Causes and Risk Factors

Genital and perianal warts are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is estimated to be the most common sexually transmitted disease.

An infection that's easy to catch

You can catch genital and/or perianal warts by having sexual contact with someone who has HPV. You can catch it from vaginal, anal and oral sex.

After sexual contact with an infected person, warts may:

  • Appear within several weeks
  • Appear within a few months
  • Never appear, although you may still have caught HPV

You can't always see EGWs on your partner but you can still get infected with HPV.

Are you at risk?

You are most at risk if you:

  • Have unprotected sex
  • Have many sex partners
  • Have sex with someone who has had many sex partners
  • Have or have had a sexually-transmitted disease

Important Product Safety Information

VEREGEN® Ointment, 15% is a medicine for skin use only (topical) for the treatment of warts on the outside of the genitals and around the outside of the anus. It is not a treatment for warts in the vagina, cervix, or inside the anus. Your doctor may recommend examination and screening tests (such as a Pap smear) to evaluate these areas.

VEREGEN® has not been evaluated to treat urethral, intra-vaginal, cervical, rectal, or intra-anal human papilloma viral disease and should not be used to treat these conditions. Avoid use of VEREGEN® on open wounds. Do not expose skin that has been treated with VEREGEN® to the sun or ultraviolet light because VEREGEN® has not been tested in these conditions. Safety and efficacy of VEREGEN® have not been established in immunosuppressed or pediatric patients, or pregnant women, or for the treatment of external genital and perianal warts beyond 16 weeks or for multiple treatment courses.

The most common adverse reactions that occurred in more than 20% of patients in studies with VEREGEN® were reactions of the skin and application site. These included reddening of the skin, itching, burning, pain or discomfort, skin ulcers, wearing down of the skin, swelling, hard spots, and rash with blisters.

VEREGEN® (sinecatechins) Ointment Full Prescribing Information