Sexually Transmitted Diseases That Can Benefit From Cosmetic Procedures
According to the American Sexual Health Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 percent of Americans contract a sexually transmitted disease by the age of 25. Many of these diseases can cause the genitals to look less than perfect.
Thankfully, cosmetic procedures can restore the appearance of genitals that have been adversely affected by a sexually transmitted disease. Here is a look at three sexually transmitted diseases that affect the genitals and surrounding skin.
HPV
The human papillomavirus is estimated to affect 80 percent of people at some point in their life. The human papillomavirus is responsible for causing genital warts. These cauliflower-like skin growths can be quite unsightly. Medical professional can use cosmetic procedures such as cryotherapy or lasers to freeze or burn off these unwanted skin growths.
Syphilis
In the past few years, syphilis has been on the rise in the United States. The increase has been seen in every region of the country and among not only homosexual or bisexual men but heterosexual men and women as well. The syphilis increase has affected all racial and ethnic groups.
Syphilis is caused by a bacterium, and if left untreated it can cause severe complications. The disease causes syphilis chancres, or sores, in or around the penis, anus, and vagina. Contact with these sores spreads the disease.
Unfortunately, these chancres don't usually cause pain in a person, so they are often unaware they have contracted the disease. These sores take up to six weeks to heal, and while they do eventually go away on their own, this does not mean the disease itself has gone away. It has just progressed to the next stage. Even when the sores are not present, the disease can still be spread to sexual partners.
In the second stage of the disease, people often experience a rash. The rash may be on the genitals or other areas of the body. This rash can cause a loss of pigmentation in the skin, making it appear discolored and blotchy. This pigmentation loss is particularly common in dark-skinned people. A clinician can perform cosmetic procedures on the skin to lessen the appearance of the skin discoloration. Skin grafting can also be done if the discoloration is severe.
Gonorrhea
In some people, a gonorrhea infection can cause genital sores. This can also lead to disseminated gonococcal infection, which causes skin pustules, and septic arthritis, which is a painful joint infection. A staph infection may also be present on the skin, which can lead to skin ulcers and cellulitis. These ulcers can go quite deep in the skin and cause disfigurement. Thankfully, cosmetic procedures can be used to make the scars less noticeable.
Contact a doctor to discuss your STD treatment options.