Practicing safe sex with hpv is very difficult even the use of a condom is not guaranteed to prevent the infected partner from passing it on to the other partner.
HPV - Human papillomavirus is not just spread through sexual intercourse, it can spread by close skin-to-skin contact. HPV does not display a wide variety of symptoms therefore, it is often difficult if not impossible to even know you have hpv unless specifically tested for the virus. Currently there is no specific test for hpv, it is usually diagnosed during a pelvic exam or if genital warts appear. Women are luckier than men when it comes to hpv, many times the woman’s immune system will filter out the virus. This does not always completely rid the woman of hpv, but it does decrease the risks associated with hpv such as cancer and genital warts.
Prevention is the only way to have safe sex with hpv. There are two vaccines for females Cervarix and Gardasil and one vaccine for males Gardasil. The recommended age for the vaccines for females is eleven to twenty-six years old and for males ages nine through twenty-six. There is no cure for hpv only the symptoms can be treated.
HPV is so common that about fifty percent of the American population will become infected with the virus. It is not a deadly virus however; the cancers that can result from the hpv can be deadly if not treated soon enough. The only way to have safe sex with hpv is to get vaccinated. If you are to old for the vaccination and have more than one sexual partner, using a condom will provide some protection. There are some sexually positions that when accompanied with a condom can allow an infected person to still enjoy safe sex with hpv.
The information provided on Contracept.org is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her health professional. This information is solely for informational purposes and does not constitute the practice of medicine. We encourage all visitors to see a licensed physician or nutritionist if they have any concerns regarding health issues related to diet, personal image and any other topics discussed on this site. Neither the owners or employees of Contracept.org nor the author(s) of site content take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading this site. Always speak with your primary health care provider before engaging in any form of self treatment. Please see our Legal Statement for further information.
