Human Papillomavirus or HPV is quite common and many people do not show any symptoms. Hence, the symptoms may go away on their own. There are some kinds of HPV that can cause cancer of the penis or anus and cervical cancer.
Different kinds of HPV
Each HPV has its own type or number. The term “papillo” is a type of wart that occurs due to some HPV types.
HPV is present in the flat and thin cells which are known as epithelial cells that are usually there on the surface of your skin. They are also present on the surface of the anus, cervix, vagina, vulva and the head of the penis. They are also found in the throat and mouth. Ask your doctor can HPV be cured completely and stay protected from this infection.
Higher risk versus lower risk
All the 40 sexually transmitted HPV viruses cannot be the reason for serious health concerns. The higher-risk HPV strains consist of HPV 16 and 18 that can cause nearly 70% of cervical cancers. Other high risk HPV viruses are 31, 33, 45, 52, 58 and few others.
On the other hand, lower-risk HPV strains include HPV 6 and 11 that can be the reason for almost 90% of genital warts that may rarely turn into cancer. The growths may appear like bumps and shaped in the form of cauliflower. These warts may show up in either weeks or months after you enjoy sexual intercourse with an infected person.
Symptoms of HPV infection
Generally, there aren’t any symptoms of this HPV infection and so, the body will be clearing the infection by itself. Many people do not even know that they had been infected.
Sometimes, this is an infection with higher-risk types of HPV that will last for a long time. This may be the reason for some changes in the cells of your cervix that can cause cancer and vulva cancer. Hence, the same thing might lead to unusual changes in the cells of the anus and the penis, though this is quite rare.
How to prevent HPV
You may get HPV by enjoying anal, oral or vaginal sex that can spread due to skin to skin contact.
HPV may infect skin which is not covered with a condom and so, using one will not protect you completely.
You won’t HPV from a toilet seat, the blood of an infected partner ie swimming pools.
The only way you can prevent all the risks associated with any kind of HPV infection is by not being sexually active.
In order to reduce the risk, you may restrict your number of sex partners. You can even select partners who have had few or no sex partners in the past.
There are three vaccines available and these are – Gardasil, Cervarix and Gardasil 9 that can keep you protected against HPV. These are mainly available for boys and girls who are within 9 to 26 years only.
These vaccines mainly focus on some high-risk types of HPV. All the three protect against HPV 16 and 18. Gardasil and Gardasil-9 seem to be very effective against HPV 6 and HPV 11 that can be the reason for most genital warts. Gardasil 9 also covers you against the higher-risk strains of 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58. This way, you will know how to get rid of HPV faster and effectively.