1. Home
  2. About STIs
  3. About Genital Warts

About Genital Warts

On this page

What are genital warts?

laboratory staff testing STI samples
  • Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection (STI).
  • They are bumps or lumps on and around the genitals, the anus and the skin around these areas.
  • Very rarely, they can be in the throat, mouth or on the tongue.
  • Genital warts don’t usually hurt and are unlikely to cause any serious health problems.
  • Genital warts are caused by a virus in the skin called human papillomavirus (HPV). There are over 100 types of HPV. Most genital warts are caused by types 6 or 11. These are different to the types of HPV that cause warts on the hands and feet and common verrucas.
  • HPV can be passed on during sexual activity.
  • Most sexually active people will get at least one type of HPV at some time, and most people have it without ever knowing.
  • Warts can be treated to help them go away, and over time your body will usually clear the HPV infection.
  • An HPV vaccine can help protect you from getting genital warts.

Genital warts symptoms

Many people with HPV will not get genital warts or may get warts they don’t notice.

Genital warts may appear a few weeks or months after getting HPV, but because HPV can stay in the skin a long time, it’s possible for warts to appear many months or even years later.

If you have genital warts you may notice:

  • Visible warts.
  • Warts may occasionally itch, bleed or be painful.
  • Bleeding from the anus (bum hole) or the urethra (wee tube) if you have warts there.
  • If you have warts in the urethra (wee tube), the way your wee flows out your body may change – it may go in a different direction or look crooked.

Genital warts in women

If you have a vagina, you might notice one or more painless bumps, lumps or skin changes:

  • On your labia (vaginal lips)
  • On other parts of the vulva or pubic area
  • Around or inside your vagina or anus.

Genital warts in men

If you have a penis, you might notice one or more painless bumps, lumps or skin changes:

  • On or around your penis, scrotum or anus.

What do genital warts look and feel like?

Genital warts:

  • Can be on their own or in groups. Groups of warts can look a bit like a cauliflower.
  • Can be smooth or feel rough or bumpy.
  • Can be almost flat or raised.
  • Are usually skin-coloured but may be lighter or darker.

Have I got genital warts?

Not all bumps or lumps on the genitals or anus are genital warts. They may be another skin condition, like a skin tag, pearly penile papules (harmless bumps on the penis), Fordyce spots (harmless spots on the genitals) or haemorrhoids (piles).

If you have visible lumps or bumps, or if a sexual partner has genital warts, you can get checked at a sexual health service or GP surgery.

Genital warts tests and check-ups

There is no test for genital warts and no routine test for the types of HPV that cause genital warts.

A healthcare professional can usually tell if you have genital warts by looking at any affected areas. They may also check inside the vagina, anus or urethra (wee tube).

Occasionally a healthcare professional may ask to take a biopsy (sample) of the wart to send for testing. They will explain what is involved.

It’s a good idea to test for other STIs at the same time as getting checked for genital warts.

You can also get tested for common STIs with a home self-sampling kit from SH.UK.

When to test for STIs.

Test for other sexual health related conditions at home with SH.UK's self-sample test kit

STI test kit

Get a free self-sample test kit delivered to your door. Take a self sample and return via freepost. Access your results online within a week. Check to see if SH.UK offers NHS funded home test kits in your area.


Find your local services

5 out of 5 stars review Will recommend to everyone who needs a Sexual Health Test and treatment. "Derek"


Genital warts treatment

Genital warts can be treated with cream or liquid to help them go away or they can be removed. Treatment is free from NHS services.

No one treatment is best. Your healthcare professional will discuss which treatments are available and what will suit you. They can advise on safe treatment if you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant.

You can also choose not to have treatment and wait for the warts to go away on their own.

Treatment options include:

  • Putting cream, liquid or ointment on the warts. This is usually done by you at home but some types may need to be applied at a clinic.
  • Surgery under local anaesthetic to laser, burn or cut the warts away.
  • Freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen. This is done by a healthcare professional and can’t be done at home.

