Question?! Answer: Ask Tuffy Luv.

Dear Tuffy Luv,

Q: I am 23-years-old and have been with my boyfriend for 6 years. I got the Gardasil shot last year and my paps have been fine until I got my last Gardasil shot. The doctor told me my pap was abnormal a couple months after my 3rd shot. Was the shot what caused the adnormal pap? The other doctor took a look and did not find anything so she did not do a biospy.

I went back 8 months later and she found a small wart and removed it. I do not know what to do or how to feel? Should I worry now that I have HPV? Should I stop having sex? My boyfriend has not had any problem and I heard that they can not be tested anyway. What can I do to prevent getting warts? Sorry to ask, but we have been having oral sex as well does that mean we both have it in our mouth? I just do not understand what I did wrong. I have been on birth control as well. PLEASE HELP… I only been having sex with one person for 6 years but I feel so helpless.

A: I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with an abnormal Pap smear and HPV. But believe me- you’re not alone. Up to 80% of us will contract HPV at some point in our life, and HPV vaccination isn’t perfect. Gardasil only guards against the four most common strains of HPV, but there are many more.

No, the vaccine didn’t give you HPV or cause your abnormal Pap smear. It doesn’t work that way. It may simply have been given too late.  You may have contracted HPV before you received the full series of vaccinations and the virus is just wreaking havoc now. There’s no way to know whether you already had HPV or whether you just caught it, but it’s a strain the vaccine doesn’t cover.

As for how you feel, feel whatever it is you genuinely feel. Don’t beat yourself up about it. You’re one of many who deals with this every day. But I certainly understand if you feel embarrassed, ashamed, betrayed, or bummed out.  Contracting a sexually transmitted infection has a way of making you feel about two inches tall. (I know. I caught HPV too. It can happen to anyone.)

Should you stop having sex? That’s a personal decision. It’s entirely possible that your boyfriend gave you the HPV in the first place since you’ve only had sex with one person. When I was diagnosed with an abnormal Pap smear for the first time and told the guy who is now my husband, he said, “That’s so weird! All of my girlfriends have had abnormal Pap smear.” Duh, dude. It’s you! So your guy probably already has it and most likely gave it to you.

You certainly should tell him about your diagnosis. And condoms can help protect you from transmitting it if you wind up in future relationships. But even condoms aren’t perfect, since infectious vulvar skin can still touch exposed scrotal or perineal skin, putting you at risk. To some degree, you just have to do the best you can and surrender the rest to the Universe.

Can it cause oral warts? Yes. Very rarely, HPV can cause warts on the larynx, but these are extremely uncommon.

Remember, you did nothing wrong, sweetie. You got the vaccination, have been careful to select a partner, and care enough to ask these questions. You should be proud of yourself for being so aware, so conscientious, and so health-conscious. I’m sorry you’re in this situation and I understand that you feel helpless, but I know you’re going to be okay.

Find out more about HPV here.

Wishing you peace and health,
Dr. Lissa

- Dr. Lissa Rankin’s book, What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in Fall 2010. She invites you to join her Pink online community (www.owningpink.com/forum) or read more of her writing at Owning Pink (www.owningpink.com).

As college students, we are constantly inundated with new knowledge. It can be useful, thought-provoking, or crammed into our head on a Starbucks-fueled binge several hours before an exam. However, very rarely do we question the validity of all this new knowledge (unless you take philosophy classes, then you’ll question away).

That’s where College Candy comes in. We’re not going to debate whether or not the Theory of Relativity actually exists (a disappointment, I know, but I’m a communications major and stopped taking science classes after Baby Bio fresh year). However, we are here to thoroughly investigate the most widespread college knowledge (no, not rhyming): the myth. Last week we discussed breaking the seal and this week we’ll investigate the ice luge (the non-Olympic variety, of course).

While sliding down frozen mountainsides is somewhat adventurous, nothing compares to the college Ice Luge. 6 feet tall, carved into the shape of your school mascot, fraternity letters, or just a giant wedge, the ice luge will leave you liquored up and slightly frostbitten around your mouth and nose.

