What Does HPV Look Like on the Genital Lips?

Papilloma is a disease caused by a virus, known as the human papilloma virus or HPV for short.

This condition is characterized by the appearance of warts in different areas of the body, but it is most common in the genitals, as this virus is mainly transmitted sexually.

How does papilloma start on the vaginal lips?

The lips of the vagina, both the major and minor ones, are some of the most common sites where papilloma can occur.

If you search for images online, you might come across some quite dramatic photos of papilloma cases on the vaginal lips. But not all papillomas look like that…

Usually, it begins to manifest with the appearance of small warts on the lips.

Warts are growths that protrude from it and can have different shapes; they can look like a tiny cauliflower, be flat, or filamentous (pointed).

Some of these warts are so small that you might not even notice them unless you do a thorough self-examination.

Over time, depending on various factors, the papilloma might manifest only as that solitary wart or other warts of the same size could join, forming a cluster of warts that are more noticeable and are called condyloma acuminata.

How do you know if a wart is due to papilloma?

Now you know that genital lip papilloma doesn’t always look like it does on the internet… sometimes it appears as a single, almost indistinguishable wart.

But if you find a wart on your vaginal lips, how can you be sure it’s papilloma and not something else? Well, in most cases, the warts that appear in this area are caused by the human papilloma virus.

It is very rare to find growths in this area that are not warts caused by HPV. However, to give the benefit of the doubt, it is advisable to have a gynecologist examine you for a diagnosis.

What are the symptoms of papilloma in women?

Papilloma has no other symptom than the appearance of warts. Therefore, a physical examination is necessary to diagnose the disease, as the clinic of HPV infection is based almost solely on the appearance of warts, with no other associated symptom.

Some women may report other symptoms. This only happens in some cases, especially when the papilloma manifests with multiple warts.

The additional symptoms usually have to do with the warts themselves, and include:

Pain in the affected area.
Itching.
Mild swelling.
Redness.
Irritation from rubbing of the warts with underwear.

These were some tips to help you know how to deal with HPV. However, there is much more you need to do if you really want to get rid of HPV and warts forever.

What you need to do is GET RID OF THE ROOT of the problem.

For that reason, I recommend you to look into Dr. Kirkland's story and how he was able to cure HPV and get rid of warts for good.

Click here to see what he did

How is the human papilloma virus eliminated in women?

Once infected, the virus can only be eliminated by your immune system. There is no treatment that can help you get rid of HPV.

For this reason, if you are diagnosed with papilloma or suspect you might have it, it is essential for your recovery that you take care of yourself, your health, and your immune system, as it is almost your only ally in fighting the virus.

Maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough rest, avoiding stress, engaging in physical activity, and giving up bad habits are the steps you should take to eliminate the human papilloma virus from your body.

Papilloma is not a severe disease. You might have heard something about HPV and its association with certain types of cancer; but only a few strains of this virus are linked to cancer development, most are not carcinogenic.

Moreover, if you have papilloma on the genital lips, it is unlikely to be due to one of these cancer-causing strains.

However, it is advisable to have a Pap smear or vaginal cytology with your gynecologist to rule out the possibility of a high-risk variant.

Although the infection itself has no treatment, the warts caused by the infection do. They are treated with drugs, surgeries, and even home remedies to remove them.

But it’s important to emphasize that, even if you remove the warts, the virus might still be in your body, so they could reappear, and you can still infect others.

On average, it takes the human body about 2 years to eliminate the human papilloma virus. And this is for people without immune problems; in immunocompromised individuals, it could take longer.

How is HPV spread?

This virus is transmitted through sexual intercourse, by genital contact, or by direct contact with a wart. For HPV to enter your body, penetration is not necessary; touching someone’s infected genitals externally or performing oral sex on them is enough.

When you are infected, you can transmit the virus to your partners during intercourse, and the risk of transmission is present even if you don’t have warts on your genitals.

For this reason, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world, affecting a significant percentage of the sexually active population.

Similarly, although less common, HPV can be transmitted through non-sexual contacts, such as shared use of intimate hygiene products, through wounds, or mother-to-child transmission during childbirth.

Can HPV and genital warts be prevented?

Yes, the use of condoms is the main barrier you can use, both to prevent future infections and to prevent infecting others currently.

Although not 100% effective, condoms reduce the chances of transmission by more than half. But remember that HPV is also transmitted during oral sex, so you should also use a latex barrier for that.

On the other hand, there is an HPV vaccine, which is given from adolescence up to the age of 26. This protects you from infection with 100% effectiveness and does so for your entire life.

Lastly… what should you do if you have HPV?