Approximately 13 million Americans contract human papillomavirus (HPV) each year. You may have heard it framed as something that never goes away, which can sound scary. Here’s the good news: For many people, HPV isn’t permanent.
Understanding how HPV works and how it’s linked to cervical cancer is the key to cutting through confusion, lowering stigma, and focusing on what truly matters: prevention, screening, and early care.
Visit with our experienced OB/GYN physicians at Women’s Health Services in Arlington or Grand Prairie, Texas, to be screened or treated for HPV.
HPV is an STD that spreads from person to person via sexual contact. There are more than 100 types, including strains that cause warts.
About 30 HPV strains affect the genital area, including the penis, scrotum, vulva, vagina, cervix, rectum, or anus. HPV is the most common STD in the United States.
Some HPV strains can lead to cancer, particularly cervical cancer in women. But early detection via a Pap smear or HPV screening and treating precancerous tissues can prevent cancer from developing.
In people younger than 30, most HPV infections clear up on their own, meaning they’re not permanent. Not all HPV infections or precancerous tissues develop into cancer.
But if you’ve tested positive for HPV, you may need more frequent monitoring to screen for pre-cancerous cervical cells — some strains of HPV cause genital or anal warts, which can be removed. If you contract a high-risk HPV strain that causes precancerous changes, the process of it developing into cancer may take years to decades.
There’s no cure for HPV, but treatment to remove pre-cancerous tissues can reduce your risk of full-blown cancer. However, only a small number of people with HPV develop abnormal cervical cells requiring treatment.
The time it takes for your body to eliminate HPV on its own depends on the strain and your immune system. If you have a low-risk HPV strain and a strong immune system, your body may clear the infection in 1-2 years. Approximately 90% of HPV infections clear up within this time period.
But if you’ve tested positive for HPV, you’re contagious as long as you have the virus, even if you don’t have any symptoms.
Ways to reduce your risk of HPV transmission include abstaining from sex, using a condom or dental dam, having just one sexual partner, and getting vaccinated against HPV. Women should undergo routine Pap smears beginning at age 21 if they’re sexually active.
Get tested or treated for HPV and other STDs at Women’s Health Services by contacting our office nearest you. Call us today or request an appointment online anytime.
