7 Myths About HPV Debunked
While all STDs are serious, HPV might be the most important for young college women to know about. HPV is the most common STD in the U.S. today and a reported 5.5 million new cases are diagnosed each year. 20 million Americans already have it and most have no idea!
As you very well know by now, HPV is much more than just a few genital warts; it can lead to cervical cancer if left un-treated!
OB/GYN Dr. Lissa Rankin is passionate about educating women about and protecting women against HPV. She shared the following information with us:
Do you guys all know about HPV? It’s the Human PapillomaVirus, the virus that causes genital warts, abnormal pap smears, and cervical cancer. If it helps you remember it (or maybe just if it makes you laugh) call it Hot Pox of the Va Jay Jay. Whatever you call it, it’s important to fully comprehend the scope of this sexually transmitted disease, since, unless you vaccinate yourself, 75% of you will get it before the age of 50, if you haven’t already. Do ya hear me? 75%!!
Because HPV is a virus, there’s no real cure the way there is for most bacteria. Chlamydia, for example, requires only one dose of an antibiotic to cure it. But antibiotics don’t work for viruses. It’s basically up to your immune system to try to fight it. Sometimes the immune system wins and the virus goes away. Other times, the HPV is too strong, and BOOM. There it is. Cauliflower crotch. But warts are small potatoes as far as HPV goes; HPV can also cause abnormal pap smears, which, left untreated, can become cervical cancer.
Usually, it all starts with an abnormal pap smear, caused most commonly by HPV types 16 and 18. This is the type guys can give you which doesn’t cause a flippin’ thing for them. That’s why it’s SO important to get pap smears regularly. As long as you get your pap smear once a year, you shouldn’t ever get cancer, since we can treat it before it goes that far.
HPV is extremely infectious, with a transmission rate of 26% after a single unprotected sexual encounter. (If you use a condom, it’s safer, but it still doesn’t completely protect you). And with so many people carrying it, all it takes is one episode of intercourse. Now, that is a lot of information, so to help sort through the muddle, I’d like to debunk some myths about HPV.
Myth #1: Good girls don’t get HPV.
While most cases of HPV are sexually transmitted, even virgins can get HPV. How can that be? Because infected people shed the HPV virus from their genital region, so if your genitals are touching your partner’s genitals, you can catch the infection, even if you’re not having intercourse. So unless you’re both virgins who have never even fooled around with someone else, you can get HPV.
Myth #2: Condoms protect you from HPV.
While using condoms significantly decreases the risk of catching HPV, it doesn’t completely protect you. Since condoms only cover the skin of the penis, your girly parts can still come into contact with your partner’s testicles and surrounding skin, which can shed the HPV virus and cause transmission.
Myth #3: Men know if they have HPV.
While men who carry the strains that cause genital warts may know they carry HPV, many male HPV carriers have never had genital warts or any other symptoms. Also, because the strains of HPV that cause abnormal pap smears and cervical cancer do not cause problems for men, most men do not know they carry it. Which means they’re passing it around from woman to woman, like a nasty-ass beach ball. You gotta wonder when the guys says, “Oh, that’s so weird. ALL my girlfriends have had abnormal pap smears.” Duh, dude. It’s you! In the future, pending further study, the HPV vaccine may be available for boys too.
Myth #4: If your partner tested negative for sexually transmitted diseases, your partner doesn’t have HPV.
Most standard testing for STDs tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B & C, and sometimes herpes. HPV is not routinely tested, even in women, unless a pap smear is abnormal.
Myth #5: If I get HPV, it will go away on its own.
While HPV can resolve spontaneously, it’s up to your immune system. If your immune systems fights it, it may go away. If not, HPV can take over, leading to warts, abnormal pap smears, and, if left untreated, cervical cancer.
Myth #6: I can’t get HPV if I’m only having oral sex.
If you aren’t rubbing your genitals together at all and only having oral sex, your risk is low. But some evidence suggests that HPV can infect the mouth and increase your risk of getting oral cancers later in life. Using condoms (for going down on a guy) and dental dams (for going down on a girl) may help reduce this risk.
Myth #7: Lesbians can’t get HPV.
Oh yes they can! While lesbian sex is less risky than guy-on-girl sex, it’s still possible to get genital warts or abnormal pap smears from genital-to-genital contact when one partner is shedding the HPV virus.
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Erin says:
Thu, 2nd Apr 200912:47 pm
i would just like to say that getting the vaccination for HPV is too expensive for most young women to get. I can't afford it, I couldn't ask my parents to pay for it when they paid for my apartment and my groceries because it was just too much. As an adult out on my own It would take 4 paychecks for me to afford the shots and pay for groceries for a week. Thats pretty sad.
