How do you tell how long you've had genital warts?

Hi Anonymous,
As I said in my earlier post, genital warts can develop anywhere from weeks after exposure to several months after exposure. Some people don't even notice genital warts. So it's hard to say how long you've had them if you are just noticing them. Warts can be white or fleshy colored. If you are concerned, or not sure what it is, call a doctor to help diagnose what you are dealing with and have them checked out to avoid further complication or have them removed.
The advocacy sheet in my earlier post explains everything about genital warts, along with links to support websites for more info.
Hope this helps better.

I have looked at quite a few pictures of genital warts, and none of them look like what I have, do the warts ever look different than the photos on this web site?

That absolutley did not answer my question! I know how you catch it, I know what it is caused by. I just wanted to know if there was any way to tell HOW LONG YOU"VE HAD IT! Thanks for nothing! Why post a comment if your not talking about the question at HAND?

Hi Anonymous,
Thank you for your question and for finding EmpowHER.
Genital Warts are caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease. Warts can develop anywhere from a few weeks after exposure to several months. Warts sometimes will go away on their own, but it's still a good idea to get them checked out by a doctor to ensure (particularly in females) that the virus doesn't cause any other issues, such as cervical, vaginal, or anal conditions.
Here is more information about genital warts:
https://www.empowher.com/genital-warts/content/genital-warts-advocacy-sheet
Good luck and let us know how you are.