A  game day staple, ice luges can most commonly be found at tailgates or other large parties, typically attached to girls in various stages of drunkenness. Also known as vodka slides, these blocks of ice with carved channels for various types of alcohol are a college favorite, as many of my Facebook albums can attest to.

Recently, when mentally preparing my mother for the debauchery she may or may not witness on parents’ weekend, I warned her that tequila in any amount will have me shouting at the top of my lungs that she NEEDS to do an ice luge. To my dismay, she said “no effing way” in so many words and I demanded an explanation for her lack of ice luge enthusiasm. Her excuse? Fox News told her she would get gonorrhea from it.

I experienced a roller coaster of emotions: shock, sadness, betrayal and disbelief. I figured this needed serious investigating, so I consulted several of my sorority sisters—they had all heard variations of the “Don’t do any more vodka slides or you’ll get an STD” story. However, a couple of upside down margaritas with the Sigma Chi boys had them singing a different tune—one that slurs along with Lady Gaga and insists that “ice kills germs, alcohol kills germs, it’s like hand sanitizer for your mouth!” With such conflicting theories on this particular college myth, I decided to do some serious research and visit the good people at CDC.gov

According to Herpes.com, “Herpes is spread by direct skin to skin contact. Unlike a flu virus that you can get through the air, herpes spreads by direct contact, that is, directly from the site of infection to the site of contact.” Therefore, unless you share the mouth-end of the ice luge with some guy (or gal) who has the Herp, it’s nearly impossible to get from an alcoholic ice sculpture.

As for Gonorrhea, it “is spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus.” Nothing on there about contact with the ice luge. In some cases, your ice luge may be shaped like any of the aforementioned body parts, but unless someone has been swabbing the mouth piece of it with a petri dish full of gonorrhea bacterium, you should be fine.

I started to notice a recurring theme, but just to be safe, I checked out how exactly Chlamydia is spread: “by vaginal and anal intercourse,” and occasionally via oral. Guess how it’s not spread? Through casual contact, and what could be more casual than ice luging in cutoffs and flip flops?

After researching the trifecta of college STD’s and their possible relation to ice luges, I have come to the conclusion that catching any kind of sexual disease from drinking (not sex) is highly, highly improbable. However, given the predictions of H1N1 breakouts on campuses across the nation (Florida State predicts that 25% of us will contract the virus), avoiding the ice luge may be in your best interest, even if you can’t catch an STD from it.

So remember, when that wasted girl insists that the cold and alcohol kills all the germs, she is wrong—but it won’t give you gonorrhea.

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I recently found out that I have HPV. I was so shocked and upset by the news that I couldn’t really think of anything to ask my doctor. So, I was wondering what I should do. This was the first time I’ve ever been tested, so do I have to tell every guy I’ve ever been with (even those I didn’t actually have sex with)? And do I have to tell all future partners?

A: First of all, I’m sorry you have Human PapillomaVirus (HPV). If it makes you feel any better, I have had it too. You didn’t say whether your HPV is the type that causes genital warts or abnormal pap smears (they tend to be different strains but may travel together). But I’d be happy to educate you about HPV in general, since you were too freaked out to ask your doc.

What is HPV?

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, and it will infect 75% of young women before the age of 50, if they don’t get vaccinated.  What is HPV? It’s the virus that causes genital and anal warts, abnormal pap smears, and cervical cancer. How do you get it? Sex mostly, but even virgins can get it from skin to skin contact while fooling around. And condoms don’t necessarily protect you, since your labia can touch the skin around your partner’s genitals, even with a condom on. All it takes is intimate genital touching between you and your partner.

To make matters worse, the strains of HPV that tend to cause abnormal pap smears and cervical cancer don’t cause any problems in men. SO THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE IT! Which means they’re passing it around from woman to woman, like a beach ball. You gotta wonder when the guy says, “Oh, that’s so weird. ALL my girlfriends have had abnormal pap smears.” Duh, dude. It’s you!

Even if you’re a virgin when you hook up with a guy, you can end up with HPV- even if he has only slept with one other girl. This is not a disease of freaks and hoochies. (If it is, then I’m one of those hoochies, since I got it from my husband.  Poor guy.  He feels bad.) Even if you’re really careful, you can still get it, and next thing you know, you’ve got genital warts and cervical cancer. To make matters worse, because HPV is a virus, there’s no real cure, the way there is for most bacteria.  Natural treatments aimed at supporting the immune system can help you clear the virus, but ultimately, you’re at the mercy of your immune system.  So if you get HPV, you may have it for years.

