• Warts may grow on or around the genital area
(penis, scrotum, vagina, vulva), the anus, or mouth.
They can also grow inside the body where they are
hard to see.
• Usually are painless, but if the warts are injured,
they may become sore when touched.
Why Does It Matter?
• Certain types of HPV can lead to cervical cancer in
females, or cancer of the penis in males. Some types
of HPV may also lead to oral or anal cancer.
• In some cases, warts can become quite large and
cause discomfort.
• A small percentage of pregnant people with
genital warts can pass the virus to the baby
during birth.
Partners
Because symptoms of HPV can take a long time to
show up, if at all, it’s hard to know when a person first
got it.
• If you have genital warts, tell your partner(s) so
they can be checked by a health care provider, and
treated if they have them.
• You shouldn’t have oral, vaginal, or anal sex until the
warts are gone. Condoms may not fully cover parts
of the skin with warts. Once the warts are gone, the
3837 11/19
GET YOURSELF
TESTED
Testing is
confidential. If you are under 18 years
old, you can consent to be checked
and treated for STIs.
virus will still be in your body and you may still pass
it during sex.
• Talk with your provider about when it’s safe to have
sex after getting treatment.
• It’s important to talk with your partner(s) about any
sexually transmitted infections (STIs) you may have.
To Learn More
Contact a health care provider or your local STI clinic.
To learn more about STIs, or to find your local STI
clinic, visit www.health.ny.gov/STD.
You can find other STI testing locations at
https://gettested.cdc.gov.
