Dr Girl/Dr Dejour Q&A


Dr Girl/Dr Dejour Q&A
Dear Dr Dejour,

Just recently I noticed these funny bumps around my vagina and in my pubic hair, they don't hurt or anything but they look really awful and there seems to be more appearing. This is not normal is it? I am sexually active so can you please help, I don't want my Mum to know.

Signed Warts-and-all.

Dear Madame Warty,

Well the bumps might be warts. Not life threatening of course, but a nuisance. Like warts on your hands they can spread and generally do so until one day they all up and leave. This represents your body becoming immune to them and all the types of treatment (local chemicals, burning, bashing them) aim to get particles of the wart virus into your bloodstream so that your body can make an immune response to it. After this, each time you get one it will go away faster until a time when you don't get them at all. Now waiting can be hard when they are uncomfortable (genital warts often discharge and this can be itchy) and your doctor can recommend specific treatment according to the number and sites of the warts. It is most important to have a Pap smear if you have genital warts as the virus can also infect the cervix and lead to abnormal cells there, that need treatment (you should have a Pap smear anyway!).

Don't worry, we doctors see this all the time and consider it quite a bland topic - NO need for embarrassment.

Dr Dejour.

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