Over-the-counter wart treatments are usually only for warts on hands and feet and aren’t recommended for genital warts as they can damage the sensitive skin.

There is no treatment or cure for the HPV that causes genital warts, but in most people the body will clear the virus from the skin within 2 years.

How long do genital warts last for?

For most people, genital warts go away a few weeks or months after starting treatment.

You may need regular treatment or more than one type of treatment before the warts go.

If you smoke, have a weakened immune system or are pregnant it often takes longer for warts to go.

Until treatment is finished and the warts have gone, you may wish to use condoms when you have sex, especially with a new partner. Some people prefer to avoid sex until the warts have improved or gone.

After the warts have gone, you can still pass on HPV until your body has cleared it. Using condoms every time you have sex can help lower the chance of passing HPV on to a sexual partner. See below, Do I have to tell anyone if I have genital warts?

Will genital warts go away on their own?

For about 3 out of 10 people, genital warts will clear up without treatment within 6 months.

For other people, the warts may stay the same, get bigger or you may get more.

If you decide not to get treatment, you can go back to your clinic or surgery at any time if you change your mind.

Can genital warts come back?

It’s common for warts to go and then come back. They may come back more than once. This is usually because you still have HPV in your skin, but sometimes it may be from a new HPV infection.

Do I have to tell anyone if I have genital warts?

It’s a good idea to tell any current sexual partners that you have genital warts. This means:

  • You can decide together if you want to take steps to lower the chance of passing on HPV
  • They can decide whether to get an STI check-up

If you have a long-term partner and you have sex without using condoms, they are already likely to have the same type(s) of HPV as you. Using condoms with new partners can reduce the chance of them getting HPV. If they’ve received the HPV vaccine (most UK women under 35 and most UK men under 20) then it’s unlikely they would get genital warts.

Are genital warts dangerous?

Genital warts and the types of HPV that cause them won’t usually cause any health problems.

Some types of HPV can cause cell changes that lead to cancer. Nearly all genital warts are caused by low-risk types of HPV which are not linked to cancer.

How are genital warts spread?

Because HPV is in the skin, you can easily get it if your skin touches someone’s genital warts or touches skin that has HPV in it.

HPV can be spread:

  • During vaginal/frontal and anal sex.
  • From genital contact or any sexual activity with skin-to-skin contact.
  • By sharing sex toys that are not covered with a new condom or washed thoroughly before each person uses them.
  • Rarely, from oral sex.
  • Rarely, to a baby during birth.
  • Rarely, from the hands to the genitals.

It’s possible to pass on HPV even if you don’t have visible warts.

You can’t get genital warts from hugging, sharing baths or towels, from clothes, swimming pools or toilet seats.

How can I avoid getting genital warts?

In the UK, 12- to 13-year-olds (11- to 12-year-olds in Scotland) are offered an HPV vaccine at school. This helps protect against cancers caused by HPV and the types of HPV that cause most genital warts.

If you were offered the vaccine at school but did not have it, you can get it on the NHS any time before reaching the age of 25. Ask your GP surgery.

Men who have sex with men, and anyone with a higher than usual chance of getting HPV, who are aged 45 or below can be vaccinated for free at sexual health and HIV clinics.

The HPV vaccine won’t protect you from all types of HPV or other STIs so it’s also a good idea to:

  • Use condoms when you have vaginal/frontal or anal sex.
  • Get tested for STIs when you have a new sexual partner and before you stop using condoms with a partner.
  • If you share sex toys, cover them with a new condom or wash them thoroughly before each person uses them.
  • Stop smoking. Smoking can increase your chance of getting genital warts and warts often take longer to clear when you smoke. Smoking is also a big risk factor for HPV-related cancers.

Genital warts in pregnancy

Genital warts can be treated safely when you’re pregnant, but it may take a longer time for them to go away. You may be advised to wait, as warts often go away without treatment after you have given birth.

Having genital warts won’t usually affect the type of delivery you have. It’s possible for HPV to be passed to the baby during a vaginal birth, but if it does happen, the baby will usually clear the virus without any complications.