Genital Warts (HPV) (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth

<!DOCTYPE HTML> <html lang="en"> <head>  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push( {'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'} );var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-KSJ58RM');</script>   <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"/> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin/> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Montserrat:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"/>  <script> KHAdLanguage ="en"; KHAdSection ="teen"; KHAdSubCat = "alf_en_teens_stds"; KHAdTitle ="genitalwartshpv"; KHCD = "infectious-diseases"; // clinical designation aspect KHPCD = "adolescent-medicine-infectious-diseases"; // primary clinical designation aspect KHAge = "teen-thirteen-to-nineteen"; // age aspect KHGenre = "article"; // genre aspect KHPCAFull = "pca_en_teens_infectious-diseases"; // full gam tag for aspects licName = "KidsHealth"; </script> <meta property="og:description" content="You've probably heard lots about sexually transmitted diseases. The good news is that STDs can be prevented. For information on how to protect yourself and how to treat genital warts, read this article."/> <meta property="og:title" content="Genital Warts (HPV) (for Teens)"/> <meta property="twitter:title" content="Genital Warts (HPV) (for Teens)"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://kidshealth.org/content/dam/kidshealth/en/social/T_socialCard_small_en.png"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://kidshealth.org/content/dam/kidshealth/en/social/T_socialCard_small_en.png"/> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/png"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="200"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="200"/> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Nemours KidsHealth"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="You've probably heard lots about sexually transmitted diseases. The good news is that STDs can be prevented. For information on how to protect yourself and how to treat genital warts, read this article."/> <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Nemours KidsHealth"/>  <script> window.digitalData = window.digitalData || {}; window.digitalData = { page : { language:'english', licensee:'Mothership', pageType:'article', section:'teens', template:'standardTemplate', title:'Genital Warts (HPV)' } }; </script>   <script src="https://assets.adobedtm.com/60e564f16d33/ac808e2960eb/launch-9661e12d662b.min.js" async></script> <meta charset="UTF-8"/> <meta name="marcTag" content="standardPage/head.html"/> <script type="text/javascript"> window.rsConf = {general: {usePost: true}}; </script> <meta name="template" content="standardTemplate"/> <meta name="section" content="teens"/> <meta name="language" content="english"/> <meta name="kh_content_type" content="article"/> <meta name="fusionDataSource" content="kidshealth"/> <meta name="kh_language" content="english"/> <meta name="kh_section" content="teens"/> <meta name="kh_licensee" content="Mothership"/> <meta name="adcondition"/> <meta name="hashID" content="9ed1c54287a83e1f711cd2921fdcab536722e09c"/> <meta name="site" content="MOTHERSHIP"/> <meta name="keywords" content="sex, intercourse, std, sti, stds, stis, vd, venereal disease, hpv, human papillomavirus, sexually transmitted disease, sexually transmitted infection, protection, condom, rubber, gynecologist, oral sex, infertility, penis, vagina, anus, anal sex, urethra, viruses, sores, wart, wort, vaginitis, cervix, ovaries, certival cancer, testicles, scrotum"/> <meta name="description" content="You've probably heard lots about sexually transmitted diseases. The good news is that STDs can be prevented. For information on how to protect yourself and how to treat genital warts, read this article."/> <meta name="published_date" content="03/16/2022"/> <meta name="notify" content="n"/> <meta name="created-date" content="08/27/2024 "/> <meta name="last-modified-date" content="03/16/2022 "/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"/> <meta name="kh:pageKeywords" content="sex, intercourse, std, sti, stds, stis, vd, venereal disease, hpv, human papillomavirus, sexually transmitted disease, sexually transmitted infection, protection, condom, rubber, gynecologist, oral sex, infertility, penis, vagina, anus, anal sex, urethra, viruses, sores, wart, wort, vaginitis, cervix, ovaries, certival cancer, testicles, scrotum"/> <meta name="kh:pageDescription" content="You've probably heard lots about sexually transmitted diseases. The good news is that STDs can be prevented. For information on how to protect yourself and how to treat genital warts, read this article."/> <meta property="kh:pageTitle" content="Genital Warts (HPV)"/> <meta name="allow-Search" content="true"/> <meta name="available-to-MotherShip" content=" true"/> <meta name="available-to-Licencesee" content="true"/> <meta name="availble-to-XML feed" content=" true"/> <meta name="allow-Web-Services" content="true"/> <meta name="Author"/> <meta name="Aspects"/> <meta name="Categories" content="kidshealth:categories/infections/stds,kidshealth:categories/sexual-health/stds"/> <meta name="Last-Review-By"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/kidshealth/clientlibs/clientlib-base.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/kidshealth/clientlibs/clientlib-site.