Family Planning Plus

HPV stands for the human papilloma virus. There are two main types of HPV: low-risk types and high-risk types. The majority of people who get HPV have no signs or symptoms and clear the virus on their own without any ill effects. This may be true for you too.

However, some people with low-risk types of HPV can get genital warts.  If your doctor informed you of your HPV infection after he found warts during an examination, then you have a low-risk type. Warts are treatable but they can recur. When warts are present, be sure to abstain from all sexual contact as they are highly contagious.

If you are female, your doctor may have performed an HPV Digene test and informed you of your HPV infection when he or she received the results of the test. In that case, you have a high-risk type of HPV. It is extremely important for you to have regular pap tests. If you have an abnormal pap, do not ignore it. Talk with your doctor about his or her recommendations regarding proper follow-up. 

HPV is extremely common. Over 50% of all people will have had some type of HPV at some point in their lives. Though it is not curable, most people clear the virus on their own within a few years, and never have any problems because of it.  Just be sure to consult with your doctor about the proper follow-up for you. If you would like more information about HPV, please contact one of our offices.