How Often Do Anal Warts Occur?

Anal warts are genital warts that grow on the skin in and around the anus. The warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

Frequency

• The frequency of genital and anal warts varies greatly from person to person, with no set frequency. Some people have only one occurrence of warts, while others have repeated outbreaks. Many people will have fewer and less frequent outbreaks over time.

Transmission

• HPV is spread by skin to skin contact with someone who has HPV, usually by sexual activity. It is possible to develop anal warts without having anal sex.

Diagnosis

• Most often a health care provider will do a visual screening for genital warts in order to make a diagnosis.

Treatment

• A doctor can prescribe treatments for removing warts at home or he can remove warts in the office with lasers, surgical excision, cryocautery, or electrocautery. Warts can grow back after being removed.

Cure

• Because HPV is a virus there is no medical treatment that will cure it but most healthy people’s immune systems will eliminate the virus within a few years.