Ask Dr. Mitch

Now then, as for my safe sex tip of the month? Let’s talk HPV.

Human Papilloma Virus, the virus that is commonly known as genital warts. You can get them from someone else who has genital warts through oral, vaginal or anal sex. The warts come up in the same place you would have touched the infected person in a few weeks to one month after having sex. The warts look just like a wart on the hand, but smaller. They can be fleshy or bumpy, and will typically “cluster” in the same area. Most people do not know that they have warts as they can be inside the vaginal or anal canal. That is why it is so important to get a “thin prep pap smear” for woman and a “thin prep rectal pap smear” for those who have anal sex. Warts can be removed by freezing them off or burning them off with medication or they can be lasered off in severe cases.

Many of you who regularly come to AIM are aware of the “Gardasil Vaccination for HPV”. We at AIM have been given permission by the pharmaceutical company to vaccinate both men and women. This vaccination will protect you against the two types of HPV that commonly cause cancer and two types that commonly cause visible warts. There are many types of HPV, so even after you have been vaccinated, you can still be exposed and can be infected with other types of HPV. Science is now finding that some people, who have been infected and treated, may be cleared of the virus in time.

So, if you are traveling or in a place where you cannot go to the doctor for an exam what do you do? You may look at your body and wonder, “is it a pimple, a shaving bump or herpes sore?” Take a clean paper towel, douse it generously with white vinegar (about 49 cents in the grocery store), put it on the suspected area, let it sit for about 2 minutes, if the bump is white, it is HPV, if not, it is something else. If you are not going to be able to get care soon, take a piece of duct tape cut it in a circle and place it on the warts. This will prevent the wart from spreading and some people say it can even get rid of the warts, but medical attention is advised.

Thanks so much for your support and remember, you can always find us on the web at AIM-MED.ORG or SXCheck.Com. See you next month!

Dr. Mitch