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Can you spread genital warts without the physical appearance of the actual warts?

Yes, it’s possible. Genital warts are spread by skin-to-skin contact, usually during sexual activity, and they can be spread even when no warts are visible. Genital warts usually take six weeks to six months after infection to develop. But they can take longer. Warts often go away by themselves. Sometimes treatment is needed to get rid of them. For some people (especially cigarette smokers), the warts may come back several months after treatment. And for some people, the warts continue to return, even after long periods of time.

One of the HPV vaccines  — Gardasil —   protects against the two types of HPV that cause 90 percent of all cases of genital warts as well as cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and throat.

Click here to learn more about genital warts.

Tags: STDs, genital warts, warts

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