There are over 200 different types of HPV virus, and of these about 40 are of the types that are sexually transmitted. Like most other sexually-transmitted diseases, HPV can be transmitted through any sexual contact, including contact with no actual intercourse.
Any person, male or female, gay or straight, who is sexually active can acquire the HPV virus from a partner. Also, any individual who has ever been sexually active in the past can develop HPV-related health conditions such as cancers. These often develop years after the initial infection! And meanwhile, you may not even know that you have been infected.
Learn more »
I Heard that I Can Pass HPV to My Unborn Child. Is This True?
Technically, yes it is true that you can pass HPV to your unborn child. It is believed that an infant can acquire HPV from the skin to skin contact that occurs during the birthing process; because the very nature of childbirth is conducive to the development of skin tears for mother and child, the environment is in many ways ideal for the transmission of the virus.
So what does this mean for you and your child? Usually, not very much. It can result in the transmission of a sexually transmittable strain of the disease, and this may cause some skin lesions like tiny warts on the infant. Or more likely, it will never show at all. Since most strains simply leave the human body and clear up on their own after several months, there is no cause for concern.
Learn more »
Does the Pill Protect From HPV?
Understanding the ways in which the HPV virus is passed, and the specific ways of protecting yourself, is important if you are sexually active. This includes understand the specific sexual practices which put you at greater risk.
Oral contraceptives, a.k.a. The Pill, do not protect you from acquiring HPV infection, because the Pill offers no real barrier against this disease. HPV spreads through skin to skin contact, when it enters through a tiny tear or lesion present on the skin surface. This need not be a large tear. Some tears in our skin occur naturally and are present only on the very outermost skin layers. The HPV virus can enter into these tears, travel into deeper layers, and go on to replicate itself within your body.
Learn more »
Can I Get HPV Overseas?
HPV is not confined to any one country or culture. The HPV virus is a disease that occurs anywhere people are sharing common living quarters or where people are having sex!
The more common of the 250-odd strains of the HPV virus cause common warts. These strains can be picked up anywhere where an infected person touches a surface where they leave the virus. The HPV virus is very hardy, and can live on a cold dry surface for many hours or even a few days. Many people find themselves infected with common warts on their hands or feet, and never know where they could have picked up the virus. This infection is never serious, but can be unsightly, itchy or painful, embarrassing and annoying. Often, it takes several applications of ointment and some help from your doctor to bring it under permanent control.
Learn more »
4 Ways to Keep Yourself Safe From HPV
Many people have heard some scary facts about the HPV virus: that there is not a test for it, no cure for it, and it can cause cancer and other bad issues. This is all true, but there is no reason to feel powerless.
HPV is a common disease, and is an unfortunate fact of life if you want to live a full, sexually active life. However, there are concrete steps you can take to make yourself safe from infection. There are also some things you can do to protect yourself from serious health consequences once you have already acquired the HPV infection. Knowing about how the disease works, and about your options, can make you safe and help you feel in control of your health.
Learn more »
5 Ways HPV Can Affect your Life
Whether you are young or old, male or female, the HPV virus can affect your life in many ways. Having a handle on the basic facts will help you stay healthy and protect yourself. HPV has many strains, each behaving differently, some more serious than others to your health.
- Most commonly, HPV – the human papillomavirus – causes common warts. Many people, at some time in their lifetime, will suffer from this usually harmless, but sometimes embarrassing skin condition. These warts appear on the hands and feet, generally. The strain of HPV that causes common warts can be spread fairly easily, from shared surfaces in public showers and restrooms. It is wise to take precautions such as wearing sandals in a public shower to avoid contact with the shared floor surfaces. Should you contract a case of common warts, however, your doctor can help you get rid of the infection.
Learn more »
5 Things Every Teen Should Know about HPV
There is a lot of talk these days about HPV – from television ads that talk about vaccinations for young women about the HPV virus – to rumors that it is a sexually transmitted disease like HIV/AIDS and can kill you. It is important for a teen to be armed with a lot of good, accurate information about HPV.
- HPV is the “human papillomavirus”. You may have heard that it is just a virus that causes warts. That is only half true. The term “papillomavirus” does indeed refer to any one of several strains of the virus that causes warts. When someone gets an outbreak of warts on their hands or feet, that is caused by HPV. But other strains of HPV cause warts, or “lesions” in other areas of the body, such as on the genitals or even internally where they are never seen but may over the long term cause more serious health problems.
5 Things All Men Should Know about HPV
Many people assume that the HPV virus is not something men need to be concerned about, but this is wrong. The virus can affect men in many ways, and all men – particularly those who are sexually active – should be informed about the disease. Here, we offer 5 things to keep in mind:
- There are estimated to be over 250 strains of the HPV virus, and few are serious threats to your health. Many result in the common wart, which appears in skin lesions on your hands and feet. These types of infections are experienced by many people through the course of a lifetime. Such infections can generally be brought under control quite easily through the use of over-the-counter ointments, or in more stubborn cases, prescriptions from your doctor. There is rarely if ever any reason for concern, but these infections can be unsightly and embarrassing. You can avoid them by practicing good personal hygiene in public places such as gymnasium locker rooms.
How Can My Doctor Diagnose HPV?
Although human papillomavirus is a common disease, it is often difficult to definitively diagnose. There is no actual blood test for the HPV virus that pinpoints the presence of the disease in an individual.
However, your doctor will be able to recognize some of the health conditions that are associated with HPV, and can often surmise that HPV is the cause. In cases where HPV is causing warts or a simple skin condition, the doctor may be able to isolate evidence of the virus. Unfortunately, in the case of the development of the more serious health issues caused by HPV infection, it may be years after initial infection before either you or your doctor notice any adverse health consequences. This is why it is important to arm yourself with information about this common disease when you become sexually active, and have regular health checks through the years.
Learn more »
Can Gays Get HPV?
Only about 40 of the more than 250 types of HPV virus are sexually-transmitted. Anyone can acquire any of the 250, including sexually active people of any gender or sexual preference. In recent years it has come to the attention of the medical community that gay and bisexual men are at greater risk of HPV-related cancers than are other men.
HPV is transmitted during sexual contact, as is any other sexually-transmitted disease. This contact includes not only heterosexual intercourse, but also oral sexual contact and anal sex. In order to understand how easily one can be infected with the virus, it is useful to know specifically how it is passed. HPV, whether of a genital type or not, is always passed from skin to skin, or from surface to skin. Some strains of the virus can survive for days on surfaces that are dry and cool.
Learn more »