Someone asked: What do genital warts feel like to the touch?

As a dermatologist who has personally performed genital wart treatments on patients for many years, I have experience with the tactile sensation of genital warts and can certainly share some insights.

At that time, the department I worked in used microwave therapy to treat genital warts. The specific procedure involved injecting lidocaine at the base of the wart to achieve local anesthesia, followed by using microwave therapy to destroy the wart. Therefore, I performed a significant number of procedures on genital warts located in private areas, including the foreskin, glans, urethral opening, perianal region, and vulvovaginal opening. During the treatment process, I often touched the genital warts with my hands, but to clarify, it was done while wearing medical gloves. The sensation is certainly different from touching with bare hands. I imagine dermatologists rarely have the opportunity to directly touch genital warts with bare hands, so patients likely have a more direct experience of this sensation.

Most genital warts feel slightly firm, while a few may feel somewhat soft. If the warts have a cauliflower-like appearance or appear noticeably red, they may bleed at the base with even light pressure. The surface of genital warts is generally rough. In cases where the warts are significantly keratinized, the sensation can be somewhat prickly to the touch. However, for very small genital warts, the papilloma-like surface can only be observed up close. Touching them with the hands typically yields no special sensation, likely due to their small size. When multiple warts are present in an area, the sensation during treatment is quite noticeable, with a distinct firmness. For warts located in deeper areas, such as crypts, the urethral opening, or the anal canal, they often feel slightly softer and more fragile to the touch.

However, in the five years since I changed workplaces, the department's setup has meant I no longer personally perform procedures to treat genital warts. My responsibilities now focus on diagnosis, which is typically done visually. When necessary, we conduct tests such as acetic acid whitening and HPV screening. I rarely need to touch genital warts to assess them. If not for this question, I might have almost forgotten what it feels like to touch genital warts with my hands.

Genital warts are completely curable. With scientific treatment, including a combination of physical and pharmacological therapies, clinical cure can be achieved.