If you're sexually active there will always be the chance of contracting HPV. You don't even have to have actual intercourse to contract HPV, any genital to genital or genital to mouth contact can transmit it. And like many other sexually transmitted diseases/infections, males frequently don't show symptoms of having it and con pass it on unknowingly. Some strains of HPV cause genital warts. They don't always hurt or are bothersome and they don't always have the same shape and size. Some can look like little projections of skin while others can look like little caulifower shaped bumps. In order to find out exactly what it is, you have to see a Dr. If it is in fact a genital wart and you don't have it treated, it will actually continue to get bigger and you can develop more. Also, the entire time it's there you are potentially spreading it to other people, people who can then give it back to you once your's clears up and it becomes never ending cycle. The Dr. can remove the warts in a relatively painless way.

I know going to the gyno for the first time is embarassing, I've been there, but it's a part of life. The first time is like ripping off a band aid or jumping into a cold pool, at first your nervous/hesitant but seconds later, you're fine. When you go, don't even worry about what the Dr. is thinking as he/she is examining you, they're just doing their job, they're not making any personal judgements about you. Many gyno offices will allow a nurse to be present in the room while you're being examined to help put you at ease. As far as being too embarrassed to tell your mom, I've been there too, it can seem mortifying. But remember, when she was younger she felt the exact same way about going to the gyno for the first time and about telling her mother. It may not be a wart, it could be something else, but if you're truely concerned about your health and well-being you need to go to the Dr.

Hi. I have a piece of skin that protrudes from inside my vaginal wall. It is about 1/4 inch long and the doctor called it "granulated scar tissue". September '09 I had a Bartholin gland cyst. I went to the OB/GYN to get it checked out because I'd never had anything like it before. I had not had sex for 4 years (going through divorce) so I was shocked that this was happening. Anyway, doctor checked me out and the cyst was draining so she gave me some antibiotics to take and told me to come back if I had any further problems with it. From that day forward I have been bleeding every day. It's usually not much but it's enough to drive me crazy seeing as I had a TOTAL hysterectomy in '08. I have had two surgeries to have this piece of skin removed and even had the surrounding tissue removed to be sure if this skin had any roots, that those would be removed as well. But, no luck. My last surgery as just July 19, and I've been bleeding every day since. There is really no pain associated with it... slight cramping now and then but nothing else, but it does hurt/burn when I urinate. If ANYONE has any idea what this could be or how to "cure" it or get rid of it once and for all, please, please, let me know. I would be so appreciative.