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/kidshealth/clientlibs/clientlib-common.css" type="text/css"> <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/jquery.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/utils.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/jquery/granite.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/kidshealth/clientlibs/clientlib-base.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/kidshealth/clientlibs/clientlibs-js-site.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/kidshealth/clientlibs/clientlib-js-common.js"></script> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/content/dam/kh-reskin/favicon-2.png"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-warts.html" x-cq-linkchecker="skip"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-warts.html"/> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://kidshealth.org/es/teens/std-warts.html"/> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-warts.html"/> <script> var isEdit = "false"; </script> <title>Genital Warts (HPV) (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth</title> </head> <body class=" mouseUser">  <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-KSJ58RM" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>   <div id="skipnavigation"><a id="skippy" class="accessible" href="#thelou">[Skip to Content]</a></div> <div id="kh-background-overlay" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" style="display: none"> </div> <div id="khMainContainer" class="standardPageContainer"> <div class="header"> <header id="kh-header">  <div id="kh-eyebrow-container" class="englishEyebrow"> <div id="kh-eyebrow" class="container-width"> <span>Find care at </span> <span class="kh-eyebrow-links"> <a href="https://www.nemours.org?external_id=RE2350835010600" target="_blank">Nemours Children's Health</a> <span class="eyebrow-bar" aria-hidden="true"></span> <a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor.html?external_id=RE2350835010600" aria-label="Nemours Doctors" target="_blank">Doctors</a> <span class="eyebrow-bar" aria-hidden="true"></span> <a href="https://www.nemours.org/locations.html?external_id=RE2350835010600" aria-label="Nemours Locations" target="_blank">Locations</a> </span> </div> </div> <div class="kh-header-container"> <div id="kh-header-section" class="container-width"> <div id="kh-logo"> <a href="/en/teens.html/" target="_self"> <img src="/content/dam/kidshealth/nemours-teenshealth-logo.svg" alt="Nemours TeensHealth"/> </a> </div> <nav aria-label="Main"> <ul id="kh-topnav-tabs" class="kh-mobile-hidden kh-english"> <li> <button id="kh-parents-tab" aria-expanded="false" data-title="For Parents" data-section="parents"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Parents</span> </button> </li> <li> <button id="kh-kids-tab" aria-expanded="false" data-title="For Kids" data-section="kids"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Kids</span> </button> </li> <li> <button id="kh-teens-tab" aria-expanded="false" data-title="For Teens" data-section="teens"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Teens</span> </button> </li> <li data-section="educators"> <button id="kh-educator-tab" aria-expanded="false" role="link" class="new-window-button" onclick="window.open('https://classroom.kidshealth.org', '_blank')" data-title="For Educators" target="_blank"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Educators</span> </button> </li> </ul> </nav> <div id="kh-header-buttons"> <div id="kh-search"> <button type="button" data-expanded="false" id="kh-search-icon" class="ctg showOnDesktop">Search</button> </div> <div id="kh-mob-menu-toggle"> <button data-expanded="false" id="kh-mob-icon" aria-expanded="false"><span class="hideOffScreen">Menu</span></button> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="kh-mob-menu"> <div id="kh-mob-menu-top-row"> <div id="kh-mob-logo"> <a href="/en/teens.html/" target="_self"> <img src="/content/dam/kidshealth/nemours-teenshealth-logo.svg" alt="Nemours TeensHealth"/> </a> </div> <div id="kh-mob-close"> <button id="mob-menu-close">Close Menu</button> </div> </div> <ul id="kh-mob-menu-buttons"> <li> <button id="mob-butt-parents" aria-expanded="false" data-title="For Parents" data-section="parents"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Parents</span> </button> </li> <li> <button id="mob-butt-kids" aria-expanded="false" data-title="For Kids" data-section="kids"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Kids</span> </button> </li> <li> <button id="mob-butt-teens" aria-expanded="false" data-title="For Teens" data-section="teens"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Teens</span> </button> </li> <li data-section="educators"> <button id="mob-butt-educators" aria-expanded="false" role="link" class="new-window-button" onclick="window.open('https://classroom.kidshealth.org', '_blank')" data-title="For Educators" target="_blank"> <span class="kh-section-text">For Educators</span> </button><div class="tabTrap" id="tabTrap_mm" tabindex="-1"></div> </li> </ul> <div class="kh-section-subnav closedNav" id="kh-parents-subnav" data-section="parents"> <div class="kh-section-subnav-inner container-width"> <div class="kh-mob-back"> <button id="parentsBack" data-section="parents">Back</button> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row1"> <label for="parents-main-nav-list" class="desktop-label">Featured