What Should You Tell Your Partners?

To keep your karma clean, it’s not a bad idea to tell your past and future sexual partners. Chances are, more than half of them have already been exposed, and one of them was the one who gave it to you.  Because many strains of HPV do not cause problems for the guy, he may not even know he has it. But technically, anyone who may have been infected by you should tell future sexual partners that they may carry HPV and may be able to transmit it. It gets very complicated, because your immune system may clear you of HPV forever at some point. So will you still be infectious five years from now? Probably not. But maybe. This is why it’s such a big problem. Some women seem to clear HPV, only to have it show up again when their immune system is suppressed, as it normally is during pregnancy.

So What Can You Do About It?

Not a whole lot. If you have access to an integrative medicine doctor or naturopath, they  may be able to help you with some herbs and supplements that can stimulate your natural immune response. But otherwise, it’s all about treating any problems the HPV causes. For example, warts can be frozen off or treated with acid or medication. Abnormal pap smears need follow up and sometimes treatment. But there’s no magic pill that can cure your HPV.

There’s a great many things to do and places to see in this world of ours.  As humans, our lives are pretty short (and if you party like I do, it’s probably going to be even shorter).  So we have to prioritize!  We have brains for a reason and that reason is…reasoning (well, at least some of us use them for that purpose: see comment about partying above).  Let me be your voice of reason as I show you all the things you should be doing right here, right now.

Sex sells and nobody knows that better than our generation.  We watch hours upon hours of gossip and celebrity news for the latest update on who’s bonking who.  We twitter about the Walk of Shame.  We scour Facebook for photos of last night’s hook-up.  We strut our stuff at the bar/parties/anywhere social, stalk some prey, and make the kill.  Then we share all the details with our friends over Bloody Marys and Sunday brunch.

As much as it pains it to say this, maybe we should…stop.  Seriously.  I was skeptical at first, but after some good ‘ole internet research I might have to have a little chat with my boyfriend (just kidding…maybe).

- Less Drama:  Yes, all relationships have drama, regardless of any sexual component.  However, I’ve noticed that the drama usually increases when people get naked.  Suddenly, your partner’s past becomes much more important and you become extra attached…and why wouldn’t you?  You just exchanged bodily fluids.  No sex = less drama.

- Freedom:  Sex usually involves some preparation, such as spending mucho time in the bathroom shaving, exfoliating, moisturizing, plucking, etc. and picking out matching underwear sets (unless you’re in a long term relationship, in which case most of those go out the window).  Nix the sex and feel the freedom!  Shave only if you want to, wear mismatched underwear, and let the stray hairs roam for a couple more days.  Ahhh…let freedom ring.

- Control:  I can’t count the number of tragic Sundays I have spent recovering from the night before and debating whether I should call first or wait for Mr. Right Now to call.  Sex can complicate relationships and make you feel like you’ve lost control of the situation.  Hell, that’s the theme of most of the episodes of Sex and the City. Why not cut out sex, clear your head and stay in control?

- Less Mess:  Bodily fluids, condoms, hair…once you think about it, sex can be kind of disgusting.  Without sex, you won’t need to worry about getting the horrible smell of latex and sweat out of your bedroom.  Also, chances of finding a pesky condom wrappy hiding under your bed at inopportune moments will decrease dramatically (let’s hope).

- More Time:  All the time you spend sweatin’ it up in the sack with your partner can be used for studying, exercising, socializing with friends, or just relaxing on a beach somewhere.  Just think of how many times sex has gotten in the way of your Medieval Art History homework…

- No babies/STDs:  Without a sex life, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t have that scary moment when you frantically calculate the days between your last period and right now and realize that something might be off.  Also, unless you spend a lot of time rubbing yourself all over public toilets, you’ll be STD free!

- Masturbation = Win:  Most of the benefits you receive from sex can be replicated with  masturbation.  Also, you will develop a deeper understanding of yourself and how you experience pleasure.  When you finally start having sex again (whenever that might be), you’ll know exactly what you want and hopefully, how to communicate that to your partner.

