Anal warts, also known as anal condyloma or anal HPV, occur in the anal canal, around it, and in the rectum, which is the upper part of the large intestine. Generally, genital warts are also present in the same patient. Since it is a viral disease, it can be as small as a pinhead or grow as large as an orange.
What Causes Anal Warts?
The cause is a virus, and it is transmitted from another person through contact, i.e., touching. It is a contagious and viral disease.
Because it is transmitted through close contact, the first situation that comes to mind is sexual contact, and the most common mode of transmission is sexual intercourse. However, it can also be seen in people who do not engage in sexual intercourse, in children, and even in infants. This suggests that sexual contact is not the only cause. Although it is said to be difficult to transmit through objects, there are scientific studies supporting that it can be transmitted through items like bidet faucets, sinks, and toilet seats.
The reason it is common among those who frequently change partners, gay men, and sex workers is again due to sexual intercourse.
What Are the Risks of Anal Warts?
There are many scientific studies showing that they can cause anal cancer, although anal cancer is a very rare type of cancer. If a woman has condyloma in the anus, the likelihood of it spreading to the genital area is almost 100%, and the only known cause of cervical cancer in women is genital warts.
If the treatment of warts in the anal area is delayed, they can spread to the intestines and continue to grow there. They can grow like cauliflower in the intestines, leading to intestinal obstruction.
In addition to the risks to the individual, the person continues to transmit the virus to others who use the same toilet, faucet, or sexual partner.
Methods Used in the Treatment of Anal Warts
- Cauterization (burning)
- Radiofrequency vaporization
- Cryotherapy (freezing)
- Laser burning
- Surgical excision
- Medication treatment
All methods except for medication-based treatments are aimed at destroying the wart, and once the procedure is completed, there will be an open wound proportional to the extent and size of the wart.
Cream for Post-Wart Removal Care
Venerex Ointment, developed for condyloma treatment, should not be used until the wound has healed. Due to the moisture in the anal area, warts usually spread quickly, and by the time the patient seeks treatment, the condition has often progressed, leading to large open wounds.
Even if the warts around the nails are not very extensive, very deep wounds form after treatment.
Warts on the hands, face, and body are usually small and single, so the resulting wounds are also small.
Regardless of whether the wound is small or large, proper care is essential.
The cream used should have the following properties:
- Antimicrobial (kills germs)
- Accelerates healing
- Minimizes scarring
- Protects from sunlight to prevent blemish formation
Kutalin Cream is produced with a new generation cream formulation and meets all these requirements.
Once the wounds have healed, using a wound cream is unnecessary. However, due to the moisture in the anal area, tiny warts that are not visible to the naked eye or under a magnifying glass can still be present.
Do Anal Warts Recur?
If completely treated and not reinfected by another person, they do not recur. Since the anal area remains moist throughout the day, and because the virus spreads more quickly and grows faster in a moist environment, additional treatment sessions may be necessary. This should be discussed in detail with the clinic at the start of treatment, and follow-up sessions and services should be clearly defined.
To reduce the number of sessions, Venerex Ointment (3) should be used once the wounds begin to heal.
Venerex Ointment
- Antiviral
- Inhibits cell division
- Enhances local immunity
Due to these effects, it minimizes the need for multiple treatment sessions for wart removal.
Scientific studies recommend the Gardasil HPV vaccine during the treatment period.
Venerex Ointment is the only ointment in Turkey containing catechins, with a catechin content of 15%.
Anal Wart Cream
Burning solutions used on other body areas should not be used on the anal region. There are two groups of creams or ointments:
- Imiquimod-containing medication: Aldara Ointment. Aldara is used only on the skin and should not be used on areas covered with thin mucosal skin, such as the inside of the anus, vagina, and mouth.
- Catechins-containing ointments: Veregen Ointment (USA), Veregreen Ointment (European Union), and Venerex Ointment (Turkey). Catechin-containing ointments are effective in the early stages of anal condyloma and reduce the likelihood of recurrence when used in conjunction with advanced anal condyloma treatment.
These ointments are also used to treat genital warts and widespread body warts that are difficult to treat with other methods.
References
1- Gupta, P. J. (2004). Radio surgery: a new tool in proctology practice. Bratislavske lekarske listy, 105(7/8), 270-276.
2- Stockfleth, E., Beti, H., Orasan, R., Grigorian, F., Mescheder, A., Tawfik, H., & Thielert, C. (2008). Topical Polyphenon® E in the treatment of external genital and perianal warts: a randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Dermatology, 158(6), 1329-1338.
3- Wiley, D. J., Douglas, J., Beutner, K., Cox, T., Fife, K., Moscicki, A. B., & Fukumoto, L. (2002). External genital warts: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 35(Supplement_2), S210-S224.