Frequently Asked Questions
What is human papilloma virus (HPV)?
Like other viruses, HVP is a very small organism that survives by infecting cells.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, and although there are more than 100 different strains of the virus, many of them go undetected.
Other types of HVP cause warts on the hands and feet, while still others can trigger cells changes that cause cancer – especially cervical cancer.
About a third of the HVP strains are associated with symptoms such as genital warts, but about 5 percent of those with an HVP virus that can causegenital warts actually develop them.
What are genital warts?
Genital warts usually show up as a single small bump or a cluster of bumps in the genital area. While they are usually small, they can also be larger, and can be flat, raised or shaped like a cauliflower with a rough surface.
Warts can appear within weeks or months of sexual contact with an infected person (even if that person does not themselves have genital warts), but they can also remain dormant for years.
Genital warts might go away on their own if left untreated, but they may also remain unchanged or increase in size or number.
Genital warts associated with the HPV virus will not turn into cancer.
What are the symptoms of HPV?
Most people who develop HPV have no idea because the virus usually shows no symptoms at all.
Like we mentioned, about five percent of those who develop a strain of the HPV virus associated with genital warts will experience warts. Warts can appear in or around the vagina, beneath the foreskin of the penis or in an around the anus.
Rarely, HPV can also lead to warts that develop in the throat. These are transmitted through oral intercourse, or from a mother to her baby during childbirth.
Certain HVP viruses – but not those associated with genital warts - can cause normal cells in the body to turn abnormal, leading to certain types of cancer. While cervical cancer is the most common cancer associated with HPV, the virus can also cause cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus or the back of the throat, tongue or tonsils.
Is HPV contagious even if I don’t have warts?
Yes, HVP is highly contagious, and warts do not need to be present for the disease to spread from one infected person to another.
While there is some debate whether or not those without visible warts are as contagious as those who have visible warts, if you know you have HVP, you can take certain steps to prevent the spread of the virus.
How can I reduce the risk of developing genital warts?
If you are sexually active, developing genital warts through the HPV virus is a risk.
To reduce your chances:
- Do not have sex with anyone.
- Have one sexual partner, and make sure your relationship is monogamous. If one or both of you have HVP and share the virus, leading to the development of genital warts, they will usually go away on their own within one to two years. Because your immune system as well as your partner’s will then recognize the disease, it will not be passed back and forth between you.
- Avoid direct skin-to-skin contact if genital warts are visible. Waiting until the warts are gone can reduce the risk of exposure to others, although you can still pass the virus along.
- The use of a condom does reduce the risk of spreading HPV through anal or vaginal intercourse, but it may not cover all of an infected area, allowing the virus to still be spread.
- Vaccines to prevent some types of HPV can prevent genital warts, although the vaccines are most effective when given to both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 12. Vaccines are also recommended for gay men and women with compromised immune systems, and they can be given to those up to age 26 if they did not get the vaccine when they were younger.
Are complications possible?
Most genital warts are painless, so they don’t cause many problems.
While the HPV virus associated with genital warts is not associated with cancer, the warts themselves can cause problems during pregnancy.
Warts can potentially enlarge, causing problems with urination, and if warts are located along the walls of the vagina, they could prevent tissue from stretching properly or can lead to bleeding during childbirth.
There is also a chance that a mother with genital warts can pass the virus on to her baby, leading to the development of warts in the baby’s throat, requiring surgery.
How can I treat genital warts?
While there are a wide range of treatment options ranging from chemical treatments to surgical removal, Tyginta is a brush-on wart removal product. It features ingredients that have been in use for centuries, making it an ideal treatment option for those who have concerns about the side effects and inherent risks of some conventional treatments.
How does Tyginta work?
Tyginta uses two fast-acting ingredients – tinctures of thuja occidentalis (arborvitae) and chelidonium majus(greater celandine) – that work in synergy to erase warts fast. Both are commonly recommended as wart remedies.
It is easy to use – it brushes on with an applicator similar to a nail polish brush – and can be used in the privacy of your own home, preventing the need for embarrassing treatment sessions at a doctor’s office.
Does Tyginta cure HVP?
Unfortunately, Tyginta does not cure human papilloma virus. Once you develop the HVP virus, you will have it for life. Tyginta can, however, help erase the warts associated with HVP, restoring your self-confidence and allowing you to resume intimate activities.
It’s active ingredients may also help prevent future outbreaks.
- From both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Mayo Clinic and
the McKinley Health Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign websites.