HPV Treatment in Bangkok | Wart Removal + Gardasil 9 at Take Care Clinic

HPV treatment in Bangkok is one of the most common reasons travelers and expats walk into Take Care Clinic on Sukhumvit Soi 13. Human papillomavirus is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the world, and most sexually active adults will contact at least one strain in their lifetime. For the great majority of people the virus clears on its own without symptoms or treatment, but a smaller group develops visible genital warts or, less commonly, persistent infection with high-risk strains that can lead to cervical, anal, throat, or penile cancer. Our doctors treat both the cosmetic and the medical sides of HPV, and we vaccinate adults who never received the HPV vaccine at school.

What HPV is and how it spreads

HPV is a family of more than 200 related viruses. Around 40 of these strains infect the genital and anal skin and mucous membranes; the rest cause common skin warts on hands and feet. Sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, oral, and skin-to-skin genital contact without penetration, is the main route of transmission. Condoms reduce but do not eliminate risk because HPV infects skin that condoms do not cover. Most new infections occur in the first few years of sexual activity.

Two clinical types matter most. Low-risk types, notably HPV 6 and 11, cause about 90% of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) but rarely cancer. High-risk types, especially HPV 16 and 18, cause the majority of cervical, anal, vulvar, vaginal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers worldwide.

HPV in Thailand

Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among Thai women, and HPV is the underlying cause in nearly all cases. The Thai Ministry of Public Health runs a national HPV vaccination program for schoolgirls and progressively expanded coverage in recent years. Many adults living and working in Thailand, however, never received the vaccine and benefit from catch-up immunisation. Genital warts are also a common reason for a clinic visit, especially among travelers and the expat population who may have had unprotected contact during their stay.

Symptoms and what to look for

Most HPV infections have no symptoms at all. When symptoms do appear they fall into two main groups. Genital warts present as soft, flesh-coloured or grey-pink growths on the vulva, vagina, cervix, penis, scrotum, anus, or surrounding skin. They may be single or multiple, flat or cauliflower-like, painless or mildly itchy. Warts can appear weeks to months after exposure.

High-risk HPV infection of the cervix is silent in its early stages and is detected only through screening, which is why regular cervical cytology (Pap smear) and HPV testing matter for women. Anal HPV-related changes are similarly silent and are screened in selected high-risk populations such as men who have sex with men and people living with HIV. Persistent throat infection can occasionally cause oropharyngeal symptoms in later stages but is usually picked up only at the point of cancer diagnosis.

Diagnosis at Take Care Clinic

A doctor at our clinic will take a sexual health history, examine the affected skin in good light, and confirm the diagnosis of genital warts clinically in most cases. Atypical or recurrent lesions may need a small biopsy under local anaesthetic. For women, we coordinate cervical screening with cytology (Pap smear) and HPV DNA testing in line with current Thai and international guidelines, typically every 3 to 5 years depending on age and prior results. HIV testing and a full STI screen are offered alongside, because HPV often travels with other infections; see our comprehensive STD test panel and HIV testing pages.

Treatment of genital warts

There is no drug that eradicates the virus itself. Treatment targets the visible warts; the underlying infection clears or becomes dormant in most patients over months to a couple of years. Several effective options are available at our clinic.

Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is a fast in-clinic procedure that freezes warts, causing them to blister and slough off over the next week. Most patients need 2 to 4 weekly or fortnightly sessions. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is a chemical agent painted on the warts by a doctor; it works well on small, soft lesions including those near sensitive mucosal areas. Electrocautery and curettage under local anaesthetic remove larger or stubborn warts in a single sitting. Imiquimod 5% cream is a self-applied immune-modulating treatment used at home, three times a week for up to 16 weeks; it suits patients with multiple small lesions who prefer to avoid in-clinic procedures. Podophyllotoxin solution is another self-applied option for external warts.

The right choice depends on lesion size, location, number, patient preference, and pregnancy status. We discuss the trade-offs at consultation and select the most effective approach for each case.

