Call Now Book an Appointment
Human Papillomavirus
Human Papillomavirus

HPV conditions, Symptoms, Vaccination and Treatment in London

Human papillomavirus is a common viral infection affecting various parts of your body. HPV has over 100 different types and strains that cause warts on your face, feet, hands, etc. Over 30 strains of HPV can affect your genitals, including your cervix, scrotum, vagina, vulva, penis, anus and rectum.

The HPV strains that affect your genital area are STIs (sexually transmitted infections) and can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. A lot of HPV strains affecting your genitals are harmless. Certain strains of HPV are considered high-risk and can cause cancers like cervical cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment are the best methods to prevent health complications from HPV.

Book us online

Does HPV cause all warts?

Yes, they are caused by HPV. This might get confusing, especially if you are trying to differentiate those that cause genital warts or warts on your fingers and the HPV strains that may lead to cervical cancer. The HPV strains responsible for causing warts can be very annoying, especially genital warts. However, these strains are harmless.

Genital warts are caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The other HPV types cause:

  • Plantar warts
  • Periungual and subungual warts
  • Flat warts
  • Common warts

HPV generally causes warts, but not all types of HPV are responsible for warts. The HPV that results in cancer does not cause warts.

How is cervical cancer related to HPV?

Cervical dysplasia is a condition in which there are changes in the cells of your cervix, and the HPV strains responsible for this are commonly types 16 and 18. The cervix is the opening between your uterus and your vagina. If left untreated, this condition can often advance into cervical cancer.

For people below 30, most HPV infections may self-resolve and disappear without treatment. Once you are 30, you might need to undergo a test to screen for cervical cancer, known as a pap smear, and this will determine if you should get tested often. If you test negative after the pap smear, your healthcare professional may advise less frequent testing as compared to those who test positive and are at higher risk of cervical cancer.

Regular pap smears help you to screen for cervical cancer and are very important. However, having cervical dysplasia or HPV does not mean you will have cancer as well.

Who gets affected by HPV?

This viral infection can affect anyone, regardless of their sex, if they have close skin-skin genital contact or sex with a partner that has HPV. Also, if you have human papillomavirus, you can spread this infection to your partner through anal, oral, vaginal intercourse or any other close contact with your genitals.

HPV in men

Unlike women, men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB) are at lesser health risks of HPV. As a man, you may notice genital warts if you have HPV, but these infections may clear off without treatment. Men may also notice complications such as cancer of their anus, head, neck and penis, but this rarely occurs. It is vital to undergo pap and HPV tests as a man to know if you have this viral infection and take the necessary steps.

Certain STIs can increase your risk of health complications. People who are HIV positive with weaker immune systems may have a tough time fighting this HPV. Also, men who have sex with men (MSM) are also at higher risk of contracting high-risk strains of HPV, and their infection can advance into cancer. Your healthcare practitioner may ask that you undergo an anal pap smear test. The anal pap smear test detects precancerous cell changes and does not test for HPV.

You should speak to your healthcare professional and have an open conversation with them about your sexual health history and ask what test might be suitable for you. Also, you can get vaccinated against HPV and practise safe sex to reduce your chances of spreading this virus to your sexual partner.

HPV in women

Men with HPV are at lesser risk as compared to women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB). This is because high-risk HPV types in women can progress to cervical cancer if left untreated. Frequent testing for HPV and pap smear tests can help detect cell changes which can lead to cancer and prevent cancer of the cervix. Women and people AFAB may also suffer from HPV types that cause genital warts, but these types of HPV are harmless.

How common is this viral infection?

HPV is one of the most common infections in the UK. It is more common among sexually active people, which is why getting vaccinated against this virus is very important. If you are sexually active, practise safe sex and make use of condoms to reduce the risk of getting infected.

Symptoms of HPV

The HPV strains that affect your genitals do not usually show symptoms. When you notice symptoms, you most likely would see warts on your genitals, which is the most common sign of HPV. Genital warts appear on the skin as cauliflower-like, rough lumps that appear on the skin. You may notice this for weeks, even months or as long as years after getting infected with HPV. These warts are contagious if you come in close contact with them but are harmless.

High-risk types of HPV may not show any symptoms until they have developed into cancer. The most common type of HPV-related cancer is cervical cancer. This is not the only HPV-related cancer, but the others are rare. They may include:

  • Penile cancer
  • Anal cancer
  • Vulvar cancer
  • Vaginal cancer
  • Throat cancer

Note that having a high-risk HPV strain does not mean you will develop these cancers.

How do people contract HPV?

Genital HPV is commonly spread when people have skin-skin contact during oral, anal or vaginal sex. You can get HPV if your genital area(vagina, vulva, cervix, scrotum or penis), anus or rectum comes in direct contact with similar body parts of someone infected. People who engage in handjobs and fingering may be able to transmit HPV through hand-genital contact. Unlike transmission through genital-genital contact, hand-genital transmission is less likely.

Is it easy to transmit HPV?