Topics</label> <label for="parents-main-nav-list" class="mobile-label">For Parents</label> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row2"> <div class="khsr2-left"> <ul class="kh-subnav-lr" id="parents-main-nav-list"> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/es/parents/" lang="es">Sitio para padres</a></li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a href="/en/parents/">Parents Home</a></li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/general/">General Health</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/growth/">Growth & Development</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/infections/">Infections</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/medical/">Diseases & Conditions</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/pregnancy-newborn/">Pregnancy & Baby</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/nutrition-center/">Nutrition & Fitness</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/emotions/">Emotions & Behavior</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/positive/">School & Family Life</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/firstaid-safe/">First Aid & Safety</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/system/">Doctors & Hospitals</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/videos/">Videos</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/recipes/">Expert Answers (Q&A)</a> </li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/parents/all-categories.html">All Categories</a></li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/parents/centers/center.html">All Wellness Centers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="khsr2-right"> <a href="/en/parents/worrying.html"> <span class="khsr2-r-c1"><img src="/content/dam/kidshealth/menu-promo-daughter-hugging-dad.jpeg"/></span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2"> <span class="khsr2-2-c2-heading">Helping Kids When They Worry</span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2-r1">When kids worry, parents can provide calm support.</span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2-r2 tertiary-link-partial">Here’s how</span> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row3 desk-nav-only"> <div class="khsr3-left"> <ul> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/parents/">Parents Home</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/es/parents/" lang="es">Sitio para padres</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/parents/all-categories.html">All Categories</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/parents/centers/center.html">All Wellness Centers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="khsr3-right"> <div class="tabTrap" id="tabTrap_parents" tabindex="-1"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav closedNav" id="kh-kids-subnav" data-section="kids"> <div class="kh-section-subnav-inner container-width"> <div class="kh-mob-back"> <button id="kidsBack" data-section="kids">Back</button> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row1"> <label for="kids-main-nav-list" class="desktop-label">Featured Topics</label> <label for="kids-main-nav-list" class="mobile-label">For Kids</label> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row2"> <div class="khsr2-left"> <ul class="kh-subnav-lr" id="kids-main-nav-list"> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/es/kids/" lang="es">Sitio para niños</a></li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a href="/en/kids/">Kids Home</a></li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/center/htbw-main-page.html">How the Body Works</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/grow/">Puberty & Growing Up</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/stay-healthy/">Staying Healthy</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/watch/">Staying Safe</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/word/">Dictionary</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/health-problems/">Health Problems</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/ill-injure/">Illnesses & Injuries</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/center/relax-center.html">Relax & Unwind</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/feel-better/">People, Places & Things That Help</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/feeling/">Feelings</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/talk/">Expert Answers (Q&A)</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/videos/">Videos</a> </li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/kids/all-categories.html">All Categories</a></li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/kids/centers/center.html">All Wellness Centers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="khsr2-right"> <a href="/en/kids/5-steps.html"> <span class="khsr2-r-c1"><img src="/content/dam/kidshealth/menu-promo-kid-meditation.jpeg"/></span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2"> <span class="khsr2-2-c2-heading">How Can I Handle Stress?</span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2-r1">There are ways to help yourself through stressful moments.