Sexual Health: HPV

Have you ever been in the shower and suddenly noticed a bump on your pubic area, just to find out that you have been exposed to HPV? Told that you have abnormal cells and forced to have them frozen off in fear that they will become cancerous? Well you are not alone. About 20 million people in the U.S. have been exposed to the virus. What is HPV? It stands for Human Papilloma Virus.
It is a viral infection spread through skin to skin sexual contact. It includes over 100 different viruses with at least 30 strains known to cause different types of cancer, the most common being cervical. Symptoms include cauliflower like growths on the genitals known as genital warts. It can be found inside and outside the vagina. There is currently no test to determine if a man has HPV.


If you have or haven’t been infected with HPV you may want to consider a new drug called Gardasil. It is a relatively new vaccine that may help guard against diseases that are caused by HPV type 6, 11, 16, and 18. Gardasil is given in 3 injections over a 6 month period. Some symptoms are pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site. Other side effects include fever, nausea, and dizziness. It is for girls and women ages 9 to 26 and only a doctor or health care professional can decide if Gardasil is right for you. For more information about Gardasil go to www.Gardasil.com, for more information about HPV go to www.hpv.com/human-papillomavirus