166 chapter 8: Sexual health
Signs of HPV:
• itching
• painless, whitish or brownish bumps that have a rough surface
In women, these bumps usually grow
on the folds of skin around the opening
to the vagina, inside the vagina, and
around the anus.
In men, they usually
grow on the penis or just
inside it, and on the balls
(scrotum), or the anus.
warts on a
man
warts on a woman
Treatment:
These products to treat warts can usually be found in a pharmacy or chemist’s shop.
1. Put some petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or other greasy ointment on the skin around
each wart to protect the healthy skin.
2. With a very small stick or toothpick, carefully put on a very small amount of
80% to 90% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or bichloracetic acid (BCA) solution on
the wart (see page 354). Leave the acid on until the wart turns white.
3. Wash the acid off after 2 hours or sooner if the burning feeling is very painful.
OR
Apply 20% podophyllin solution in the same way until the wart turns brown
(see page 351). Podophyllin must be washed off 6 hours later.
The acid should burn the wart off, leaving a painful sore where the wart used to
be. Keep the sores clean and dry. The sores should heal within a week or two. Watch
them to make sure they do not get infected. Try not to have sex until they are gone,
but if you must have sex, your partner should use a condom.
Several treatments are usually necessary to get rid of all the warts (it does not
matter which solution you use). You can repeat the treatment after one week. Try
not to get acid on a sore where a wart used to be. If there is too much irritation, wait
longer before the next treatment.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007