</span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2-r2 tertiary-link-partial">Find out how</span> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row3 desk-nav-only"> <div class="khsr3-left"> <ul> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/kids/">Kids Home</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/es/kids/" lang="es">Sitio para niños</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/kids/all-categories.html">All Categories</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/kids/centers/center.html">All Wellness Centers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="khsr3-right"> <div class="tabTrap" id="tabTrap_kids" tabindex="-1"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav closedNav" id="kh-teens-subnav" data-section="teens"> <div class="kh-section-subnav-inner container-width"> <div class="kh-mob-back"> <button id="teensBack" data-section="teens">Back</button> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row1"> <label for="teens-main-nav-list" class="desktop-label">Featured Topics</label> <label for="teens-main-nav-list" class="mobile-label">For Teens</label> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row2"> <div class="khsr2-left"> <ul class="kh-subnav-lr" id="teens-main-nav-list"> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/es/teens/" lang="es">Sitio para adolescentes</a></li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a href="/en/teens/">Teens Home</a></li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/your-body/">Body</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/your-mind/">Mind</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/sexual-health/">Sexual Health</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/food-fitness/">Food & Fitness</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/diseases-conditions/">Diseases & Conditions</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/infections/">Infections</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/drug-alcohol/">Drugs & Alcohol</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/school-jobs/">School & Jobs</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/sports-center/">Sports</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/expert/">Expert Answers (Q&A)</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/safety/">Staying Safe</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/videos/">Videos</a> </li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/teens/all-categories.html">All Categories</a></li> <li class="mob-nav-only"><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/teens/centers/center.html">All Wellness Centers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="khsr2-right"> <a href="/en/teens/talk-depression.html"> <span class="khsr2-r-c1"><img src="/content/dam/kidshealth/menu-promo-father-son-talking.jpeg"/></span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2"> <span class="khsr2-2-c2-heading">Getting Help for Depression</span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2-r1">If you feel depressed or alone, talking to a parent is a good place to start.</span> <span class="khsr2-r-c2-r2 tertiary-link-partial">Tips for talking</span> </span> </a> </div> </div> <div class="kh-section-subnav-row3 desk-nav-only"> <div class="khsr3-left"> <ul> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/teens/">Teens Home</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/es/teens/" lang="es">Sitio para adolescentes</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/teens/all-categories.html">All Categories</a></li> <li><a class="tertiary-link" href="/en/teens/centers/center.html">All Wellness Centers</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="khsr3-right"> <div class="tabTrap" id="tabTrap_teens" tabindex="-1"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="kh-search-area" role="dialog" aria-label="Search" class="closedSearch"> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="get" role="search" action="/en/searchresults.html" actionpath="/en/searchresults.html" class="container-width noSuggs"> <input type="hidden" name="search" value="y"/><label for="q" class="hideOffScreen">Search KidsHealth library</label> <div class="easy-autocomplete" style="width: 100px;"> <input type="text" maxlength="256" id="q" name="q" placeholder="Search" onfocus="clearText(this)" onblur="clearText(this)" role="combobox" autocomplete="off" lang="en" required="required" aria-expanded="false" tabindex="0"/> <div class="easy-autocomplete-container" id="eac-container-q"> <ul role="listbox"></ul> </div> </div> <script> </script> <input type="hidden" name="datasource" value="kidshealth"/><input type="hidden" name="start" value="0"/><input type="hidden" name="rows" value="10"/> <input type="hidden" name="section" value="parents_teens_kids"/> <div id="searchSelectBox"> <select id="searchLangSelector" name="lang"> <option value="english" id="kh-search-lang-sel-en" selected="selected">English</option> <option value="spanish" id="kh-search-lang-sel-es">Espa&#241ol</option> </select> </div> <input type="button" value="search" id="searchButton" role="button" onclick="searchurl();"/>  <div id="validationfield"> <span id="validationMessage"> </span> </div> <div id="suggsAnnounce" aria-live="polite" role="status" class="hideOffScreen"></div> </form> <div class="tabTrap" id="tabTrap_search" tabindex="-1"></div> </div> <script>NS_CSM_td=499912453;NS_CSM_pd=275116664;NS_CSM_u="/clm10";NS_CSM_col="AAAAAAUYDA++Nn6kUbsbYSFt6x5b2kdBIL/iPaomde8u5VYNILpydblAMn6YavPTdwkP7pk=";</script><script type="text/javascript">function sendTimingInfoInit(){setTimeout(sendTimingInfo,0)}function