Why are genital warts so common if there's a vaccine ?

[NYClover54]

is it because it's expensive? I know the vaccination protects us against 90% of strains that cause warts so why is genital warts then the most common STD ?

 

[NYClover54]

Another question are gentian warts even common in gays? How common is it for them to be transferred by penis to penis interaction

 

[KaraBulut]

is it because it's expensive? I know the vaccination protects us against 90% of strains that cause warts so why is genital warts then the most common STD ?

This is not correct: "[STRIKE]the vaccination protects us against 90% of strains that cause warts[/STRIKE]". The vaccine only covers 4-5 types of the virus that are known to cause cancer. There are some newer versions of the vaccine coming onto the market that will double that but that would still only cover less than 10 types (less than 5% of the types).

Two reasons why HPV is still very common in spite of the vaccine:

1. The vaccines were designed to prevent cervical cancer in women and has only been available about 10 year. The HPV immunizations have only been available in the US since 2006 and in the UK since 2008. It was originally approved only for females before they became sexually active (usually before age 18). This was later extended to include boys, also before they became sexually active. The vaccine is not believed to be effective if you have already been exposed to HPV, although some physicians are giving it to anyone who requests it. So, we won't see lower rates of cancer for many years, as the women who received the vaccine in their teens reach the age where cervical cancer would begin to affect them.
2. The types of HPV that cause warts are not the same types that cause cancers. We've discovered close to 200 different types of HPV. We believe about 1/4 of these affect the anus and genitals. The vaccines only cover about 4-5 of the types that are most likely to cause cancer. The vaccine offers little to no protection against the types that cause warts.

Another question are gentian warts even common in gays? How common is it for them to be transferred by penis to penis interaction

Anal, genital and oral HPV infections are very common. We believe that about 2/3 of sexually active people will have been exposed to the virus by their twenties. Most people with HPV are unaware that they have HPV. Like the types that cause warts on the hands and feet, most warts will go away on their own within a couple of years. And like the warts on the hands and feet, you are not given permanent immunity to HPV- you can be re-infected again in the future.

HPV exposure is believed to be the reason why cancers of the anus/rectum and mouth/neck are increasing in gay men. The virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact, so any part of the body that carries the virus can spread it, so unlike other STDs, it is not a matter of penis-penis or penis-anus contact.

 

[NYClover54]

Doesn't the vaccine protect you against types 6 and 11 which cause 90% of the cases ? I read this from multiple websites

 

[KaraBulut]

Doesn't the vaccine protect you against types 6 and 11 which cause 90% of the cases ? I read this from multiple websites

The vaccines were developed to protect women from cervical cancers and the types that were selected for the vaccine was determined from studies of women with cervical cancers and genital warts and oral papillomas in women. It's a step in the right direction but we're discovering that HPV is a bigger issue than was known at the time the original vaccines were created, so additional types will have to be added before it offers effective coverage for gay men.

When the decision was made to include boys (age 9-12) in the vaccination program, this prompted the manufacturer of the vaccines to fund studies that looked at HPV incidence in males. When the CDC later expanded the recommendation to include men up to age 21 this also enabled studies to evaluate HPV in men who have sex with men (MSM). Currently, we have a very limited amount of data on HPV rates in men and even less data on HPV in MSM.

In the US, the vaccine most commonly administered is Gardasil which covers types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Type 16 and 18 have a high association with cervical cancer and are types associated with very aggressive progression from abnormal growths (dyplasia) and cancer. Fortunately, these are also the types that are associated with oral and anal cancers (type 16, in particular).

Type 6 shows up frequently in studies of abnormal skin growths in the genitals, anus, mouth and throat. It can cause anything from a skin tag type growth to a more wart-like growth. The studies of MSM show about a 15-20% incidence of type 6.

Type 6 and 16 can also cause a dysplasia (abnormal growth sometimes considered "pre-cancerous") in the anus. And these two types are also the most common types found in the anal cancer of men who have sex with men (this finding is consistent both in the US and the rest of the world). Type 16 is found in about 15-25% of MSM.

MSM have a high incidence of types in the 50-69 range which are known to have high association with anal cancers. These types are not covered by Gardasil (or Cervarix- see below). URL="http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/203/1/66/T4.expansion.html"]
Source[/URL]

The other two vaccines available are (still recommended for primarily for girls):

• Cervarix - covers only types 16 and 18 (cervical cancer)
• Gardasil 9 (new) - covers types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 (cervical cancer) and 6, 11 (genital warts in women). This new version also provides coverage for dysplasias that associated with types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.

Gardasil 9 is a step in the right direction- the coverage for 6, 16, 18, 52 and 58 will benefit MSM. But there's more research needed to determine which types need to be added to prevent anal cancers in men who have sex with men.

