Facts about the Incubation Period for Genital Warts and More

If you have noticed that there are some fleshy lumps around your genital area or your anus, you may have contracted the sexually transmitted disease of genital warts. Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus also known as HPV. There are many different types of HPV and genital warts are one of the ways in which it affects us.

How to Tell if You Have Genital Warts

It is important once you become sexually active to educate yourself about the various sexually transmitted diseases that you can contract, especially if you have multiple partners. The incubation period for genital warts is just one of the things that you need to think about when you decide you are ready to have sexual intercourse with your partner.

Most of the focus is on sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDs and Herpes, but because the HPV virus has different strains, it is best that you research this virus that can affect you in so many ways and not just during the incubation period for genital warts and beyond.

If you can see genital warts, then your health care provider can see them too. The incubation period for genital warts is generally two to four weeks and after that you may or may not begin to see signs and symptoms. You will be contagious, and highly so after the incubation period for genital warts is done. Some symptoms don't show up for months, long after the incubation period for genital warts is over.

That is why it is so important, and for women especially, that they be checked regularly for the presence of the human papilloma virus. HPV is also a sign of a precancerous condition that can affect the cervix. If you have genital warts and you are a woman, often it will be detected when you have a pap smear. Your results will come up abnormal and your health care provider will want to do further testing.

There are many different treatment options depending upon the severity and the location of your genital warts. Your health care provider will work with you to map out an effective treatment plan that will help you to rid yourself of unsightly and itchy genital warts and help you to permanently rid your body of the human papilloma virus. You will need to be checked long after the incubation period for genital warts because even though the genital warts have long since disappeared, HPV may still be present.