sendTimingInfo(){var wp=window.performance;if(wp){var c1,c2,t;c1=wp.timing;if(c1){var cm={};cm.ns=c1.navigationStart;if((t=c1.unloadEventStart)>0)cm.us=t;if((t=c1.unloadEventEnd)>0)cm.ue=t;if((t=c1.redirectStart)>0)cm.rs=t;if((t=c1.redirectEnd)>0)cm.re=t;cm.fs=c1.fetchStart;cm.dls=c1.domainLookupStart;cm.dle=c1.domainLookupEnd;cm.cs=c1.connectStart;cm.ce=c1.connectEnd;if((t=c1.secureConnectionStart)>0)cm.scs=t;cm.rqs=c1.requestStart;cm.rss=c1.responseStart;cm.rse=c1.responseEnd;cm.dl=c1.domLoading;cm.di=c1.domInteractive;cm.dcls=c1.domContentLoadedEventStart;cm.dcle=c1.domContentLoadedEventEnd;cm.dc=c1.domComplete;if((t=c1.loadEventStart)>0)cm.ls=t;if((t=c1.loadEventEnd)>0)cm.le=t;cm.tid=NS_CSM_td;cm.pid=NS_CSM_pd;cm.ac=NS_CSM_col;var xhttp=new XMLHttpRequest();if(xhttp){var JSON=JSON||{};JSON.stringify=JSON.stringify||function(ob){var t=typeof(ob);if(t!="object"||ob===null){if(t=="string")ob='"'+ob+'"';return String(ob);}else{var n,v,json=[],arr=(ob&&ob.constructor==Array);for(n in ob){v=ob[n];t=typeof(v);if(t=="string")v='"'+v+'"';else if(t=="object"&&v!==null)v=JSON.stringify(v);json.push((arr?"":'"'+n+'":')+String(v));}return(arr?"[":"{")+String(json)+(arr?"]":"}");}};xhttp.open("POST",NS_CSM_u,true);xhttp.send(JSON.stringify(cm));}}}}if(window.addEventListener)window.addEventListener("load",sendTimingInfoInit,false);else if(window.attachEvent)window.attachEvent("onload",sendTimingInfoInit);else window.onload=sendTimingInfoInit;</script></header> </div> <div id="mainContentContainer" class="kh-article-page"> <div id="thelou" tabindex="-1"> </div> <main id="khMSMain" class="content-width"> <div id="khContentTitleBlock"> <nav aria-label="Breadcrumbs"> <div id="breadcrumbsContainer"> <ul id="breadcrumbs"> <li> <a href="/"> KidsHealth</a></li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/"> For Teens</a></li> <li> Genital Warts (HPV)</li> </ul> </div> </nav> <div id="khContentHeading" class="ar"> <h1>Genital Warts (HPV)</h1> </div> <div id="languagePairLink" class="rs_skip" lang="es"> en español: <a href="/es/teens/std-warts.html">Verrugas genitales (VPH)</a> </div> <div> <div id="reviewerBoxTop"> <div id="reviewedByTop"> Medically reviewed by: <a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor/23124-christina-shultz-primary-care-orlando.html" target="_blank">Christina M. Shultz, MD</a> and <a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor/29464-taina-trevino-primary-care-st-cloud.html" target="_blank">Taina A. Trevino, MD</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div id="departmentSpecialty"> <a href="https://www.nemours.org/locations/primary-care.html" class="rev-multi" target="_blank">Learn About Primary Care Pediatrics at Nemours Children's Health</a> </div> </div> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="khcontent_article" class="khLeft"> <span class="ISI_MESSAGE"></span> <ul id="msArticleControls"> <li class="ac-readspeaker"> <div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"> <a onclick="rsUsed('1')" rel="nofollow" class="rsbtn_play rsen" title="Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker" href="//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&readid=khcontent_article&url=kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-warts.html" data-rsevent-id="rs_886605" role="button"> <span class="rsbtn_left rspart"> <span class="rsbtn_text"> <span class="readspeakerLauncher">Listen</span> </span> </span> <span class="rsbtn_right rsplay rspart"></span> </a> <div class="rsbtn_exp rsimg rspart"> <span class="rsbtn_box"> <button onclick="javascript:void(0);" class="rsbtn_pause rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Play" data-rsphrase-pause="Pause" data-rsphrase-play="Play" data-rsevent-id="rs_249118"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Play</span> </button> <button onclick="javascript:void(0);" class="rsbtn_stop rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Stop" data-rsevent-id="rs_658053"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Stop</span> </button> <span class="rsbtn_progress_container rspart" data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-parent-data-readspeaker-slider-id-10734" data-rsevent-id="rs_215867" style=""> <span class="rsbtn_progress_played" style="width: 0%;"></span> <span data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-id-10734" class="rsbtn_progress_handle rsimg" data-rsevent-id="rs_948321" style="left: 0px;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" role="slider" class="keyLink" style="display:block; border:0;" title="Seek bar" aria-label="Seek bar" aria-orientation="horizontal" aria-valuemin="0" aria-valuemax="100" aria-valuenow="0" data-rsevent-id="rs_781294"> </a></span></span> <button onclick="ariaVolume();" onfocus="ariaVolume();" onblur="ariaVolume();" onfocusout="ariaVolume();" id="thisRSVolume" class="rsbtn_volume rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Volume" aria-expanded="false" tabindex="0" data-rsevent-id="rs_224875"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Volume</span> </button> <span class="rsbtn_volume_container rspart" id="thisRSVolumneContainer" style="display: none"> <span class="rsbtn_volume_slider" data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-parent-data-readspeaker-slider-id-14810" data-rsevent-id="rs_323957"><span data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-id-14810" class="rsbtn_volume_handle