HPV vaccination for adults

Vaccination is the single best long-term protection against HPV-related disease. Gardasil 9, the nonavalent vaccine, protects against nine HPV strains (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58) and covers the strains responsible for around 90% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. We stock Gardasil 9 and administer it on the standard adult schedule of three doses over six months (0, 2, and 6 months) for people aged 15 and older.

HPV vaccination is approved and recommended for women and men up to age 45 in many international guidelines. The vaccine works best before any sexual exposure but still offers meaningful benefit to adults who are already sexually active, because few people have been exposed to all nine strains. Vaccination does not treat existing infection or existing warts.

Follow-up and what cure means

Successful treatment means the visible warts are gone. Recurrence within the first three to six months happens in roughly 20 to 30% of patients regardless of treatment method, because dormant virus in surrounding skin can produce new lesions. We schedule a follow-up review at 4 to 6 weeks, then as needed. Patients who remain wart-free for 12 months without treatment are unlikely to recur.

For women with abnormal cervical screening results, we arrange colposcopy and, where indicated, treatment of the cervical lesion (LEEP or cone biopsy) through partner hospitals in central Bangkok. Patients living with HIV need closer surveillance because HPV clears more slowly and progresses more readily in this group. PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention are available at our clinic and addressed on our PrEP and PEP page.

Partner notification and prevention

Current sexual partners of patients with HPV-related warts should be examined and treated if warts are present. Routine HPV testing of asymptomatic male partners is not recommended because there is no reliable test for men outside of research settings. Condoms, dental dams, and reducing the number of new partners lower (but do not eliminate) onward transmission. Vaccination of both partners offers the best long-term protection.

The clinic provides walk-in HPV consultations, in-clinic cryotherapy and TCA, prescriptions for self-applied creams, full STI screening, and Gardasil 9 vaccination from a single visit. We coordinate referrals for colposcopy and surgical removal when needed, and offer in-room doctor visits to your hotel for privacy.

When to seek urgent care

Most HPV care is routine outpatient work, but some presentations need same-day attention: bleeding warts, painful ulcers that could indicate a different STI such as herpes or syphilis, rapidly enlarging anal or vulval lesions, or warts during pregnancy near the birth canal. For acute unrelated emergencies see our urgent care page.

Frequently asked questions

Will HPV go away on its own? Yes, in most healthy adults the immune system clears HPV within 1 to 2 years without treatment, though visible warts often need a doctor to remove.

Can I get the HPV vaccine if I already have HPV? Yes. The vaccine cannot treat current infection but protects against strains you have not yet contacted.

Are HPV warts a sign of cervical cancer? No. The strains that cause visible warts (mainly 6 and 11) almost never cause cancer; the cancer-causing strains (mainly 16 and 18) do not cause warts. They are separate clinical problems.

Do I need to tell future partners? Honesty about an active wart outbreak is the responsible approach; once warts have been clear for 12 months without treatment, ongoing disclosure is a personal decision and the risk of transmission is low.

How long does treatment take? Cryotherapy typically needs 2 to 4 sessions over 4 to 8 weeks. Imiquimod runs for up to 16 weeks. Single-session electrocautery clears most lesions immediately but the skin needs 2 to 3 weeks to heal.

Is HPV vaccination safe for adults over 30? Yes. Side effects are generally mild (sore arm, low-grade fever) and the vaccine is approved up to age 45 in international guidance.

References

1. World Health Organization. Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer fact sheet, latest revision. who.int
2. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Genital HPV infection, clinical management and 2021 STI treatment guidelines. cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/hpv.htm
3. ACIP recommendations for human papillomavirus vaccination. MMWR. Multiple updates through 2023.
4. Thai Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Clinical practice guideline for cervical cancer screening, current edition.
5. International Agency for Research on Cancer. HPV Information Centre, country statistics for Thailand. hpvcentre.net
6. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Guidance on HPV vaccination in EU/EEA member states, latest update.

Medically reviewed by Dr Ponlawat Pitsuwan, MD.