HPV — Is Prevention Possible?

The HPV virus is incredibly common and while HPV treatments do exist, it is far better for people to take steps to reduce their chance of being infected with the virus. Fortunately, there are a number of things that people can do in an effort to reduce the likelihood of being infected with HPV.
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How to Protect Yourself Against Five Common STDs

Most people know of these STDs, but what are they and is there a cure for them? Here, we look at the five most well-known STDs and how you can safeguard yourself against them.
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Top Four Strategies to Protect Yourself Against Genital Warts

HPV, or Genital Warts, is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, both in Australia and worldwide. The warts are caused by the HPV virus, which leads to abnormal cell growth, bumpy and cauliflower-shaped growths around the genitals and the anus. There are no other serious side effects to this virus. As it is spread merely by skin-to-skin contact, anyone who is sexually active should know how to guard themselves against the HPV virus.
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3 Important Measures to Prevent Getting The HPV Virus

Getting the HPV virus does not necessarily mean that it will lead to cervical cancer but it could possibly increase your risk. It can also mean other things like contracting genital warts and other uncomfortable symptoms associated with HPV. Rather than focusing on HPV treatment , we’ve got a list of preventive measures you’ll want to know about and put into action.

What’s important to note is that to contract HPV, no exchange of bodily fluids or penetration needs to take place. Skin on skin contact is all that is required for it to spread. With over half the population estimated to have the virus, it is extremely common. Although it mostly does not cause health problems, it can if left untreated cause cervical cancer and other types of cancer such as penile, anal and head and neck cancer.

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How to Prevent HPV

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) exists in approximately 200 strains, a number of which are sexually transmitted and associated with genital warts and several types of cancer. While HPV treatments exist and can be effective in eliminating warts, there is an ever increasing focus on measures to prevent the HPV virus.

While the HPV virus is understood to be sexually transmissible, it actually requires no penile penetration or exchange of bodily fluids to be passed on; skin to skin sexual contact can cause the virus to spread.

With an estimated 70% of the population infected with HPV, the virus is highly prevalent. In most cases, it does not cause serious health problems although for some people, undiagnosed and untreated HPV can cause cancer, including: cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, penile cancer and anal cancer.

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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.
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HPV Women – Why Protection Is Critical

When you have sex with a new partner, you’re having sex with every partner they ever had sex with, and every partner they had sex with, and on and on…

Researchers have uncovered over 35 different types of HPV that infect the genital tract, and of these, at least 15 are known to lead to cervical cancer. The most dangerous strains, #16,  #18, #31 and #45 account for over 70% of all cervical cancers. HPV is also known to cause cancer in the vulva, vagina, anus, head and neck.

What Is HPV?

Genital HPV (human papilloma virus) is the most common sexually transmitted disease and it’s believed that up to 70% of women will have come into contact with HPV by the time they’re 60 years old.

Most women may never show any signs of HPV infection and their immune system fights off the virus. However, for a number of women, certain strains of HPV can lead to genital warts, which are a clear indication that she has come into contact with a sexual partner who has HPV.

While genital warts can be embarrassing, unsightly and often painful, the strains of HPV that are responsible for this type of infection are different from the strains that can develop into cervical cancer.

HPV causes normal cells to become abnormal. These abnormalities can present in the form of genital warts, which often appear within weeks or months of infection. However, it’s the strains of HPV that lead to cervical cancer which you need to be most concerned about. These infections can lay dormant in your system for many years and display no signs or symptoms. But over time, the infection alters cells in the cervix and by the time the cancer is detected in HPV women, it can be too late.

How to Protect Yourself Against HPV

Every year hundreds of thousands of women die from cervical cancer that is directly linked to HPV. The reason so many women die from this form of cancer is because the symptoms often go undetected for many years.

So it’s important to do everything you can to protect yourself from the risks associated with HPV. Let’s look at some of the steps you can take:

1. A HPV vaccine is available to girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26 which prevents the most common strains of HPV in women. In particular, the vaccine protects women against the strains which can lead to cervical cancer.

This vaccine is most effective on women who have had no previous sexual experiences.

2. The most effective HPV treatment is a regular Pap smear to test for any abnormal cells in the cervix. If you have the same sexual partner, or you are not sexually active, a Pap smear once a year is appropriate. After the age of 30, your medical practitioner may suggest you have a Pap smear every 2 or 3 years.