TLDR: if you're considering getting the vaccine (even if you're an adult gay man), discuss it with your physician but ask about Gardasil 9 since this new formulation will be of most benefit. The cost is about $150 per injection (you'll need 3 injections to complete the series) and your insurance may cover all or part of the cost.

 

[NYClover54]

I'm vaccinated already for HPV so I want to know what my chances are for catching genital warts. I had two RNs tell me very slim and I had a doctor tell me that same. Also I don't think warts on your hands can spread to your genitals. It has to be penis to penis interaction

 

[KaraBulut]

I'm vaccinated already for HPV so I want to know what my chances are for catching genital warts. I had two RNs tell me very slim and I had a doctor tell me that same. Also I don't think warts on your hands can spread to your genitals. It has to be penis to penis interaction

It is true that different types of HPV have adapted to affect different areas of the body. For example, the type that causes warts on the soles of the feet is a different than the type that causes warts on the genitals. Because of this, it would be accurate to say that active shedding of the virus from the genitals of an infected person would spread the virus to the genitals of an uninfected person.

The problem with this strict interpretation is that it ignores what actually happens during sex. During sex, you touch your partner's penis and anus. You are often rubbing up against each other. It is this skin-to-skin contact that can spread HPV, whether you actual have penis-to-penis contact.

There have been some recent studies that have found HPV on the fingers of women who had recently contracted genital HPV (source), so we know that the virus can be present on other parts of the body even if it is not causing warts or other affects on that part of the body.

While most of the education materials regarding HPV say that you can't get HPV from inanimate objects (e.g. a toilet seat), there is a chance that a person with genital HPV can spread the virus via skin on other parts of their body which may be why condoms aren't always effective for preventing transmission.

If you received the HPV vaccine before 2015, you received the version that has coverage for 4 types of HPV (out of about 40 types that are known to infect the anogenital region). If this is the case, you may want to ask if there's benefit to getting the 2015 version of the vaccine that covers for an additional 5 types.

 

[Deandbn]

I heard that salicylic acid really upsets warts.. but then i suppose sulfuric acid would work too Lol

 

[KaraBulut]

I heard that salicylic acid really upsets warts.. but then i suppose sulfuric acid would work too Lol

Salicylic acid is a common ingredient used for removing skin growths and inducing exfoliation. It's sometimes referred to as "beta-hydroxy acid" on ingredient lists.

Salicylic acid is an older treatment for warts. It creates a temporary burn on the area that kills the surface cells and causes the skin to peel off. Since it usually only the surface of the skin that is infected by the virus, it's usually effective in removing the wart.

It should only be used on conventional warts on the hands and feet. Genital warts should be treated by a physician.

 

[NYClover54]

I have a bump on my penis and I went to my doctor to see what it is. He said he couldn't tell if it's a wart or not so he told me to go to the dermatologist. I made an appointment but it's not going to be until next month. To me it doesn't look like a wart because it doesn't have a cauliflower shape that most warts have and it doesn't itch. Most people who had warts said that they itch like crazy. I understand that they don't have to though. It's gray/whitish with a smooth top and it's hard if you squeeze it. I told him I was vaccinated and he said that my chances of this being a wart are smaller but not 100%. If this is a wart, it will probably being removed but will my sex life be forever changed ? Is this like HIV or harpies where it stays in your system forever? I know that might vary but it still sucks

 

[KaraBulut]

...it doesn't have a cauliflower shape...It's gray/whitish with a smooth top and it's hard if you squeeze it.

Some types of HPV do cause a hyperplasia that looks like a bunch of grapes or the floret of a broccoli/cauliflower. This is not true of all HPV lesions, though. The wart can also be more subtle- for example, they can appear to be flat with a different texture or color than the surrounding skin.

Sebaceous cysts are common on the shaft of the penis. They often have a solid pearl of sebum inside that gives them a hard feeling when squeezed between the fingertips.

...I told him I was vaccinated and he said that my chances of this being a wart are smaller but not 100%. If this is a wart, it will probably being removed but will my sex life be forever changed ? Is this like HIV or harpies where it stays in your system forever? I know that might vary but it still sucks

The research into HPV is unclear but we believe that HPV affects only the very top surface of the skin.

Unfortunately, because there are so many types of HPV, it is difficult to make generalizations. In some people, the immune system eventually clears the virus from the skin and the wart goes away on its own in 6 months to 2 years.

Because HPV is so common in the general population- the studies say that up to 80% of college aged people who are sexually active have been exposed- it's not considered to be particularly unusual or noteworthy. Most of those who are infected are unaware that they are infected. Precautions like condoms and general hygiene may help reduce chances of transmission but otherwise, there are no specific restrictions or precautions needed.

 

[NYClover54]

Out of couriosity did anyone get warts despite getting the vaccine ? What do your warts look and feel like ?