Genital herpes is genital warts?

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Genital herpes or genital warts are both sensitive diseases. Most patients confuse these two diseases because they have similar symptoms, leading to incorrect treatment, which makes the condition more and more serious and takes longer to heal.

1.1. Causative agent Genital warts are caused by the Human papilloma virus (HPV), which forms papillomas on the skin and mucous membranes in humans.
Genital herpes is caused by Herpes simplex virus (HSV).
1.2. Incubation Period Genital warts have an incubation period of about 3 weeks to 9 months.
Genital herpes with a shorter incubation period, about 6-10 days
1.3. Symptoms of genital warts: after incubation, the patient begins to appear small, soft, high, 1-2 mm in diameter. Lesions are small round, pink, flat discs with a rough surface. It then spreads into large patches in the form of cockles or cauliflower on moist surfaces that easily drain pus. Nodules appear in the genital organs, anal rectum or eyes, mouth, tongue... The surface is soft, pus-filled and presses pus, in some cases it still bleeds, and women have a lot of discharge. , unpleasant odor, causing pain. A pus-filled blister that bleeds easily to the touch, causing discomfort and fever.

Genital herpes: Before causing more severe lesions, the patient is uncomfortable, itchy, burning, and restless. It begins with red, swollen spots, then rapidly develops into round, clustered, evenly spaced blisters. The blisters contain clear fluid that turns cloudy. A few days later, the blisters break open, dry the mouth, and crust over with brown or yellow scabs. This scab adheres tightly, when it comes off, it leaves a red mark, which gradually heals and leaves no scar. Where genital herpes causes pain, after a few hours, there may be a red patch on the affected skin and small, painful blisters or shallow ulcers on the vulva, genital lips, and cervix. women and the penis in men.

Patients have pain when urinating, in women there are signs of white blood. This disease often recurs despite the previous complete recovery. Patients with the disease for the first time also have flu-like symptoms, muscle pain, headache, low fever, stress, less urination, pain and itching of the genitals...

Genital warts are easy to recur. Currently, there is no cure for this disease. The disease also causes complications such as cancer of the vagina and uterus in women or cancer of the penis and oropharynx in men. Both women or men with this disease have pain during sex, affecting marital life, and during pregnancy, it will affect the fetus. In general, complications of genital warts are an increased risk of vaginal cancer, cervical cancer, penile cancer...
Meanwhile, genital herpes causes sores on the genitals. . If not treated definitively and promptly, the disease will cause serious complications such as infection (superinfection), potentially other complications in women such as cervicitis caused by Herpes, endometritis. Bowel , appendicitis ... Genital herpes poses a risk in men with epididymitis , prostatitis .
If a pregnant woman has genital herpes, she can pass it on to her baby vaginally. The fetus can have brain damage, blurred vision, even death, which is very dangerous.

Genital warts and genital herpes are both sexually transmitted diseases. So the best way to prevent these two diseases is to practice safe sex, using the right protection measures from both sides. In addition, couples should also take the initiative to visit the hospital together to detect the earliest signs of the disease, thereby having timely intervention methods to avoid infecting each other.
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