If you have a number of sexual partners, it doesn’t hurt to have a Pap smear every time you start a new relationship. Sure, Pap smears are a little uncomfortable, but a few moments of feeling uncomfortable is worth it if the results show abnormal cell development.

That wonderful new man you’ve just met may be THE ONE, but he may also unwittingly be THE ONE who is carrying a HPV infection he isn’t aware of, and it’s easy to pass that virus on to you.

3. Have a frank and open discussion with new sexual partners. Although it may seem embarrassing, it could save your life! If you have ever had an outbreak of genital warts, this type of infection can’t be cured so although you may not have any symptoms, you can easily transmit the virus to your partner.

Similarly, he may have been exposed to the virus and not know.

4. Practice safe sex. Although HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, it’s only one of many, so practicing safe sex by using a condom can help protect you against a number of serious infections.

5. Keep yourself healthy and well. You can reduce the risk of contracting HPV if your immune system is strong enough to fight off the infection. But let’s face it: being healthy isn’t just about protecting yourself against HPV – it’s about protecting yourself from a number of infections that can attack your system if it’s not in good shape.

HPV and women can be a deadly combination, so ensure you read all the information you can about the risks and know how to arm and protect yourself at all times.

Talking to your Sex Partner about HPV

Here is one of the simple truths of love and sex in the modern world: You need to be willing to have frank, open discussions with your partner about all matters relating to sex.

To put it bluntly, it’s not the 1950’s anymore, and it’s not a great idea to be shy or ashamed when it comes to talking to your partner about sex. If you’re a little bashful about it, remember, they talk about this stuff on daytime TV, so why be embarrassed over talking about it with the person you take to bed?

You should be willing to talk about every possible detail of your sex life with your partner, be willing to listen, and put no subject out of bounds. This is true when discussing more personal details of satisfaction, but especially true when it comes to issues of health.

If you have, or have had in the past, HPV, you need to tell any new sex partner before intercourse occurs. We know that all of this sort of clinical advice can be difficult to put to work in the real world. There’s no better way to spoil that “first time” mood than to say “Oh by the way, I have genital warts, but it’s all cleared up, now!”

What you need to do, then, is simply not be bashful about the sexual tension between yourself and your new potential partner. There are no set rules for this sort of thing, but as soon as sexual interaction becomes an open possibility for the future, say around the second date (or the end of the first, if you’re getting along incredibly well) it’s a good idea for both partners to divulge their sexual histories to one another. Get it out of the way early on so you don’t have to surprise anyone with it later.

Now, let’s say you’re clean, you’ve never contracted HPV or any other sort of venereal disease, so… do you need to have this talk?

Yes, of course you do. Having a frank talk about venereal diseases and sexual history isn’t just for your partner’s benefit, it’s for your benefit, as well. In the event that your partner does have HPV or another STD, you need to talk about it, and somebody needs to break the ice. That won’t always be the person who actually does have HPV. It’s not that somebody’s trying to keep a secret, but… can be embarrassing for someone who’s suffered genital HPV to willingly bring it up, so that puts the burden on your shoulders to get the talk started.

In this day and age, we’re not going to say “Ask your partner for a full list of the names and phone numbers of every previous sexual partner”, but some time does need to be dedicated to talking about this sort of thing. Know “where your partner has been”, as it were.

In short, educate yourself on HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases, and don’t be embarrassed. It’s a talk that every couple needs to have.

And remember that HPV isn’t a red light for a sexual relationship, it only means that you need to be careful. Remember that HPV can still be spread without any visible symptoms taking place, and even with a condom, so if you do contract HPV, talk with your physician before having sex again.

Nutrition to reduce risk of HPV

There is no magic diet, no special fruit or vegetable that will make you impervious to HPV. There’s no way to reduce risk of contracting HPV by 100%, as even the HPV vaccine only protects against the high risk forms that can lead to cancer and so on. That said, you can make some simple changes to your diet to improve your immune system, so as to greatly reduce your risk of contracting HPV, and, should you contract HPV, your immune system will be able to rid your body of the infection that much more quickly.

In fact, let’s forget about HPV for a minute and just consider this: If you eat healthy, you will feel better.

