Caution should be exercised when diagnosing genital warts clinically, because male pearly penile papules and female pseudo-warts can be easily confused with genital warts. The main differences are as follows.
(1) The causes of the disease are different. Pearly penile papules and female pseudocondyloma acuminatum are a benign state of skin dysplasia and physiological variation. 10% of the normal population has this disease. According to surveys, the prevalence of this disease is also high among virgins and men who have never had sexual contact. This disease is not transmitted through sexual contact and does not fall within the scope of sexually transmitted diseases. Genital warts are a chronic proliferative disease caused by human papillomavirus infection. They can be transmitted through sexual contact and are one of the sexually transmitted diseases.
(2) Different clinical manifestations. The characteristic of male pearly penile papules is the distribution of millet-sized papules along the edge of the glans penis. Female pseudocondyloma acuminatum is symmetrical, linear finger-like papules on the inner side of the labia minora, which are densely distributed and can also be roe-like. This disease may not cause any discomfort, does not require treatment, and is not contagious. Genital warts are scattered on the external genitalia of men and women, appearing as cauliflower-like skin warts, with irregular distribution, no obvious itching, and a peculiar smell. Genital warts growing in the vagina can bleed on their own and are self-contagious. Without treatment, the disease can continue to develop, and its number increases. The warts gradually increase in size and block the vaginal opening.
