Why Treatment Is So Important for Anal Warts

You’ve developed anal warts, and while they’re not exactly a welcome arrival, you’re not all that concerned, and you view them more as a nuisance than anything else. While anal warts certainly qualify as a nuisance, they also have the potential to lead to more serious problems, including cancer, without prompt treatment.

Our goal here isn’t to alarm you unnecessarily — the threat of cancer isn’t high — but the team of colorectal specialists here at Fairfax Colon & Rectal Surgery feels strongly that any time you can take preventive steps, they are well worth taking. When it comes to anal warts, this means seeking treatment to get rid of the warts before they can become more problematic.

Where anal warts come from

Like warts anywhere else on your body, anal warts come from human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which are largely classified as sexually transmitted infections. There are more than 150 different strains of HPV and 40 of them affect your genital area. Being infected by HPV isn’t unusual — nearly all sexually active men and women get the virus at some point.

Approximately 90% of anal warts come from HPV 6 and HPV 11, which are strains of HPV that aren’t associated with cancer. The other 10%, however, may be linked, which is why you shouldn’t ignore anal warts.

Symptoms of anal warts

Some people only realize they have anal warts after an exam because the growths don’t produce any symptoms. For others, however, there are obvious signs, such as:

• Visible lumps around your anus
• Light rectal bleeding
• Itching
• Anal discharge
• Feeling like something is caught in your anus

Anal warts can grow around the outside of your anus, as well as on the inside walls of your rectum. They can also multiply and create groups of warts that look like cauliflowers.

Potential complications of anal warts

Now let’s get to the heart of this discussion and the reasons why it’s a good idea to see us when you have anal warts.

We’ve touched on the more serious complications of anal warts — cancer — and we want to expand on this. More specifically, we’re referring to anal cancer, which isn’t all that common — it’s diagnosed in slightly more than 10,000 Americans each year. 

Your risks for this cancer are heightened when you have anal warts because you may have been infected by an HPV strain that’s associated with this type of cancer.

Another issue is that anal warts are contagious and spread easily, so you want to prevent this from happening.

Last, anal warts can be uncomfortable, especially if they multiply, which is why you should seek treatment.

Getting rid of your anal warts

The good news is that we can get rid of your anal warts quickly and, mostly, easily. In their early stages, we can prescribe topical ointments that clear away the warts. We can also use cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) to quickly freeze off the warts.

If you have warts that are harder to reach or don’t respond well to the treatments above, we can also surgically remove the growths.

No matter our approach, our goal is to clear away the warts so that they don’t cause any problems down the road. This removal won’t cure you of your original HPV infection, but it will go a long way toward preventing cancerous cell changes. 

If you suspect you have anal warts or you’d like us to check out some suspicious growths, we’re just a click or phone call away. To see one of our specialists, contact one of our offices in Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Alexandria, Gainesville, Woodbridge, or Lansdowne, Virginia, to schedule a consultation.