A lot of health food people get it wrong. Eating better isn’t about living longer, it’s not about avoiding foods that will “kill you” (no food can really kill you unless you’re suffering from serious obesity or blood pressure and cholesterol problems) it’s about making the years you have available to you more enjoyable. If you eat well, you will be in a better mood, as nutrition plays a vital part in maintaining mental health. If you eat well, you’ll be stronger, faster, less tired, you’ll feel more comfortable and look better in your own body, your skin will look and feel better, your bones will be stronger, you’ll get sick less often, and you will be happier. You will live longer, as well, but the real point is that, in the here and now, you can improve your quality of life by leaps and bounds by making a few simple dietary changes.

Fruits and vegetables

Here’s the basic rule of fruits and vegetables: There’s almost no such thing as too much.

You may have heard of the supposed “superfruits” which have become pretty trendy these days, but honestly, most of them aren’t much stronger than your average orange or apple. However, if an exotic flavour is enough to get you eating more fruits, go for it.

Look for fruits especially high in vitamin C, most obviously, the orange.

As for vegetables, try just switching sugary, salty snacks out with salads. Play around with different combinations and lighter dressings until you have something you like. Salads mainly provide fiber, which can help to keep your system clean and flush out excess waste. This can be enormously helpful in improving your immune system and preventing colon cancer.

Water

It sounds like a lot, but try to drink about a gallon a day. Water doesn’t contain vitamins or anything, but it works as a sort of lubrication for your body and basically improves all facets of your biological functions.

Protein

You do need protein to keep your immune system and your skin strong to help fight off HPV infection. Try to avoid red meat, though. Something to keep in mind, pork is actually one of the safest, healthiest meats available. It gets a bad name, and certainly, bacon is probably the worst food you can eat, but it digests more easily than beef and is less greasy. If you can get more protein from beans or fish, that’s even better.

Exercise

Nutrition only goes so far. You can have a perfect diet, but if you don’t keep yourself active, your immune system won’t be strong enough to deal with an HPV infection quickly and effectively. Stay fit. If you can make time for some daily situps and pushups, great. If not, at the very least you should take a walk every day.

The importance of getting a regular pap smear

Each year, hundreds of thousands of women throughout the world die of an HPV infection leading to cervical cancer.

Pap tests, also known as pap smears, can detect signs of cervical cancer early, as well as abnormal cells which may lead to cervical cancer, so that treatment can be more effective and less invasive. To put it simply, taking a regular pap test can save your life.

To be honest, pap smears are uncomfortable, as the process involves directly sampling cells from the outer opening of the cervix. Medical professionals will then look at those cells and be able to detect any abnormalities. As uncomfortable as it may be, there’s no excuse to neglect your health, and you will only need to receive one per year, at most, and perhaps fewer depending on your age.

The necessitated frequency of your pap tests will depend on a few factors…

Once a year

Women who are recommended to receive a yearly pap test include any woman under thirty years of age. The recommended first pap test should take place around the age of 21, or whenever you have been sexually active for at least three years.

Other women who should receive a yearly test, regardless of age, would include any woman who is HIV positive, as HIV increases the risk of cervical cancer, as well as anyone with a weakened immune system thanks to organ transplant or chemotherapy, and anyone who’s mother was exposed to DES, or diethylstilbestrol, while pregnant.

Less Frequently

Anyone age thirty or older who has been receiving annual pap tests over the last three years should talk to their doctor about spacing out their pap tests between two or three years.

Women ages 65 and older who have had no abnormal pap test results over the last decade should talk with their doctor about the possibility of not having to receive pap tests anymore.

Whatever you do, don’t just stop showing up for pap tests. Unless your doctor specifically tells you that you are no longer at risk of cervical cancer and do not need any more pap tests, continue receiving regular tests.

Reducing the risk

A number of factors can actually increase the possibility of cervical cancer. To list a few…

• You started having sex before you turned eighteen
• You sleep with several partners
• Your partner sleeps with several partners
• You suffer from an immunocompromised condition

Of course, you can meet none of the above factors and still be at risk. Cervical cancer can happen to anyone, and you absolutely must get a regular pap smear to ensure that, if it happens to you, you can catch it and treat it in the early stages.

A message to parents: It’s important to be open and honest with your kids about sex. It may be awkward and uncomfortable at first, but even if you disapprove of your teens becoming sexually active, you should at least make sure that they’re prepared, that they know how to practice safe sex, and if you have a daughter who has been sexually active for three years or longer, that you take her in for a yearly pap test.

The initial embarrassment will be over as soon as you jump the hurdle of opening up the dialog about sex, and it is not worth the risk to keep your teens in the dark about safe sex and pap tests.