Contents:
- Medical Video: What are genital warts? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment ✔
- Genital wart medicine that can be used at home
- 1. Imiqumoid (Aldara, Zyclara)
- 2. Sinechatechin (Veregen)
- 3. Podofilox
- Treatment of genital warts at the doctor
- 1. Podophyllin
- 2. Tricoloacetic acid (TCA) or bicycloroacetic acid (BCA) 80–90%
Medical Video: What are genital warts? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment ✔
The use of genital wart drugs is useful for destroying warts, relieving symptoms, and reducing the number of areas affected by warts. Genital warts are sexually transmitted diseases caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV). This disease usually attacks the vagina or moist penis. Genital warts may look like small, reddish skin bumps and appear in groups. However, sometimes genital warts are not clearly visible because of their very small shape. So you might not realize it.
Medication for genital warts consists of various forms. Starting from the form of cream, gel, to liquid. There are genital wart drugs that can be applied alone at home and some need to be applied with the help of medical personnel in clinics or hospitals.
Genital wart medicine that can be used at home
1. Imiqumoid (Aldara, Zyclara)
This cream is used to increase the ability of the immune system to fight genital warts. Usually, Imiquimod creams should be applied once a day before going to bed or three times a week for approximately 16 weeks. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the disease condition. The creamed part of the genitals should be washed with soap and water 6 to 10 hours after application.
It is important to remember, avoid sexual contact when the cream is still attached to your skin because it can weaken the resistance of condoms, both male condoms and female condoms. In addition, if this cream sticks to your partner's genital skin, it can cause an irritating reaction. If you suffer from genital warts during pregnancy, immediately consult a doctor because this cream has not been tested safe for pregnant women.
Side effects: Local inflammatory reactions include redness, irritation, hardened genital warts such as calluses and wounds. The skin around the genitals may also experience hypopigmentation or colors that are brighter than skin color due to reduced melanin. Other side effects are pain in some parts of the body, coughing, and feeling tired.
2. Sinechatechin (Veregen)
This ointment is used for the treatment of external genital warts and warts that are around the anus. Sinecatechin ointment contains green tea extract which is rich in catechins in it. Patients are required to apply it three times a day with their fingers. This product may not be used for longer than 16 weeks.
This ointment should not be washed after applying it to the skin. You should avoid sexual contact either genital, anal, or oral if the ointment is still attached to the skin. Just like Imiqumoid, this drug can weaken the resistance of condoms to both male and female condoms.
This ointment is not recommended for people with HIV, people who have a weak immune system, and people with genital herpes because its efficacy has not been medically tested. In addition, there is no guarantee that this ointment is safe to use during pregnancy.
Side effects: Redness of the skin, itching, burning, and pain. You will also feel a runny rash, edema, and hardened calloused skin.
3. Podofilox
Podofilox is a genital wart medication intended to destroy warts. Usually the price is relatively cheap but it's safe and easy to use. Podofilox consists of two types, namely gel and solution. Podofilox solution must be applied with cotton to the wart. While the Podofilox gel you can apply with your fingers. You can apply this medicine twice for three consecutive days and continue with four days without other therapies.
This cycle can be repeated, if necessary, up to four cycles. The total area of warts treated should not exceed 10 cm and the total volume must be limited to 0.5 ml per day. You should consult your doctor to ask for the right and safe use.
Also keep in mind, Podofilox is not recommended for use on warts in the cervical, vaginal and anal area. Podofilox is also not recommended for use in large areas.
Side effects: You may experience mild to moderate intensity pain. You are also likely to experience irritation in the treated part. Just like other genital warts, this drug has not been proven safe for use during pregnancy.
Treatment of genital warts at the doctor
1. Podophyllin
Podophyllin is a plant-based resin that destroys genital wart tissue. Its concentration usually ranges from 10 to 25 percent. This medication should be applied to each wart in your genital area and allowed to dry before the area is in contact with clothing. Errors in use can cause irritation and treatment failure.
Therefore, this drug is usually not applied alone, but with the help of a doctor or medical officer. Treatment can be repeated every week, if needed. All return to the condition of the disease and advice from the doctor who handles you. To avoid the risk of complications due to misuse, there are several guidelines that need to be followed, namely:
- Application must be limited, that is, less than 0.5 ml per use.
- The application area has no lesions or open sores.
- The treated area must be washed with water and soap after 1-4 hours of application according to the doctor's advice to reduce any irritation that might occur.
Podophyllin berlum is proven safe for use by pregnant women. So that further consultation is needed to the expert doctor.
2. Tricoloacetic acid (TCA) or bicycloroacetic acid (BCA) 80–90%
Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or 80-90 percent bicloroacetic acid is a chemical treatment that works by destroying warts through freezing chemically. TCA solutions have a low viscosity that is comparable to water and can spread quickly if overused. As a result, this drug can actually damage healthy tissue adjacent to genital warts.
Doctors usually only apply a little to the wart in your genital area and leave it to dry so as not to spread to other parts. Treatment can be repeated every week if needed according to conditions. Unlike other drugs, TCA and BCA are proven to be safe and effective for pregnant women.
Side effects: You may feel very intense pain. However, this condition can be neutralized with liquid soap or sodium bicarbonate. If the amount of acid applied is excessive, the treated area must be neutralized with powder or sodium bicarbonate, for example baking soda, to eliminate the acidic reaction.
You should always consult your doctor for every treatment that is done. Never buy over-the-counter medicines without a doctor's prescription because they risk worsening the condition. Don't forget to ask the doctor for an explanation about how to use it properly so that the warts can be treated optimally.
