Genital Warts Treatment
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)HPV
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Genital Warts Treatment: A Complete Guide

Genital Warts Treatment: A Complete Guide
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Updated on October 31, 2024
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There are a variety of treatment options for genital warts (condyloma acuminata), a skin condition caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Visible genital warts can go away on their own within a few months if the body successfully fights off HPV. They can also linger unchanged on the skin or grow in size or number.

 In those who are not immunocompromised, almost 90% of HPV infections are cleared within two years of the infection.

If you have genital warts that cause discomfort — or you want the unsightly blemishes gone — you may need to seek treatment from a sexual health clinic or dermatologist. They may recommend topical medications or surgical procedures as part of your treatment plan.

Treatments for genital warts can temporarily help make the bumps go away, but they don’t treat the underlying HPV infection. Because of this, it’s possible that your genital warts may return.

Medication

There are several medications available to treat genital warts. Most of them come in a topical form that’s applied directly to the affected area. These prescription creams and ointments are not the same as body wart removal drugs you can buy at a drugstore. You should not use over-the-counter wart removal medications for the treatment of genital warts.

It may take several weeks of use before you notice an improvement with any of the following medications. Talk with a healthcare provider about these treatment options:

Drug
Imiquimod (Aldara, Zyclara)
This is a topical cream prescribed for at-home use. It works by boosting your immune system to help get rid of the bumps on the skin. Side effects may include rashes, blisters, and changes in skin color.
Isotretinoin (Absorica, Myorisan, Zenatane)

Typically an acne medication, oral isotretinoin is a vitamin A derivative. It is sometimes prescribed along with topical treatments to treat genital warts in people who are immunocompromised. It can cause serious side effects, including birth defects, thinning skin, and hair loss.

Podofilox (Condylox)

This is another at-home topical treatment, and it prevents the growth of certain cells. Possible side effects include burning, itching, sores, and inflammation, and it should not be used during pregnancy.

Podophyllum Resin (Podocon-25)
This topical medication works in the same way as podofilox, except it is often applied in-office by a medical professional. It also poses the same risks, and it shouldn’t be used during pregnancy.
Sinecatechins (Veregen)
A doctor may also prescribe this FDA-approved herbally sourced ointment that’s made from green tea leaves. Side effects may include redness at the affected area, inflammation, and pain.
Trichloroacetic Acid
This strong, corrosive medication burns off genital warts with an active chemical ingredient. It’s applied by a medical professional only. Pain, skin sores, and irritation are possible side effects.

Surgery and Minimally Invasive Procedures

Aside from prescription medication, there are surgical and nonsurgical procedures that can remove genital warts. They are performed in a medical office and include the following:

Freezing

Also called cryosurgery or cryotherapy, this minimally invasive procedure involves freezing genital warts with liquid nitrogen, which destroys the tissue. Pain and blisters may develop in the area as the skin heals. It may be necessary to repeat the treatment several times to completely remove the warts.

Surgical Removal

In some cases, genital warts can be cut away with surgical tools. Your doctor will perform an excision after giving you local anesthesia to numb the area, then use stitches so the skin will heal properly. Side effects can include temporary pain and irritation, as well as permanent scarring.

Electrosurgery

Also called electrocautery, this procedure uses an electrical current to burn off warts. Doctors sometimes perform this in combination with surgical removal to destroy large warts. Excision removes the bulk of the wart, and electrocautery burns away the remainder. Swelling and pain are common side effects.

Laser Therapy

Also called laser surgery, this involves burning off warts with high-intensity light beams. Because of the high cost and risk of scarring, this procedure is usually only recommended if other treatment methods aren’t effective.

Lifestyle Changes

Once you have genital warts, there are no known lifestyle modifications that can treat them. However, you can make healthy choices to prevent catching or spreading the HPV virus. These include:

  • Getting the HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, helps reduce your risk of certain strains of HPV that cause genital warts and certain cancers. If you’re unvaccinated and over the age of 27, talk to your doctor to discuss the potential benefits.

  • Using condoms during sexual contact even if you’ve been vaccinated for HPV, since it doesn’t cover all strains of the virus. And while condoms do lower transmission risk overall, it’s still possible to get genital warts if you use one because the virus may live on skin that’s outside the covered area.
  • Limiting your number of sexual partners.
  • Avoiding sexual partners who engage in high-risk sexual activities, including having unprotected sex with multiple partners.
  • Not smoking cigarettes or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, both of which increase the likelihood of developing genital warts.

Complementary and Integrative Approaches

Some people may try complementary treatments for body warts, such as tea tree oil, but more research is needed to determine if they are effective for genital warts.

You may help ease discomfort during genital wart treatment with saltwater baths. Add two handfuls of salt to warm water and sit down in the mixture. This can be done twice a day.

The Takeaway

  • Treatment options for genital warts can include topical and oral medications or noninvasive procedures and surgical methods to remove them.
  • While not all genital warts are bothersome, treatment can alleviate pain and discomfort.
  • Treatments for genital warts can make the bumps go away, but they don’t treat the underlying HPV infection. Because of this, genital warts may return after they are treated.
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Justin Laube, MD

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Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.

He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He completed his three-year residency training in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles on the primary care track and a two-year fellowship in integrative East-West primary care at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine.

He is currently taking a multiyear personal and professional sabbatical to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, disease, and the processes of healing. He is developing a clinical practice for patients with complex trauma, as well as for others going through significant life transitions. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community.

Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students.

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Kristeen Cherney, PhD, is a freelance writer, essayist, author, and poet with more than 15 years of health writing experience for digital platforms such as Healthline, The Mighty, and LiveStrong. She’s covered nutrition, women’s and children’s wellness issues, as well as specialized topics ranging from diabetes and thyroid disease to anxiety, depression, asthma, allergies, and skin conditions.

With a doctorate in English (rhetoric and composition), Dr. Cherney focuses her academic scholarship on the intersection between disability and literacy. She also holds a Master of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in communication.

Cherney has contributed to the books The Wiley Handbook on Violence in Education: Forms, Factors, and Preventions, Composing in Four Acts: Readings for Writers, and Georgia State University's Guide to First-Year Writing, as well as to scholarly journals like Praxis, the Journal of Teaching Writing, and the Journal of Dracula Studies.

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Resources
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  7. HPV Vaccination Recommendations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 2021.
  8. Boopalan D et al. Topical Application of Tea Tree Oil for the Treatment of Verruca Vulgaris. JMIR Dermatology. October 2023.
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