Peculiar Problems In Personal Places: 4 Steps To Immediately Take If You Discover A Vaginal Wart

Although vaginal health is a crucial aspect of well-being, it's not normally discussed openly. That may act as a discouraging factor for seeking treatment if you discover a vaginal wart; however, the last thing you should do is ignore this uncomfortable finding. Here are four crucial things to do right away, instead.

1. Fight Feelings Of Embarrassment 

Having a wart doesn't mean you've done anything wrong; it simply means that something's gone wrong on your body. Your immune system could have had a hiccup at some point, most likely when exposed to a virus. HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is the most common cause of genital warts and that's something that needs looking into, besides treatment for the wart, which is simply a symptom of the virus.

Additionally, what you perceive as a wart could actually be a skin tag, which is merely a fibrous clump of collagen that anyone can develop. Neither situation, though, is a reason to feel ashamed or put yourself down.

2. Skip The Home Remedies

While you may feel better about handling the matter on your own to prevent making your very private problem public, albeit only to a physician, home remedies aren't normally very effective and they can be downright dangerous.

3. Schedule An Appointment With A Gynecologist

Whatever the origin of your anomalous growth(s), removal is essential, especially for your self-esteem. Different remedies work in different ways, but you and a gynecologist can make the determination of which method is best in your particular case:

• Prescription ointments, which may take a little longer than you'd like, but that can also boost your immune system in the process of diminishing the wart(s)
• Excision (removing the growth with a surgical tool)
• Loop electrosurgical excision (removing cells with a small, heated wire)
• Laser-powered removal

Once your issue has been cleared up, you can breathe a sigh of relief that your body's back the way it should be; however, depending on the cause, the growths could come back. 

4. Understand The Potential Health Warning Of Genital Warts

Although the types of HPV that cause genital warts (6 and 11) don't normally lead to cancer, this virus is capable of mutation, which means evolving into the other types that can cause cancer (16 and 18). That can be, in some cases, a dire transition. If you test positive for any type of HPV, you may need more frequent pap-smears to keep tabs on vaginal cell health, which, although inconvenient, can help your doctor stay ahead of this potential threat to your health.

While privacy regarding your personal space is the norm, if you discover something amiss, make it known to a doctor. Gynecologists are super-specialized and can offer the fast and professional help you need.

For more information, reach out to a gynecologist today.