What are Genital Warts?

Genital warts, known medically as condyloma acuminata, are soft, moist bumps that are generally pink or flesh-toned.

They may also be raised, flat, or shaped like a cauliflower (if they grow in clusters).

These blemishes, which are sometimes also called anogenital warts, may appear throughout the genital and anal areas.

In women, genital warts can grow inside or outside the vagina and anus, on surrounding areas, and on the cervix inside the body.

In men, they may also appear inside or outside the anus, as well as on the penis or scrotum, inside the urethra, or on surrounding areas.

In both men and women, condyloma acuminata can also develop in the mouth and throat, and on the tongue and lips.

Causes of Genital Warts

Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The human papillomavirus isn’t a single virus, but rather a group of more than 150 related viruses. Each of these has a designated number, or HPV type.

About 90 percent of genital warts are caused by HPV 6 and HPV 11.

Other HPV types can cause warts on other parts of the body.

You can get genital warts if you have sex with someone who has HPV, even if they don’t have any visible warts or other apparent symptoms of the infection.

Although genital warts inside the anus predominately affect people who have had receptive anal intercourse, they can also occur in men and women who have no history of anal sexual contact.

Prevalence and Risk Factors

In the United States, an estimated 500,000 to one million new cases of condyloma acuminata are diagnosed each year, according to a 2012 review in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.

But other estimates point to a lower incidence of genital warts — about 360,000 cases each year, according to the CDC.

The prevalence of genital warts among boys and men ages 15 to 39 in the United States increased significantly between 2003 and 2009, but remained stable in 2010, according to a 2013 report in the American Journal of Public Health.

The prevalence of genital warts among women of different age groups has seen various increases and decreases over the years.

But overall, it has decreased in girls and women ages 15 to 24, likely due to the HPV vaccine, the study notes.

You have an increased risk of developing and spreading genital warts if you:

• Are pregnant
• Are stressed and have another viral infection, such as herpes
• Have a weakened immune system from medications or other health conditions, including diabetes and HIV/AIDs
• Use tobacco or drink alcohol
• Are sexually active at an early age, or have unprotected sex with multiple partners
• Have another sexually transmitted disease

HPV and Cancer

Over many years — sometimes decades — a persistent HPV infection can cause cancer.

In fact, HPV causes almost all cases of cervical cancer, according to the CDC. The viral infection is also linked to:

• 91 percent of anal cancers
• 75 percent of vaginal cancers
• 72 percent of cancers in the back of the throat (including the base of the tongue and tonsils)
• 69 percent of vulvar cancers
• 63 percent of penile cancers

While the CDC notes the links in these cases, the estimates don’t necessarily mean that HPV caused these cancers.

Many of these cancers, for instance, also have strong ties to tobacco and alcohol use, the CDC says.

Importantly, the types of HPV that cause genital warts are different from the types that cause cancer.

But you should still get screened for the above types of cancer if you have genital warts, because you may also be carrying a cancer-causing form of HPV, in addition to HPV 6 or 11.