Brief Answer: HPV stays, warts come and go Detailed Answer: Hi Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX I am sorry to know the condition you are in. I would like to tell you that the lesions can be taken care of medically. Now I would answer your specific questions. Is genital warts permanent? A. It is caused by Human Papilloma Virus. Up to 30 different types can cause the infection, HPV 6 and 11 are most common. Once the virus is in the blood, it will not go away. Immunity will develop to it and may clear the lesions. But the lesions may show up again after sometime. If you get it you have it forever? A. Virus will stay forever, though lesions maynot. My Boyfriend's doctor said he was clear 2 months before we started sleeping together, and 8 months after that, they showed up on me. So his doctor is wrong? A. I think the doctor meant that there are no lesions. His doctor was partly correct and little knowledge is a XXXXXXX thing. The chances of transmission of virus is less when the lesions are not present, but the risk is still there. If I can be cured can I take the vaccine? (I'm 23) A. Vaccine against HPV should be taken during teenage years. More than 90% population has some type HPV in their blood after this age. Thus you will not be eligible for the vaccine now, though you can still check with your doctor. If not, how much would this cost me in doctor visits and prescriptions? A. A single course of treatment may cost up to 200 to 300 $ per course of treatment. Also keep going for pap smear routinely to rule out lesions of cervix caused by HPV types that can cause cancerous lesions. Around 50% of sexually active adults get infected by genital warts at some point. Thus you may not be so worried about it. Worrying can unnecessarily lower the immunity and make things worse. Take care. Let me know if I can assist you further. Dr Vaishalee

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Brief Answer: Use condom Detailed Answer: Hi again How will it effect sex? A. It should not affect sexual life much. You need to be careful when either of you have active lesions. That time use condoms. In some people the virus may clear up in 2 years by their own immunity. Thus avoid getting re-infected from each other. Avoid transmitting to someone else too. will my boyfriend and I keep giving it to each other? A. During active lesions you may transmit to each other. As already said, use condoms from start to end. Should we stop having sex during the course of treatment? A. Yes, as for other STDs it is advisable to stop having sexual intercourse during course of treatment. would oral sex be a problem? A. Genital warts should not get transmitted to oral cavity. But you still need to be on the safer side and use condoms for oral sex. One more advice is to not use over the counter warts treatment for genital warts. Those are not meant for genital warts. Take care Dr Vaishalee

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