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Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Treatments of genital warts

Depending on factors such as their size and location, genital warts are treated in several ways. Although treatments can eliminate the warts, none eradicate the virus and warts often reappear after treatment. Patients should consult their doctors to determine the best treatment for them.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following preparations for treating genital warts in non-pregnant women:

imiquimod cream, which the patient can apply to the affected area, to treat genital warts.
20% podophyllin solution, which the patient can apply to the affected area and later wash off
0.5% podofilox solution, which also is applied to the affected area, but is not washed off.
5% 5-fluorouracil cream
trichloroacetic acid (TCA)

Other treatments

Cryosurgery (freezing), electrocautery (burning), or laser treatment can remove small warts. Occasionally, surgery is needed to remove large warts that have not responded to other treatment.

Some doctors use the antiviral drug alpha interferon, which they inject directly into the warts, to treat warts that have recurred after removal by traditional means. The drug is expensive, however, and does not reduce the rate of recurrence.

This information is excerpted from public documents available at
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

To learn more about their organization, click here.