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Diagnosed With Genital Warts. Is Using Alcohol Sanitizer Before Sex Is Safe?

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Posted on Fri, 6 Sep 2013
Question: hi i just went to my dr office today and he told me i have genital warts and my question is my sex partner is very concerned about stds and he always use alchol senitizer before sex and good wash after sex so do u think this is safe sex until i get diagnose
doctor
Answered by Dr. Timothy Raichle (28 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Genital warts are common and treatable!

Detailed Answer:
Hello, I would be happy to help you with your question.

If you have genital warts, then you have been exposed to a virus called HPV. This is very common and your question is also very common. Given that you have already had sexual contact, he has likely already been exposed to the virus that you are carrying that is causing the warts. Using an alcohol sanitizer before sex will not decrease the amount that he is exposed and likely will just irritate your skin and predispose you to recurrent vaginal infections, such as yeast infections.

Given that he has not gotten warts himself means that either he was previously exposed and/or his immune system is able to effectively fight off the virus.

The safest thing that you can is:
1. Use condoms while you are being treated - this will not prevent transmission, but will decrease the chances
2. You need to have the warts treated with either medication or 'freezing' of the warts. Once you have them under better control, your own immune system will probably be able to keep them under control to where they are not visible
3. Reassure your partner that it is still safe to have intercourse and make sure that he sees a doctor as well to get checked out
4. If you smoke, then you must stop - smoking makes it harder to clear the virus

I hope that this helps - please ask if you have additional questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Timothy Raichle (4 hours later)
Is there any over the counter topical ointment which can help removing them?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Timothy Raichle (53 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Unfortunately no!

Detailed Answer:
I understand your concerns. Unfortunately, there are no over-the-counter creams or medications that are currently available that are effective in treating genital warts. The creams that are used are available with a prescription through a doctor.

I hope that this helps and good luck!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Timothy Raichle (10 hours later)
Does warts comes back once they are gone
doctor
Answered by Dr. Timothy Raichle (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Sometimes

Detailed Answer:
Once you completely remove the warts, in most patients, they are unlikely to be a continued issue. There are times (when your immune system is suppressed) that they tend to re-occur. The best example of this is during pregnancy. The warts might recur during a pregnancy, and in these cases, they go away on their own after the pregnancy is over.

You will always be a carrier of the strain that caused the current warts.

I hope that this helps and good luck.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Timothy Raichle (1 hour later)
I m a vegetarian always eats healthy what else can do to boost my immune sustem
doctor
Answered by Dr. Timothy Raichle (26 hours later)
Brief Answer:
You are already doing everything right!

Detailed Answer:
By eating healthy, exercising and not smoking, there is not much else you can do besides treating the warts. Once you decrease the "burden" of warts, your immune system will do the rest.

Good luck!
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Timothy Raichle

OBGYN

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 1687 Questions

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Diagnosed With Genital Warts. Is Using Alcohol Sanitizer Before Sex Is Safe?

Brief Answer:
Genital warts are common and treatable!

Detailed Answer:
Hello, I would be happy to help you with your question.

If you have genital warts, then you have been exposed to a virus called HPV. This is very common and your question is also very common. Given that you have already had sexual contact, he has likely already been exposed to the virus that you are carrying that is causing the warts. Using an alcohol sanitizer before sex will not decrease the amount that he is exposed and likely will just irritate your skin and predispose you to recurrent vaginal infections, such as yeast infections.

Given that he has not gotten warts himself means that either he was previously exposed and/or his immune system is able to effectively fight off the virus.

The safest thing that you can is:
1. Use condoms while you are being treated - this will not prevent transmission, but will decrease the chances
2. You need to have the warts treated with either medication or 'freezing' of the warts. Once you have them under better control, your own immune system will probably be able to keep them under control to where they are not visible
3. Reassure your partner that it is still safe to have intercourse and make sure that he sees a doctor as well to get checked out
4. If you smoke, then you must stop - smoking makes it harder to clear the virus

I hope that this helps - please ask if you have additional questions.