Talking sex with your doctor isn’t always easy. Whether you are afraid she or he will judge you,  you just don’t feel comfortable sharing the intimate details of your life between the sheets, or you can’t think straight with a speculum between your legs, many people get tight lipped in the doctor’s office. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have questions.

After so many of you wrote in to ask Dr. Lissa Rankin questions during CollegeCandy’s STD Awareness Day, we thought we’d bring her back more regularly. So, every Thursday she will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person and didn’t really trust the Yahoo community to answer for you. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I am on the birth control pill and I want to stop using condoms with my boyfriend. I know he is clean, so I am not worried about STDs, but I am worried about pregnancy. Is the birth control pill enough to keep me from getting pregnant? Am I safe without condoms? I’m sorta freaking out, so any answers you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

A: Well, you know what they say- the only perfect birth control is abstinence (with one famous exception- and even that is highly contested!).  But the birth control pill, when taken daily – without fail – is extremely effective. Are you the type that forgets your pill from time to time?  Lower dose pills (ones that have 20 micrograms of estrogen, like Yaz or Lo-Estrin 1/20) are pickier pills, meaning that it’s more important that you take them at the same time every day.  But if you’re good about taking your pill every day, around the same time, you’re pretty darn close to protected (>99%).

If you’re not one of those “perfect users” of the Pill, you might want to consider something like Nuvaring, which is a vaginal ring you only have to think about once a month.  Or the Mirena IUD, which lasts for 5 years and is more effective than tying your tubes.

I’m guessing that, since you’re so freaked out about pregnancy, you’re going to be very responsible about birth control, and I’m high-fiving your right now for that. You go girl!  But if using condoms with your pills eases your anxiety, why not keep doing it?  If your boyfriend doesn’t mind and it gives you both peace of mind, there’s something to be said for being careful.

But if you’re taking your pills religiously and you’re willing to take the <1% risk of pregnancy, let your freak flag fly, girlfriend!

Got a question for Tuffaleh? Got an itch you just can’t scratch?! Email her at tuffyluv@collegecandy.com to be featured in her weekly column!

Dear Tuffy Luv,

I’m really in love with my boyfriend and we’ve been dating for almost a year now. He’s a great guy and I know he would never cheat on me. So I’ve decided to go on the pill and give up condoms. What’s the quickest pill to kick in? I am so sick of condoms. I’m not even kidding.

Thanks!

Val

Dear Val,

Okay, look. I say this because I care about your well-being, so please don’t take this personally. But:

Don’t be an idiot.

Condoms are absolutely essential and you should NOT stop using them just because you go on the pill. You got that? YOU GOT THAT?! Listen up, girls. The pill is enormously empowering to women because it gives us power over whether or not we give birth. Right? Well, the condom does that for you too, except instead of birth, insert one of the following: genital warts, the clap, HIV–the list goes on and on.

Bottom line: DO NOT STOP USING CONDOMS. First of all, you don’t know what your partner has. (PS you should both be tested, and insist on seeing each others’ results, and I’m not kidding. Better safe than sorry here, for sure.) Second of all, cheating happens. I’m sorry. It happens to the couples you expect it to happen to,  but it happens to the happiest of couples too. It’s horrible, but breaking up with someone after the fact doesn’t protect you from the diseases they already gave you. So please, girls, please, Val, please, everyone–ALWAYS use condoms.

That said, going on the pill is usually a great idea, as long as you’ve consulted with your doctor. You also, of course, should not smoke if you’re gonna take oral contraceptives. Very dangerous.

Planned Parenthood is an excellent resource for all of these things. You can check out what they have to say about birth control here. You can also go to your local PP for medical or counseling purposes. Check out that website – there’s a lot of important information. Also very useful for the uninsured.

I’d like to point you in the right direction about what kind of pill you should take, but I’m going to level with you, honey. Tuffy’s not a medical professional. Birth control is serious stuff and you need to talk to someone who can actually help you find what’s right for your body and lifestyle. Hell, you might find a better option is the patch, or the NuvaRing, or even the Depo-Provera shot.

