Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for the development of genital warts in some individuals. If you have these warts, then you may notice them popping up again and again. While some of the warts do go away on their own, some tend to linger and stick around. These warts are ones that can continue to grow bigger and cause some self-esteem issues. If this is currently a concern of yours, then you should know that there are std treatments available. Keep reading to learn about a few.

Topical Medications

Before any other treatments are started, you may be asked to apply a topical agent to the warts at home. These topical agents are prescription medications that are meant to get rid of warts in a variety of ways. For example, one type of prescription helps boost the immune system so your body can naturally fight off the HPV and reduce the warts that are currently present as well as any that may develop in the future.

Other prescriptions actively break down or destroy the warts that are present during the application. While some of the topical agents are plant-based, other options are made with acids that actually burn the wart from the skin. The stronger acidic medications may be administered in your physician's office. This may be necessary during the first application only or during all applications, so make sure to ask about this during your consultation. 

If you are able to use the topicals at home, ask about the precautions that need to be taken when using it. For example, you may need to protect your hands with a pair of vinyl or latex gloves.

Surgical Removal

If the topical prescriptions are not effective or if the warts are quite large, then you may need to invest in surgical removal. There are a few different types of physical removal that include freezing the warts and applying an electrical current to burn them away. 

Your physician may also choose a more traditional surgery where the warts are cut away from your body. The procedure is called surgical excision and is often completed under general anesthesia. Larger warts are often treated this way. Laser treatments will also be completed using general anesthesia. 

You should keep in mind that you are likely to experience some scarring if you opt to surgically remove the warts. However, many people prefer the scars over warts.