Final answer:
Patient-applied methods for treating genital warts include topical treatments such as Imiquimod, Podofilox, and Sinecatechins, which help fight the virus or destroy wart tissue.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some patient-applied methods for treating genital warts include:
- Imiquimod: This is a topical treatment that stimulates the production of interferon to help the immune system fight the human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes warts.
- Podofilox: This is a topical medication that destroys genital wart tissue.
- Sinecatechins: This is another topical option that may prove effective in the treatment of genital warts.
These treatments are alternatives to provider-applied treatments such as cryotherapy, electrocauterization, or laser therapy, which are less effective for genital warts than for other types of warts. Once a person is infected with HPV, there is currently no cure, and the virus may remain dormant in the body for life. The immune system may, in some cases, clear the warts without treatment, but when treatment is necessary, these topical medications can be applied by the patients themselves to help reduce or eliminate the warts.