Almost everyone gets a wart at some time in their life. The kinds of common warts people get on their fingers or on the soles of their feet (plantar warts) are caused by viruses from the same family - the human papillomavirus, or HPV. When someone has a wart in the area of the genitals, they have contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STI) called genital warts.
Warts in the genital area tend to be small and flat, and they come in pink, white, or gray tones. A group of them together might feel a bit like touching a head of cauliflower. While they generally appear in the genital area, they can also be spread to the throat through oral sex.
Once genital warts appear, which can take up to 6 months after exposure, one might also experience itching or pain. Treatment for genital warts often involves creams and ointments to be applied to the affected area. In some cases, doctors may decide to freeze off, burn off, or use a laser to cut off the warts.
There has been a link made between HPV infections and the development of cervical cancer. If a person is tested positive for an HPV infection, a small tissue sample might be taken to figure out which strain of HPV they might be infected with.
If you think you may have genital warts, your first step should be to get tested and treated. As with any STI, you must make your sexual partner(s) aware of the condition, as they may also need to be tested and treated.