How are genital warts diagnosed

Visual examination of the skin

• Most of the time just looking for irregularities,lumps,bumps,roughness of the skin or skin colour changes is the way that warts are recognised.
• Most of the time the diagnosis will be clear to any doctor experienced with this condition.
• Applying 5% acetic acid or vinegar to the skin or cervix can highlight irregularities and different skin thicknesses that make it suspicious for warts. This produces white patches in the skin in about 5 minutes because of the change in surface quality but is not a change specific for HPV infection.

Biopsy of the skin

• if the diagnosis is uncertain.
• lf warts not responding to standard therapy.
• the the condition worsens during therapy.
• the patient is immune system is compromised
• the warts are pigmented, bleeding or ulcerated or, firm or giving suspicion of cancer.
  
  [CDC. Genital Warts Treatment Guidelines 2006. URL: http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2006/genital-warts.htm.]

• How do I know if I have genital warts?
• What causes genital warts?
• What are genital HPV types?
• What risk factors are there in acquiring genital warts?
• What else could look like genital warts?
• Images of genital warts