rsimg" data-rsevent-id="rs_195035"><a href="javascript:void(0);" role="slider" class="keyLink" style="display:block; border:0;" title="Change volume" aria-label="Change volume" aria-orientation="vertical" aria-valuemin="0" aria-valuemax="5" aria-valuenow="5" data-rsevent-id="rs_455317"> </a></span></span> </span> <a href="//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&readid=khcontent_article&url=kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-warts.html&audiofilename=KidsHealth_&save=1" target="rs" class="kh_rs_download rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="mp3"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">mp3</span> </a> <button onclick="javascript:void(0);" class="rsbtn_settings rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Settings" data-rsevent-id="rs_442984"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Settings</span> </button> <button class="rsbtn_closer rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Close Player" data-rsevent-id="rs_377229"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Close Player</span> </button> <span class="rsdefloat"></span> </span> </div> </div> </li> <li class="ac-textSize"> <div id="kh-text-sizer"> <button id="kh-text-sizer-largest" onclick="textSizer('3');"> <span class="hideOffScreen">Larger text size</span> </button> <button id="kh-text-sizer-larger" onclick="textSizer('2');"> <span class="hideOffScreen">Large text size</span> </button> <button id="kh-text-sizer-regular" onclick="textSizer('1');"> <span class="hideOffScreen">Regular text size</span> </button> </div> </li> <li class="ac-print"> <div id="kh-print-button"> <a onclick='printWindow1(this.href); return false; rel="nofollow"' tabindex="0"> <span class="printLabel">Print</span> </a> </div> </li> </ul>   <div> <div class="cmp-container"> <div class="rte-image">  <h3>What Are Genital Warts?</h3> <p>Genital warts are <a href="/en/teens/warts.html">warts</a> that are on or near the vagina or penis (the genitals).</p> <h3>What Causes Genital Warts?<br> </h3> <p>Genital warts are usually a sexually transmitted disease (STD). They're caused by HPV (human papillomavirus). This <script type="text/javascript" id="splatJS_virus_T" name="splat" src="/content/kidshealth/us/en/teens/splats/virus.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" id="splatDW_virus_T">document.write(def_virus_T);</script> <noscript class="rs_skip"> virus</noscript>also can cause some types of cancer. But the types of HPV that cause genital warts do not usually cause cancer.</p> <h3>What Are STDs?<br> </h3> <p><a href="/en/teens/std.html">STDs</a> (also called sexually transmitted infections or STIs) are infections that spread through sex (vaginal, oral, or anal), or close sexual contact.</p> <h3>What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Genital Warts?<br> </h3> <p>Many people infected with HPV never get warts. If warts do develop, they usually come within a few months. But sometimes, they show up years later.</p> <p>The warts can be on or near the vulva, vagina, cervix, penis, scrotum, or anus.</p> <p>Genital warts can be raised or flat, small or large. Sometimes they're grouped together in a cauliflower-like shape. Some warts can be so small and flat that they're not noticed right away.</p> <p>Most of the time, genital warts are painless. Some people may have itching, bleeding, burning, or pain.<br> </p> <h3>How Do People Get Genital Warts?<br> </h3> <p>The HPV that causes genital warts usually spreads through vaginal, oral, or anal sex or close sexual contact with the genital area. Even if there are no warts, HPV might still be active in the genital area and can spread to others.</p> <p>It is not always possible for people to know when they got infected with HPV. This is because:<br> </p> <ul class="kh_longline_list"> <li>The virus can be in the body for months to years before warts develop.<br> </li> <li>They might have had warts before that weren't noticed.</li> </ul> <h3>How Are Genital Warts Diagnosed?</h3> <p>Health care providers usually can diagnose genital warts by looking at them. Sometimes, doctors take a small sample of the wart to send to a lab for testing. This usually isn't painful.</p> <h3>How Are Genital Warts Treated?<br> </h3> <p>Treatments to remove genital warts include:</p> <ul> <li>medicines put on or into the warts<br> </li> <li>lasers, cold, or heat put on the warts</li> <li>surgery</li> </ul> <p>Sometimes, warts come back after treatment. This is because the treatments can't get rid of all of the HPV in the body.</p> <h3>How Long Do Genital Warts Last?<br> </h3> <p>How long genital warts last can vary from person to person. Sometimes, the <a href="/en/teens/immune.html">immune system</a> clears the warts within a few months. But even if the warts go away, the HPV might still be active in the body. So the warts can come back. Usually within 2 years, the warts and the HPV are gone from the body.</p> <h3>When Is Someone With Genital Warts No Longer Contagious?<br> </h3> <p>People with genital warts definitely can spread HPV. But even after the warts are gone, HPV might still be active in the body. That means it can spread to someone else through sex or close sexual contact and cause warts in that person. It's hard to know when people are no longer contagious, because there's no blood test that looks for HPV.</p> <p>Most of the time, HPV is gone within 2 years of when someone was infected.