Mini Guide to The Human Papillomavirus

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a type of sexually transmitted infection. It is the 
most common STI you can get, with about 79 million Americans who have the infection. 
Whether you have it and are wondering what to do next, or want to prevent it, this article 
can help.


Types of HPV

The first thing to know about HPV is that there are multiple types of the infection. There 
are two main types of HPV that most people are aware of, but close to a dozen more 
that can lead to cancer. 

Low Risk HPV – The low risk HPV is luckily the one that most people get. These types 
are what cause genital warts, the first and primary sign of having the HPV infection. The 
good news is that it is easily treated and doesn’t typically lead to cancer. 

High Risk HPV – There are also the high risk varieties, which are more rare, but can 
lead to cervical cancer, as well as cancer of the penis, anus, or throat.


How Do You Get HPV?

Why is HPV so common? It comes down to how easy this infection is to contract. HPV 
can be passed through sexual intercourse or oral sex. Any skin-to-skin contact with 
vaginal, oral, or anal sex is how HPV is passed from one partner to another. 

You are a higher risk for HPV if you:

Do not get the HPV vaccine before you contract HPV.
You have a weakened immune system.
You have a partner with HPV.
You have multiple sexual partners.
You do not use protection during sex. 


What are the Symptoms?

Unfortunately, there is only one main symptom you might notice if you have HPV: 
genital warts. While not everyone with genital warts automatically have HPV, it is the 
only sign for the low risk variety of this infection. 

Warts on the genitals look the same as on your hands or other parts of your body. They 
are small bumps, either one or a cluster of them, on the external skin of your genital 
area. For women, they show up most often on the vulva.


How is it Treated?

The good news about HPV is that it isn’t a serious condition, most adults end up having 
it, and there usually isn’t a treatment to be concerned about. The low risk forms of HPV 
will go away on their own, though you may want to get treatment for genital warts if you 
have them.

However, if you suspect you have this infection, you should still see your doctor just in 
case you are at risk for cervical cancer.