But even if I’m not a doc, I do know one thing: DO NOT STOP USING CONDOMS.

Hearts & Condoms Skulls,

Tuffy Luv

Ok, so you’ve gone and gotten tested–and the test came back positive.  Now what?  After you talk to your doctor about treatment, the next thing you should do is to tell your partner.  And not just your current boyfriend/hookup buddy, I mean ALL your ex-partners, too, because there’s the chance that they’ve been infected and don’t know it, either.  I know, I know… it’s super embarrassing, but it’s your responsibility to make sure they don’t spread an STD, either.  And, who knows? It’s possible you got it from them and they should know to be checked.

But don’t stress–there are some things that you can do to make the whole ordeal less painful.

First of all, you should know about inSPOT, a site that lets people send e-cards (like the one at the top of this post) to their current and ex sexual partners, telling them that there’s the possibility that they’ve been exposed to an STD, and urging them to go get tested.  There’s even the option to send the card anonymously, if you’d like, which eliminates the embarrassment of a face-to-face meeting.  It’s also a great option if you aren’t on speaking terms with your ex.

However, if sending a e-card isn’t an option for you, or you think it’s better, telling the person face-to-face is the next best option.  Choose somewhere casual to meet, and try to keep as calm as possible.  If you’re nervous, try writing down what you want to say and practice before you talk to them.  I know it sounds corny, but it will help make sure you get out everything that you need to say.

They might be angry with you, which is completely understandable–so be apologetic, and make sure they understand that you didn’t know you were infected. Also, bring along information about getting tested and treatement options.  Most importantly, make sure they know that you’re going through the same thing they are and that you’re there for them.  inSPOT has some more good tips on their website if you want more information.

[The following post is courtesy of Vanessa Cullins, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs at Planned Parenthood. If anyone knows anything about the importance of testing and sexual health, it is Dr. Cullins.]

Here’s a disturbing tidbit:  A U.S. government study found that an average of 14 percent of college women become infected with a human papilloma virus (HPV) each year. At the end of a three-year study, 43 percent of college women were infected.  Why should you care?  Because in some cases HPV can lead to cancer. To avoid HPV infection, girls and women should be vaccinated with Gardasil, which prevents infection of the types of HPV that cause 70 percent of the cases of cervical cancer in the U.S.

Here’s another: An estimated 19 million Americans are infected with a new sexually transmitted disease (STD) each year and, by the age of 25, half of all sexually active young people will contract an STD. In fact, at least one in four teenage girls already has an STD.

STDs continue to pose a serious public health threat in this country, particularly to young women, who are more vulnerable to infection than men, due to biological factors.

Because many STDs do not cause any symptoms — and most doctors do not automatically test for STDs — many women and men may not even realize that they are infected and at risk of spreading the infection to their partners.

Yet, without treatment, STDs can lead to serious short- and long-term health consequences, including infertility. Some untreated STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, with the potential for other serious health problems. Others, like HIV, permanently jeopardize a person’s health and can kill.

STDs are preventable, treatable, and in some instances, curable. Women and men should minimize their STD risk by practicing safer sex. The use of condoms significantly reduces the risk of contracting an STD during vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Monogamy is better than latex but it only works if both partners are uninfected and both remain committed to monogamy — the problem with relying on monogamy is that one can only be sure of one’s own behavior.

Regular STD testing is critical. Health care authorities suggest that young, sexually active women and men be screened annually for the most dangerous and common sexually transmitted infections: HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, if rates of gonorrhea are high in your community. Your local Planned Parenthood health care provider can talk with you about STDs and help you get the testing or treatment you may need. Visit www.plannedparenthood.org to locate your nearest health center. Or visit http://gyt09.org to learn about the “Get Yourself Tested” campaign, a partnership between Planned Parenthood, MTV, and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Denial and embarrassment are the two most dangerous risks to your sexual health. Both can keep you from getting tests and treatment.  This is the real deal:  All sexually active people are at risk for getting STDs — no matter how faithful, how clean, or how cool you may be.  So don’t let denial or shame jeopardize your health.  Practice safer sex, and get checked out every year to make sure you can enjoy your sex life for many more years to come, in addition to ensuring that you and your partner can experience pregnancy when the time is right.

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.