<br> </p> <h3>Can Genital Warts Be Prevented?<br> </h3> <p>Genital warts and other types of HPV can be prevented by a vaccine. The <a href="/en/teens/hpv-vaccine.html">HPV vaccine</a> series is recommended for all kids when they're 9–11 years old. Teens and adults (up to age 45) also can get the vaccine. Even if someone already has had one type of HPV infection, the HPV vaccine can protect against <a href="/en/teens/hpv-query.html">other types of HPV</a>.</p> <p>HPV almost always spreads through sex. So another way to prevent genital warts is to <a href="/en/teens/abstinence.html">not have sex</a> (vaginal, oral, or anal). If someone does decide to have sex, using a <a href="/en/teens/contraception-condom.html">condom</a> every time for sex (vaginal, oral, anal) helps prevent HPV and other STDs. But condoms can't always prevent HPV because they don't cover all areas where HPV can live.<br> </p> <h3>Should Sexual Partners Be Told About Genital Warts?<br> </h3> <p>Yes. Someone diagnosed with genital warts should have an <a href="/en/teens/stds-talk.html">honest conversation</a> with sexual partners. Partners need to be seen by a health care provider who can check for genital warts and do screenings for other STDs.</p> <p>If the couple plan to continue having sex, both people need to understand that a condom will help lower the risk of spreading genital warts/HPV but can't completely prevent it.<br> </p> <h3>Looking Ahead<br> </h3> <p>If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with genital warts, it is important to:</p> <ul class="kh_longline_list"> <li>Know that HPV can spread to partners during sex, even if there are no warts.</li> <li>Tell any sexual partners about the warts before having sex.</li> <li>Use a condom every time they have sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).</li> <li><a href="/en/teens/std-testing.html">Get tested</a> for other STDs as recommended by your health care provider.</li> <li>Get <a href="/en/teens/hpv-shots.html">all doses</a> of the HPV vaccine.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy"><strong>Medically reviewed by: </strong><a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor/23124-christina-shultz-primary-care-orlando.html" class="vcard-link" target="_blank">Christina M. Shultz, MD</a> and <a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor/29464-taina-trevino-primary-care-st-cloud.html" class="vcard-link" target="_blank">Taina A. Trevino, MD</a> </div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: January 2021</div> </div> <span class="ISI_MESSAGE">  </span> </div> <div id="khcontent_article_aside" class="khRight"> <div> <aside aria-labelledby="moreOnThisTopicHeader"> <div id="kh-mott-box"> <h2 id="moreOnThisTopicHeader" class="JSMott">More on this topic for:</h2> <ul id="kh-mott-tabs" role="tablist" class="JSMott"> <li data-section="teens" role="presentation"><button type="button" role="tab" aria-controls="teens_panel" id="teens_tab" tabindex="-1" aria-selected="false">Teens</button></li> </ul> <div id="teens_panel" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledby="teens_tab"> <h2 class="sansJSMott">More on this topic<br/>For Teens</h2> <ul id="kh-mott-teens-links" class="kh-mott-links"> <li> <a href="/en/teens/hpv-vaccine.html"> HPV Vaccine </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/talk-about-condoms.html"> Talking to Your Partner About Condoms </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/the-talk.html"> Talking to Your Partner About STDs </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/hpv-shots.html"> Do I Have to Get All My HPV Vaccine Shots? </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/hpv-query.html"> Can Getting the HPV Vaccine Help if I Already Have Genital Warts? </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/3shots.html"> Can You Still Get Genital Warts If You've Had All the HPV Shots? </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/gardasil.html"> Do I Need a Pelvic Exam if I Had the HPV Vaccine? </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/expert-penis.html"> I Have Bumps on My Penis. Is This Normal? </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/talk-doctor.html"> Talking to Your Doctor </a> </li> </ul> </div> <button id="kh-mott-toggle" data-expanded="false">View more</button> </div> </aside> </div> <aside aria-label="Nemours Message"> <div id="kh-partner-ad" class="rs_skip rs_preserve"> <div class="kh-inline"><iframe title="Partner Message" id="mobad_in_if" src="/content/kidshealth/us/misc/inline_ad.html" style="display: block; border: 0px none;" scrolling="no"> </iframe></div> </div> </aside> </div> </div> <script> shPage = window.location.href; //shPage = '/en/parents/'; shTitle = "Genital Warts (HPV)"; shDesc = ""; //fbID = '87302104747'; //fbID = '1188285045291657'; fbShareLoc = 'https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+shPage; //fbShareLoc = 'https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id='+fbID+'&display=popup&href='+shPage; twShareLoc = 'https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text='+shTitle+'&url='+shPage; pinShareLoc = 'https://pinterest.com/pin-builder/?url='+shPage+'' function fbShare() { window.open(fbShareLoc,'fbPop','width=600,height=400,scrollbars=auto'); } function twShare() { window.open(twShareLoc,'twPop','width=600,height=400,scrollbars=auto'); } function pinShare() { window.open(pinShareLoc,'twPop','width=920,height=480,scrollbars=auto'); } </script> <aside