Human papillomavirus, more commonly known as HPV, is a sexually transmitted disease. Most young adults will contract HPV at some point in their life, and most won’t even know they have it. HPV is characterized by warts that can form in various parts of the body. If left untreated, HPV can lead to cervical cancer. January is cervical health month and today we are discussing 4 things you need to know about HPV in order to stay healthy!
It can be asymptomatic
Sometimes women don’t even know they have HPV. They go in for their yearly pap and they get tests results that the doctor found “bad cells.” This doesn’t always mean that you have HPV, it just means that there is some sort of abnormality. A follow up pap is done to figure out if there’s a problem and what steps to take next.
It’s not uncommon
Most people will contract HPV in their lifetime. Although a lot of people don’t know about HPV it is extremely common. In fact, several of your friends may have it and you may not even realize.
It’s actually pretty easy to get
The most common mode of transmission is through sexual contact. However, HPV can be transmitted through things such as hot tubs. That’s right, hot tubs.
Condoms don’t always protect you from HPV
This is not to say that you not need to use condoms, you do. However, since a condom doesn’t cover the entire genital area HPV and other STDs can be easily transmitted. Therefore, it’s always important to get yourself and your partner tested.
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