This viral infection is highly contagious because the transmission mode is through skin-skin contact. If you and your partner engage in sexual intercourse, you do not need to ejaculate(cum) for your partner to be infected. With HPV, you can get infected without bodily fluids being exchanged with your partner.

How can I get diagnosed with HPV?

Your healthcare professional can carry out a physical examination of your genitals if you have genital warts. A test might not be needed to diagnose genital warts. Certain types of HPV may not cause symptoms, and the best way to know about them is by getting a routine HPV test or pap smear.

  • HPV test

    HPV tests help to detect high-risk types of HPV that can advance to cervical cancer if left untreated. Cancer caused by HPV on the anus, penis, vulva, vagina, and scrotum are less common, and there are no approved tests to check for infection at this point. Note that cervical cancer is the most common cancer caused by high-risk HPV strains.

  • Pap smear

    This test helps to detect precancerous cells that can lead to cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer. High-risk HPV strains are the most common cause of cervical cancer.

    The following procedures can also be used to detect abnormal cells that HPV caused, including:

  • Colposcopy

    If your healthcare professional notices signs of abnormal cells during your pap smear test, a colposcopy might be ordered. Also, if you test positive for HPV, a colposcopy might be ordered. For this procedure, a colposcope is put into your cervix to provide a magnified image showing abnormal cells. Your healthcare professional may collect some cells and get them tested for signs of precancer or cancer.

  • Visual inspection using acetic acid (VIA)

    Sometimes, a VIA might be used in places where they don’t have access to carry out a pap smear or regular HPV tests. The test is carried out by placing an acetic acid solution (vinegar-based) on your cervix. The colour of the solution changes the abnormal cells to white, making it easy to distinguish them from the other cells.

How can I get treated?

Treatments for HPV can eliminate the warts but not the virus – the visible warts and abnormal cells can be removed.

Common HPV treatments include:

  • Electrocautery

    This involved burning off the warts with an electrical current

  • Cryosurgery

    This is the freezing of warts and destroying abnormal cells using liquid nitrogen

  • Laser therapy

    Destroying of warts and abnormal cells using intense light

  • Prescription cream

    Your medical practitioner will prescribe and apply a medicated cream to the warts. These may be podofilox (Condylox) and imiquimod(Aldara).

  • Loop electrosurgical excision procedure LEEP

    This uses a specialised wire loop to remove abnormal cells or warts found on your cervix.

  • Cold knife cone biopsy

    Removing a piece of cervical tissue shaped like a cone that contains abnormal cells.

  • Trichloroacetic acid

    This is a chemical treatment used to burn off the warts.

Only a small percentage of people infected with high-risk strains of HPV will develop abnormal cells in their cervix requiring treatment.

How can I prevent myself from getting HPV?

The best and only way to prevent human papillomavirus is by abstaining from sex. This might not be realistic for many people. You can reduce your risk of
contracting HPV while enjoying a healthy sexual life by:

  • Getting the HPV vaccine

    Getting vaccinated for HPV before you become sexually active is the best way to protect yourself from this infection. Some vaccines have been approved to prevent strains of HPV that lead to cervical cancer and genital warts for people between 9 and 45 years of age. Vaccination protects you from HPV if you are yet to be infected or haven’t been exposed to the virus. Speak to your medical practitioner about getting vaccinated.

  • Practising safe sex

    The use of dental and condoms are not as effective in protecting against HPV as compared to STIs which are spread through bodily fluids like vaginal fluid and semen. However, correct usage of condoms and dental dams during intercourse can reduce your risk of getting infected with HPV.

  • Protecting your partners

    It is very important to communicate with your partner if you have this viral infection so they can also get tested. During this period, avoid having sex while you are undergoing treatment for genital warts or other types of HPV. Your healthcare professional will give you precautionary steps to take to protect your partner from contracting this virus.

  • Getting screened and tested frequently

    Regular testing can help you know your status and seek treatment if you test positive for HPV or abnormal cells are found. People from age 21 should get regular pap smear tests. Your result will determine how frequently you should get tested. From age 30 to 65, you may only need to do routine HPV tests or pap smears, and sometimes you may need to do both. After 60, your healthcare professional might advise that you discontinue screening.

Can HPV infection be cured?

No, there is no known cure for HPV as of now. Your immune system may self-resolve this infection without treatment, but ensure you get tested regularly. If you show any symptoms of this virus, get diagnosed and treated to avoid health complications. Over 90% of HPV infections clear within 1 to 2 years.

Will I remain contagious all my life?

Even when the warts are cleared, you still remain contagious. You can spread this infection to someone else as long as you have the virus. Once your immune system overpowers and destroys the virus, you can no longer spread the virus.

Get tested

Our team of trained medical professionals at STI Clinic UK will gladly provide you with a pap smear or HPV testing. If you feel you are at risk of exposure to HPV or need more information about getting vaccinated, you can give us a call to schedule an appointment, and we will provide you with all the information you need.