L says:
Thu, 2nd Apr 20092:45 pm
i think most insurances cover the cost of the shot? my doctor encouraged me to get it before i was sexually active because my parents insurance covered it so i just had to pay $10 each visit as copay so $30 total.
Charlsie - Hollins U says:
Thu, 2nd Apr 20094:54 pm
Most insurance companies actually don't cover Gardasil fully, yet. It is fairly new, so it is expected for insurance companies to not cover it in full. I had a personal run in with this last year. During my yearly gyno exam, my doctor told me I should get it and said that she thought it was covered by my insurance. After getting the first shot, I learned that I wasn't covered. My mother, a single mom, had to pay out of pocket to cover all three of them. Although I know the vaccination is a positive advancement for health care of women, I find it bothersome to know that many people can't afford it, even ones who pay for insurance.
From a feminist perspective, I am also very bothered that the majority of girls who get this shot are middle to upper class white females. This vaccination should be made available for everyone, regardless of gender, race, or class.
Brian Hill says:
Sun, 5th Apr 20099:01 am
This is a really good article. If you want more meat and details including scientific articles about what we know and do not know about HPV, and the other cancers it causes, like oral and anal cancers…. please visit
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/hpv/index.htm
Published, peer reviewed information you can trust. This is about more than cervical cancer. HPV16 one of the versions that causes cervical is the main cause of posterior of the mouth oral cancers. They are deadly and will take almost THREE TIMES AS MANAY LIVES IN THE US AS CERVICAL CANCER WILL EACH YEAR.
S says:
Tue, 7th Apr 20094:47 pm
"unless you vaccinate yourself, 75% of you will get it before the age of 50" Vaccination only protects you from 4 strands.
manda says:
Fri, 10th Apr 20094:59 am
I don't think you accurately describe the disease.
HPV often does not cause genital warts. There are dozens of types of HPV and only a few cause warts. The majority of people who have HPV (me included) have no warts at all.
That being said, when I was 20 I went to gyno and my pap smear came back abnormal. The cells on my cervix were irregular (could cause cancer in the future) and I had to have cryosurgery. I know at least 3 other girls who've had this done who do not have warts.
Also, you are pretty rude about the virus throughout calling it a "nasty ass beachball." Since, as you say, 75% of us will wind up getting it eventually (essentially if you have more than one or two sexual partners you can pretty much count on it it) you should probably drop the stuck up attitude.
Ash says:
Thu, 30th Apr 20091:51 pm
I went to the local county health department and told them I could not afford the regular price of the shots at $350, which is what it was going to cost me. They had a program where I was able to pay only $25 a shot. Super worth skipping treats for a week.
brandi says:
Thu, 16th Jul 20093:33 pm
hey does anyone know how much cryosurgery costs?
| body detox says:
Sun, 2nd Aug 200912:10 am
everyone should get an HPV Vaccine and always practice safe sex to avoid genital warts.
screwyouguys says:
Wed, 12th Aug 20098:42 am
"This is the type guys can give you which doesn’t cause a flippin’ thing for them."
As a guy whose ex girlfriend didn't tell me she carried 'high risk' hpv and is now dealing with pre cancerous lesions on my penis I continue to be amazed by the arrogant disregard of mens health in regards to this issue. Yes she carried hpv 16, yes I am now facing penile cancer as a serious possibility. I really wish guardasil had been available to me as I'm the type of person who would have found a way to pay for it. When it happens to you it becomes very frustrating that you missed out on this vaccine. I'm in my mid twenties, have been circumcised since birth, have had two partners and my sex life is now over. I just hope I make it out of this without having to be completley castrated. Going to the doctors now so they can stick a camera up my urethra….FUN! Please stop this misinformation about hpv not affecting men!
melatoningirl says:
Sun, 27th Sep 200912:28 am
as always, safe sex and HPV Vaccine should work in reducing infections. the symptoms of HPV is kind of nasty.
Gina says:
Tue, 29th Sep 20093:04 pm
HPV also causes anal cancer in both men and women.
Gina says:
Tue, 29th Sep 20093:08 pm
My friend died last week from anal cancer.
He was 31 and straight.
lynn22 says:
Tue, 31st May 20117:02 pm
I got the Gardasil when I was 17.. I have always practiced safe sex and I just tested positive for HPV due to an abnormal pap smear and possible cancer of the cervix. The vaccine only works on the types of HPV that don't cause Warts. I am 22 now so that was 5 years ago that I received garasil and now have the HPV strand that causes cervical cancer. Condoms aren't 100% effective when it comes to contracting HPV and Gardasil is not 100% effective of preventing it.
Marcel says:
Mon, 2nd Apr 20122:03 pm
what strands does the vaccine protect against?? even if you are vaccinated you could still end up with HPV??? im confused.. can someone explain to me what strands this vaccine covers and if it is worth it?