Femi noticed small, painless bumps six weeks before he could bring himself to come to a clinic. He had searched online and feared the worst. At Mascot Healthcare, the diagnosis was straightforward — and so was the treatment.
Graphic designer, Surulere. Noticed painless growths 6 weeks before attending.
Genital Warts (HPV)Femi noticed the first two bumps in the shower in early March. They were small — 2–3mm, flesh-coloured, and completely painless. He convinced himself they were ingrown hairs and waited.
By week three there were five. He spent a significant amount of time on Google, cycling between reassurance (pearly penile papules, a normal variant) and alarm (genital herpes, syphilis). The combination of shame and fear of judgement at a clinic kept him at his phone rather than in a consultation room.
A friend who had attended Mascot Healthcare for a different reason mentioned the clinic's non-judgemental approach. Femi walked in on a Wednesday afternoon.
The growths were painless, which made them easy to dismiss. Their persistence made them impossible to ignore.
Flesh-coloured, irregular surface — located on the penile shaft.
HPV warts are painless; there was no associated urethral discharge.
No fever, no groin swelling, no dysuria.
Started as 2–3 lesions; had grown to approximately 8 by attendance.
Six weeks of anxiety, searching online, avoiding intimacy.
Femi tried applying tea tree oil after reading about it online. The lesions did not change. He also tried a topical antifungal cream, reasoning the lesions might be fungal. Neither intervention made any difference.
He had told no one — not his girlfriend, not his family. The mental burden of six weeks of uncertainty was, he later said, worse than the warts themselves.
The attending doctor examined the lesions under good lighting. The clinical appearance was characteristic of condylomata acuminata (HPV genital warts) — soft, skin-coloured papules with an irregular cauliflower-like surface on the penile shaft. No ulceration, no vesicles, no features of herpes or syphilis.
An STI screen (syphilis VDRL, HIV rapid test, gonorrhoea and chlamydia swab) was offered and accepted. All returned negative. The diagnosis was HPV genital warts — no co-infection. Femi received a clear, calm explanation of what HPV is, how it is transmitted, and what treatment involves.
Clinical diagnosis: condylomata acuminata (HPV genital warts). STI screen: syphilis VDRL negative, HIV negative, GC/CT swab negative. No co-infection identified.
A topical wart treatment was applied to the lesions at the clinic. Instructions were provided for safe home application in short cycles over a few weeks. Partner notification discussed sensitively.
Review at 2 weeks to assess response. Further treatment or alternative topical agent arranged based on lesion response. Patient advised to use condoms until lesions fully resolved.
75% lesion clearance by week 4. Residual 2 lesions treated with a further treatment cycle. Full clearance confirmed at 8-week review. Femi found the partner notification conversation difficult but managed it with support from clinic staff.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally. In Nigeria it is significantly under-diagnosed because many people present late or not at all due to stigma. Condylomata acuminata (genital warts) are caused by low-risk HPV strains (usually 6 and 11) and do not cause cancer — but they are contagious and increase in number without treatment.
The six weeks Femi spent searching online and delaying attendance was not unusual. Shame and fear of judgement are the most common reasons for delayed STI presentation at Mascot Healthcare. The clinic's approach is private, non-judgemental, and clinical.
Painless growths in the genital area need a clinical diagnosis — not a Google search. Genital warts are common, identifiable on examination, and treatable. Earlier attendance means fewer lesions, faster treatment, and earlier partner notification.
Walk in to Mascot Healthcare, Akoka — same-day consultation, transparent pricing, 4.9★ rated.