aria-label="Share this page"> <div id="kh-sharing"> <label for="kh-share"> Share: </label> <ul id="kh-share"> <li> <button onclick="fbShare();" class="kh-share kh-facebook"> <span class="srText"> Share to Facebook </span> </button> </li> <li> <button onclick="twShare();" class="kh-share kh-twitter"> <span class="srText"> Share to Twitter </span> </button> </li> <li> <button onclick="pinShare();" class="kh-share kh-pinterest"> <span class="srText"> Share to Pinterest </span> </button> </li> </ul> </div> </aside> </main> <span class="medicalcoding" style="display: none;">/content/kidshealth/misc/medicalcodes/teens/articles/std-warts</span> </div> <div class="footer"> <footer> <div id="kh-footer"> <div class="kh-container"> <div id="footerRows" class="container-width"> <div id="footerRow1"> <nav aria-label="site info"> <div id="footer-col1"> <h2 id="col1H" class="footerColumnHeading">Who We Are</h2> <ul id="col1UL" class="footerList"> <li> <a href="/en/teens/about.html">About Us</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer-col2"> <h2 id="col2H" class="footerColumnHeading">Working With Us</h2> <ul id="col2UL" class="footerList"> <li> <a href="/en/parents/partners.html">Partners</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/editorial-policy.html">Editorial Policy</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/permissions-guidelines.html">Permissions Guidelines</a> </li> <li> <a class="footerNewWindow" href="https://nemours.mediaroom.com/journalist-resources" target="_blank">Media Requests <span class="hideOffScreen">This link will open in a new window</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/general-information/contact-us">Contact Us</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer-col3"> <h2 id="col3H" class="footerColumnHeading">Legal & Privacy</h2> <ul id="col3UL" class="footerList"> <li> <a href="/en/teens/policy.html">Privacy Policy & Terms of Use</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/parents/nondiscrimination.html">Notice of Nondiscrimination</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer-col4"> <h2 id="col4H" class="footerColumnHeading">All Categories</h2> <ul id="col4UL" class="footerList"> <li> <a href="/en/parents/all-categories.html">For Parents</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/all-categories.html">For Kids</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/all-categories.html">For Teens</a> </li> </ul> <h2 id="col4bH" class="footerColumnHeading">Wellness Centers</h2> <ul id="col4bUL" class="footerList"> <li> <a href="/en/parents/centers/center.html">For Parents</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/kids/centers/center.html">For Kids</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/centers/center.html">For Teens</a> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="footerRow2"> <div id="ourSocials"> <ul id="socialRow"> <li id="khFB"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/nemourskidshealth/" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/kh-reskin/iconFacebookWhite.svg" alt="Nemours KidsHealth on Facebook"/></a></li> <li id="khX"><a href="https://x.com/nemours" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/kh-reskin/iconTwitterWhite.svg" alt="Nemours KidsHealth on X"/></a></li> <li id="khYT"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@NemoursKidsHealth" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/kh-reskin/iconYoutubeWhite.svg" alt="Nemours KidsHealth on YouTube"/></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="footerRow3"> <div id="fr3C1"> <div id="footerLogo"> <a href="https://www.nemours.org/?external_id=RE2350803010600" id="kh-nemours-footer-logo" target="_blank"> <img src="/content/dam/kidshealth/logo-nemours_KidsHealth.svg" alt="Nemours"/> </a> </div> </div> <div id="fr3C2"> <div id="kh-footer-text" class="container-width"><p>Note: All information on Nemours® KidsHealth® is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2024. The Nemours Foundation. Nemours Children's Health®, KidsHealth®, and Well Beyond Medicine® are registered trademarks of The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved. Images sourced by The Nemours Foundation and Getty Images.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="kh-leaderboard-ad"> <aside aria-label="Nemours Message"> <iframe id="mobad_if" title="Mobile Overlay Partner Ad" src="/content/kidshealth/us/misc/ad_mobile_overlay.html" style="display: none; border: 0 none;" scrolling="no"> </iframe> </aside> </div> </div> </footer> <script> $(function() { var thisPage = window.location.pathname; if(thisPage.indexOf('contact')>-1) { // contact page - don't change } else { if(typeof(Storage) !== "undefined") { localStorage.setItem('originurl',thisPage); } } }); </script></div> </div> <script> // Define variables for ReadSpeaker theRSURL = (escape(document.location.href)); rsAudioTitle = document.title.replace(/ |\'|\?/g, "_"); RSLanguage = "en_us"; </script> <script src="//f1-na.readspeaker.com/script/5202/ReadSpeaker.js?pids=embhl"></script> <div id="ariaAnnouncements" aria-live="polite" tabindex="-1" style="visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px;"> </div>  <script type="text/javascript" src="/etc.clientlibs/nitro/clientlibs/clientlib-site.js"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Genital Warts (HPV) (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth