If you know you’re infected with HPV, either because of symptoms or a positive test, you can take steps to practice safer sex and reduce the risk of infecting your partner.
More than half of all men and women who are sexually active will be infected by the human papilloma virus (HPV) at some time in their lives.
But “most women and men with the virus will never know they have it,” says Vanessa Cullins, MD, MPH, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and the vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Most people infected with HPV do not develop any symptoms or health problems from the virus because the body’s immune system is able to fight off the infection.
Still, some people do develop genital warts, which are caused by certain types of HPV, and some women learn they have HPV after an abnormal Pap smear, in which cells from the cervix are examined for cancerous or precancerous changes, or after an HPV test or cervical cells.
If you know you’re infected with HPV or even if you don’t know- what should you do to safeguard yourself and your sexual partner from HPV transmission?
First, assume you will be living with some type of HPV virus at some point in your life.
“Everyone who is sexually active, vaccinated or not, should make this assumption,” Cullins says.
Then consider these steps to help protect yourself and anyone with whom you have intimate contact.
- Get Vaccinated and Encourage Your Partner to Get Vaccinated
If you didn’t get the vaccine as an adolescent, it may not be too late.
- Use Condoms When Having Sex
HPV is spread by direct contact, so you should use condoms every time you have sex- from start to finish. Consistent use of condoms will reduce your risk for HPV transmission, but it will not completely eliminate it. The virus can be on areas of the skin not covered by the condom. Ou should use condoms or dental dams for vaginal, oral, or anal sex, and never reuse condoms.
- Get Regular Medical and Dental Checkups
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women start getting screened for cervical cancer at age 21. Between ages 21 and 29, according to the USPSTF women should have a Pap test every three years to look for early signs of cancer.
- Learn to identify HPV Symptoms
Know the symptoms of HPV-related infection so you can be on the lookout for them in yourself and your partner.
HPV can cause genital warts, which usually appear as a small, flat bump or groups of bumps in the genital area. If not treated, genital warts can grow larger.
If you or your partner is being treated for an HPV-related infection, you should refrain from having sex until treatment is completed.
- Practice Good Genital Hygiene
After having sex, urinate to rinse any germs from your urethra, and wash your genitals with soap and water. This can help clean away bacteria or viruses before they have time to infect you.
