Genital Warts/HPV

In most cases, the body deals with the HPV infection on its own and the viruses disappear again. If not, small, pointed genital warts appear after six weeks to six months. They usually cause no problems at first. If they remain untreated, they can develop into larger growths with a surface that looks like a cauliflower. Genital warts can also cause severe itching and inflammation in the anal area.

In some cases, HPV infections can eventually lead to cancerous tumors. However, these cancers are caused by different strains of HPV than the ones that cause genital warts.