or genital area, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[1]

Most of these infections never cause any symptoms and go away on their own with no treatment.

[2]

But if an infection persists, some types of HPV can cause genital warts, and others can cause a variety of types of cancer, including cervical cancer and oropharyngeal cancer (cancer on the back and sides of the throat, tonsils, and base of the tongue).

Other types of HPV can cause common, or nongenital, skin warts on other areas of the body.

Treatment for HPV depends on the specific problem or symptoms caused by the virus. There is currently no medical treatment to rid your body of HPV once you have it.

Treatment for Genital Warts

Genital warts, which are usually caused by HPV types 6 and 11, can appear throughout the genital area, as well as inside the anus, vagina, or urethral opening, and on the cervix.

[3]

There are a few patient-applied and doctor-applied medicines for external genital warts. At home, you can apply:

• Imiquimod cream (Aldara), an immune enhancer that stimulates the production of interferons and other immune system substances to reduce viral load
• Podofilox solution or gel (Condylox), which stops cell division and causes wart tissue to die
• Sinecatechins (Veregen), a type of green tea extract that is thought to have antioxidant properties and boost immune activity

To treat genital warts, a doctor may use:

• Cryotherapy, using liquid nitrogen or a probe to freeze warts
• Surgical removal, using techniques such as shaving excision, laser therapy, or electrosurgery
• Trichloroacetic acid or dichloroacetic acid, which chemically burns off warts

  [3]

For internal genital warts, treatment may involve cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen, laser ablation, surgical removal, trichloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, or topical interferon.

Treatment for Precancerous Cervical Changes

Some types of HPV can cause the growth of precancerous cells on the surface of the cervix; these are known as cervical dysplasia, and they can lead to cervical cancer.

About 9 out of 10 cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, according to the CDC. Each year in the United States, about 11,000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer linked to HPV, while about 200,000 are diagnosed with cervical dysplasia.

[4]

Getting regular Pap or HPV tests raises the likelihood of finding cervical dysplasia or an HPV infection early, and removing precancerous growths can help prevent cervical cancer from developing.

Severe cervical dysplasia is treated with one of several types of surgical procedures:

[5]

• Cryotherapy
• Electrosurgery
• Surgical removal using a scalpel or laser

If cervical dysplasia has progressed to cervical cancer, you may be advised to have a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or to undergo radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or both.

[6]

Treating HPV-Related Cancers in Other Parts of the Body

In addition to causing cervical cancer, HPV can cause several other types of cancer:

[7]

• Anal cancer
• Oropharyngeal cancer
• Penile cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Vulvar cancer

There are no established screening guidelines for HPV-related cancers other than cervical cancer, so typically these cancers are found only when they cause symptoms. Treatment for these cancers is based on the stage of the cancer when it is detected.

Medical Treatment for Skin Warts

If you choose to see a doctor for treatment of warts, you may receive one of the following treatments:

[8]

• Cryotherapy
• Cantharidin, a chemical that causes a blister to form under the wart
• Electrosurgery, which involves burning off warts with an electric current, combined with curettage (a technique that involves scraping off the wart with a sharp knife or spoon-shaped tool)
• Excision (cutting out the wart)

If these treatments are ineffective, your doctor may opt for more potent treatments, such as laser treatment, chemical peels, or injections of bleomycin (Blenoxane), an anti-cancer medication.

Immunotherapy (treatments that stimulate or boost the body’s immune system) may be an option for warts that are resistant to all other forms of treatment. This type of treatment may involve shots of a natural virus-fighting protein called interferon.

Home Remedies for Common Skin Warts

Common skin warts frequently go away on their own without any treatment, especially in children. But it can take two to three years for a wart to go away, so many people opt to treat them.

Home remedies and over-the-counter products for warts are generally safe for people in good health. But if you have diabetes, loss of sensation in your feet, or poor circulation to your feet, do not attempt to treat foot warts on your own. See a doctor for treatment. Also see a doctor if you have any doubt that a growth on your skin is a wart.

One way to treat warts at home is with a topical, over-the-counter product that contains salicylic acid. These products are available as a gel, a liquid, or a pad. For best results, it’s a good idea to soak the wart area in warm water for a few minutes before applying the treatment.

[9]

Another approach is to cover your wart with duct tape, changing the tape every few days and ideally peeling away layers of dead tissue from the wart. But there is conflicting evidence regarding whether this approach is effective. Note that this method is only a consideration for common warts on most areas of the skin, and not for genital warts or any other warts near mucus membranes (face, armpits) or warts on the foot, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

[10]

Over-the-counter cryotherapy products, which freeze warts to break down the abnormal tissue, are also available but may be painful to use. They are also not as effective as the cryotherapy treatment a doctor can deliver.

How to Prevent Common Skin Warts

It may not be possible to prevent all warts, since HPV can be spread by touching many items and surfaces that have come into contact with human skin. But you can lower your risk for common skin warts by following these suggestions:

• Don’t bite your nails or pick at hangnails.
• Don’t scratch or pick at existing warts.
• Don’t touch other people’s warts.
• Don’t share razors, towels, socks, or shoes with other people.
• Wear flip-flops or shower sandals in public showers and locker rooms, and around swimming pools, to avoid getting plantar warts.
• If you have plantar warts, wear slippers or shoes at home to avoid spreading them to others.
• Keep any warts on your feet dry, as moisture encourages them to spread.

Additional reporting by Quinn Phillips.

EDITORIAL SOURCESEveryday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.SourcesResources

1. Basic Information About HPV and Cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 12, 2023.
2. Genital HPV Infection — Basic Fact Sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 12, 2022.
3. Anogenital Warts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 22, 2021.
4. Cancers Caused by HPV. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 28, 2022.
5. Cervical Dysplasia. American Academy of Family Physicians. January 20, 2021.
6. Treatment Options for Cervical Cancer, by Stage. American Cancer Society. January 3, 2021.
7. How Many Cancers Are Linked With HPV Each Year? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 12, 2023.
8. Warts: Diagnosis and Treatment. American Academy of Dermatology. January 26, 2023.
9. Warts: Tips for Managing. American Academy of Dermatology.
10. Can Duct Tape Remove Warts? Cleveland Clinic. December 15, 2022.

Meet Our ExpertsSee Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network

Jane Yoon Scott, MD

Medical Reviewer

Jane Yoon Scott, MD, is an infectious disease physician and an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Scott enjoys connecting with her patients, empowering them to understand and take ownership of their health, and encouraging them to ask questions so that they can make informed and thoughtful decisions.

She graduated with the highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology, then received her MD from the Medical College of Georgia. She completed her internal medicine residency training and chief residency at Temple University Hospital, as well as a fellowship in infectious diseases at Emory University. She is board-certified in both internal medicine and infectious diseases.

When she is not seeing patients, Dr. Scott works with neighboring health departments to promote public health, especially to communities that have been historically underserved. She also teaches medical trainees and lectures medical students at the Emory University School of Medicine.

In her free time, Dr. Scott appreciates a good coffee shop, weekend hikes, playing guitar, strolling through cities, sampling restaurants, and traveling to new places.

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Joseph Bennington-Castro

Author

Joseph Bennington-Castro is a science writer based in Hawaii. He has written well over a thousand articles for the general public on a wide range topics, including health, astronomy, archaeology, renewable energy, biomaterials, conservation, history, animal behavior, artificial intelligence, and many others.

In addition to writing for Everyday Health, Bennington-Castro has also written for publications such as Scientific American, National Geographic online, USA Today, Materials Research Society, Wired UK, Men's Journal, Live Science, Space.com, NBC News Mach, NOAA Fisheries, io9.com, and Discover.

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