Genital warts can be unsightly, and they can be painful. These warts are passed from person to person during sexual contact. The problem with genital warts is they are caused by a virus called HPV. The virus can lay dormant in the body for several months before it produces genital warts. During this time you are unaware that you are infected until one day you notice small flesh colored or pink bumps on your genital area. When this happens you want to get rid of them as soon as possible. But will genital warts treatment leave behind scars?
Before we attempt to answer this question we should examine how a scar is formed. The body has a natural tendency to heal itself. Whenever skin or tissue is damaged the body will replace this tissue with new tissue. Unfortunately, the body cannot re-create the healthy original tissue so it will create new fibers that new fibers to provide protection. But the new fibers that are formed are not as functional as the original tissue. This new protective covering is called a scar.
The risk for scarring after a genital warts treatment will vary depending on the treatment. One treatment will consist of you or your doctor applying a cream to the warts to dissolve them. The cream that you are allowed to apply at home will be less likely to scar than the stronger cream the doctor applies in the office. The at home cream works by triggering your immune system to get rid of your genital warts.
However, the stronger creams that are applied by the doctor will put you at risk for scarring because these creams are made to destroy genital wart tissue. Anytime you are destroying tissue you are starting a process in your body where scar tissue is manufactured to replace damaged tissue.
Another genital warts treatment is using liquid nitrogen to freeze the warts off. This method causes a blister to form around the wart. Over time the blister will heal and the wart will fall off. This method can produce scarring, especially if healthy surrounding tissue becomes damaged.
Surgery that is uses as a genital warts treatment may put you at the highest risk for scarring. Surgery involves cutting away the tissue that contains warts. This can be done by using an electric current or by using a laser. Both methods can stimulate the body to form protective scar tissue to replace the tissue that is lost.
The likelihood of a genital warts treatment forming a scar can depend upon a few different factors. Individuals who are younger and in excellent health will have a lower risk for scar formation than those who are in poor general health.