Genital Warts vs Herpes

Genital warts and genital herpes are 2 very common conditions that affect millions of people in the UK. Researchers have estimated that over a fifth of adults worldwide have genital herpes, while between 3.8 and 4.6% of UK adults have had genital warts.

Knowing whether you have genital warts or herpes can be difficult because they share a few similar symptoms. They can therefore be confused with one another. However, they are different conditions with different causes, and they require different treatments.

Comparing genital warts vs genital herpes

This table gives an overview comparison of genital warts and genital herpes, including how they are caused and spread, their symptoms, and how they are diagnosed and treated:

The difference between genital warts and genital herpes is that they are caused by different viruses.

Genital warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 different types of HPV, but there are 2 strains of HPV that cause most genital warts: HPV type 6 and HPV type 11.

Genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are 2 types of HSV:

• herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) usually causes oral herpes (known as cold sores) but can also cause genital herpes
• herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which usually causes genital herpes but can also cause oral herpes

A lot of people think that genital warts are the same as herpes. Although they are both STIs and can cause lesions that may look a little similar to one another, the symptoms and the treatment of genital warts and herpes are different.

Genital warts and genital herpes cause different symptoms. Although both genital warts and genital herpes affect the skin in the genital area, they lead to different types of lesions.

If you have genital warts, small, flesh coloured lumps develop in the genital area or anus. These are sometimes described as looking like the top of a cauliflower (not everyone gets this symptom).

The main symptom of genital herpes is herpes sores, which are small blisters that burst and lead to ulcers.

Let’s have a look at the symptoms of genital herpes vs warts in more detail.

After an outbreak of genital herpes, the herpes simplex virus does not leave your body. The virus lies dormant in a nerve in the area where the infection entered your body. The virus can become reactivated some weeks or months later, leading to another genital herpes outbreak.

In a genital herpes outbreak, blisters can form again and then burst and develop into ulcers as before. Over time, outbreaks tend to become less severe, lasting for a shorter length of time and with less severe symptoms.

You’re more likely to experience a genital herpes outbreak if you’re also stressed, sick, or experiencing hormonal changes, for example, during your period.

The main symptom of genital warts is small, flesh coloured lumps that appear in the genital area. You may also notice some itching or inflammation in the affected area. Some bleeding may occur if the warts become inflamed or are scratched. In men, if you have warts in your urethra (the tube which empties the bladder), you may notice your stream of urine appearing to go sideways.

There are different types of genital warts, and they often develop in areas of high friction. Genital warts that develop on moist, soft skin (for example, on the vulva or penis) tend to feel soft. Whereas genital warts that develop on drier, hairier skin (for example the anus) tend to feel harder and drier.

It’s not always obvious if you have herpes or genital warts, especially if you’re not medically trained. This is why it’s important to get a proper diagnosis. By getting tested and diagnosed, you can make sure you’re getting the right treatment for your condition.

You can visit your GP or go to a sexual health clinic to get herpes or genital warts diagnosed. If you’d prefer to get tested and treated at home, you can also get an easy-to-use self-test kit for genital herpes or request a genital wart diagnosis through our skin photo assessment service.

There is no need to feel embarrassed about talking to a doctor about genital herpes or genital warts. They see these conditions all the time, and they are very common. What is most important is getting the right diagnosis, so you can get treatment and feel better.

It’s not always possible to prevent genital warts or genital herpes, but you can reduce the chance of catching or passing them on by:

• using a condom during vaginal or anal sex
• using a dental dam during oral sex
• avoiding sex during an active outbreak

In the UK, a vaccine protecting against HPV is available. The HPV vaccine protects against certain strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer as well as genital warts. Contact your GP about getting the HPV vaccine. There is currently no herpes vaccine available.

Triggers

Sometimes, there is no obvious trigger for a genital herpes or warts outbreak, and they can vary from person to person. However, if you’re aware of things that trigger your outbreaks, you may be able to take steps to avoid them.

Triggers of genital herpes and warts outbreaks may include:

• having a cold or other illness
• stress
• a weakened immune system
• exposure to sunlight (if the usually affected skin is exposed to sunlight)
• hormonal changes (including the menstrual cycle)

If you have repeated genital herpes outbreaks (more than 6 genital herpes outbreaks in a year), you may be able to take preventative antiviral medication to reduce them. Speak to your doctor for advice.

There are different treatment options for herpes and genital warts.

Genital herpes treatment

There are 3 different antiviral medications commonly used to treat genital herpes outbreaks:

• aciclovir
• valaciclovir
• famciclovir

When taken early in an outbreak, antiviral medication can shorten the length of time the outbreak lasts and reduce the severity of your symptoms.

If you’d like to order genital herpes treatments online, you can request treatment by filling in ZAVA’s quick health questionnaire, and one of our doctors will review what genital herpes medication is suitable for you.

Genital warts treatment

Small genital warts can be treated with a topical solution called Condyline, or creams like Aldara or Warticon. You may need further treatment for genital warts, especially if the warts are large. In some cases, freezing warts (cryotherapy) or surgery is advised. Warts can disappear by themselves in around 30% of people within 4 months, so your doctor may advise you to wait and see if they go away on their own first.

If you need treatment, complete our online form, and a doctor from ZAVA will review which genital warts treatment is suitable for you.

Which is curable, genital herpes or warts?

Neither genital herpes nor warts is curable, as you cannot cure the virus that causes them, though outbreaks can be treated.

There are several treatments for visible genital warts available, which include applying creams or ointments, freezing the warts off, or cutting the warts out (surgery). It’s important to understand that it can sometimes be difficult to remove genital warts, and they can sometimes return, so it may take a few treatment attempts before your body finally clears the virus.

Unfortunately, no cure currently exists for genital herpes, though there are treatments available to ease symptoms.

Genital herpes and genital warts have different symptoms and causes. In this guide, we’ve compared both, so you can have a better understanding of which you may have. Knowing the differences between genital herpes and genital warts can help you be sure you’re getting the right treatment for your condition, but we still recommend getting a formal diagnosis from a healthcare professional.

At ZAVA, we provide medication for both genital warts and genital herpes, prescribed by our expert team of online doctors and delivered discreetly to your door.