HPV: Could I Have It?

March 9, 2008 – 11:30 am, By Chelsea – Musicians Institute

The first time I heard about HPV (Human papillomavirus), I’m pretty sure it was during a flash of a Gardisal commercial where a fresh faced young women talked about a vaccine to help prevent it.

My first thought? What is HPV? My second thought, if there’s no signs of symptoms, how do I know I don’t have it?

In school, Sex-Ed visuals of puffy soars, warts, and growths scared me so much I barely wanted to touch a penis (though, I still did) but THAT was the connotation I had of sexually transmitted diseases. I figured it there was ever a burning sensation, I should seriously get my stuff checked, otherwise smooth sailing.

Being the smart woman I am, I “maned up” and got tests, visited my lovely gyno-lady and thankfully that all came out super clean, but here’s the thing;

With diseases like HPV, there are no signs of the virus–only rarely are there types of warts. And the scariest part about it, there are 30-40 types of the disease and the most commonly transmitted HPV types may lead to HPV-induced cancer. Cervical cancer being one of them. Hi, terrifying.

Though the body can fight off low-risk types of HPV, about 10% of women infected will develop long-lasting affects. Approximately 20 million American’s have the infection.

SO my advice to you ladies: GET TESTED and quit putting off that appointment to the gyno; pap smears are there for our safety!! And if you can, get the vaccine. HPV is something we can prevent ahead of time if we’re smart, and I know it’s always scary and easy to put off making a trip to Planned Parenthood to get a tests or to avoid the uncomfortable shifting in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, but it’s better to know, than to deal with a high-risk of cervical cancer for the rest of your life. Besides, imagine if you passed it to one of your partners unknowingly?

BE SMART, stay informed, see your doc and prevent yourself from this entirely too common infection