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Homo papillomavirus (HPV) is a serial of viruses that can crusade genital warts, abnormal cells, and certain types of cancer. It's passed through skin-to-skin or genital contact.

HPV is very common — around 80% of sexually agile people will have HPV at some point, though most cases will articulate on their own. Near people who get HPV are in their belatedly teens and early on 20s, just anyone at any age who's sexually active may contract HPV.

Several strains of the virus can be responsible for serious complications, similar cancer.

An HPV test is done to see if you have the strains of HPV that increment your take chances of cervical cancer. Knowing the answer means you're better prepared to brand health decisions, like whether to undergo handling or to wait it out and see if information technology resolves.

Certain people should test for HPV, which can be done in a medico'southward office. You lot can also buy at-abode HPV test kits.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about HPV tests.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), with around 43 million infections annually. At that place are more than than 100 types of HPV, and they often don't cause whatever specific symptoms or health bug. Just some are more likely to cause complications than others. Therefore, doctors categorize HPV into low risk and high risk.

Low risk HPV types don't cause cervical cancer, and they're treatable. They may also be chosen wart-causing HPV since this is 1 of the main symptoms.

Low risk HPV symptoms may include:

  • warts on the genitals or anus
  • irritation
  • itching
  • pain
  • bleeding

Loftier risk HPV types tin cause abnormal cells on the cervix, which if untreated can develop into cervical cancer. There are xiii HPV types that can crusade cervical cancer, and some can crusade cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, head, and neck. When HPV remains in the torso, at that place'due south an increased risk of cervical cancer.

Loftier take a chance HPV may crusade no initial symptoms. But if the virus triggers cancer, symptoms may include:

  • pelvic hurting
  • hurting during sexual practice
  • vaginal discharge
  • abnormal bleeding
  • weight loss
  • urinary problems like blood in the urine

While HPV tests are important, doctors primarily recommend that HPV screening begins around age 25 or thirty.

HPV is very common in this historic period group, but well-nigh infections go away on their ain. Regular testing might not e'er provide useful results.

Instead, women 21 to 65 should go screened for cervical cancer every 3 years. Meanwhile, women aged 30 to 65 years sometime should go screened and tested for HPV every 5 years.

People over the historic period of 21 who have a vagina should become regular Pap tests (Pap smears). A Pap test doesn't detect HPV, just it tin can show one significant symptom of the infection: abnormal cervical cells.

An abnormal Pap exam result means that some cervical cells have changed and appear different from normal cells. Abnormal cells may include cervical dysplasia (precancer) or carcinoma in situ. But it commonly doesn't mean you take cancer and tin exist considering of:

  • inflammation
  • infection
  • herpes
  • trichomoniasis
  • HPV

If results come up back "abnormal," then your physician can determine if an HPV exam is needed. The initial HPV screening examination is dependent on historic period. For those between the ages of 21 to 29, cytology (the examination of cells from the trunk nether a microscope) is the first choice.

People betwixt the age of 30 to 65 who take a vagina have 3 options for screening:

  • a cytology examination
  • an HPV test
  • co-testing (cytology and HPV testing together)

If the results of the screenings come back normal, a person should have the test repeated in 5 years.

HPV is very common and the vast majority of the virus is cleared by the trunk. Just this doesn't happen for all people, and it can remain in the body and crusade cellular changes.

If left unchecked, HPV tin can start to interfere with normal cells and how the allowed system deals with them. An HPV test can determine the presence of an HPV infection long earlier the virus has the opportunity to cause any damage.

Is in that location an HPV test for men?

Currently, there's no HPV test for people who have a penis. Only if they have an HPV infection, the virus tin unknowingly be transmitted.

Nigh people with a penis don't develop symptoms of HPV. Also, many HPV infections typically become abroad on their own before ever causing symptoms.

HPV infections usually get away by themselves, but they can cause penile and anal cancers if they don't.

Some doctors may offer anal Pap tests for people who have a penis, simply these are generally merely washed for HIV-positive people who take anal sexual activity.

For people with a penis, HPV can also crusade oropharyngeal cancers. lxx% of cancers found in the oropharyngeal tissues are acquired past HPV.

For an HPV test, a healthcare professional will need to collect a sample of cells from your cervix. A pelvic exam is necessary for this.

The steps of an HPV test include:

  • Y'all'll undress from the waist down or change into a hospital gown.
  • You'll lie on an exam table and place your heels in footrests.
  • Your doctor will place a speculum into the vagina. A speculum helps split the walls of the vagina so the cervix can be plant.
  • They'll use a brush or a apartment spatula to collect prison cell samples from the surface of your neck or the vaginal canal.

These prison cell samples are then sent to a lab, where they're checked for the presence of HPV.

What nigh an at-home testing kit?

At-home HPV testing kits are available, but they're relatively new. In fact, they don't detect all strains of the virus — they only look for specific ones, similar the ones linked to cancer.

However, at-home HPV testing kits may provide private, discreet testing that you can do at your convenience. These kits tin can exist purchased online, starting at under $l. But at-abode HPV testing kits are not FDA-approved.

You lot can buy an at-home HPV testing kit from these places:

  • Everlywell HPV Test – Female
  • myLAB Box Dwelling HPV Examination Kit
  • HPV High Risk with Genotyping-Genital at Home Test Kit
  • NURX Habitation HPV Test Kit
  • LetsGetChecked HPV Test

When yous have a kit, you'll follow the instructions for collecting a sample. Y'all can and so packet the sample and transport it off to the lab. How quickly the results come back varies from a couple of days to iii weeks.

If your examination shows you lot're HPV positive, you'll need a follow-up exam with a physician to confirm the results. Some services advise you of the side by side steps and provide a personalized, detailed report of your results that you can give to your principal md.

Why someone may decline treatment

If left untreated, virtually HPV is probable to articulate upwards on its own.

Almost people don't need treatment considering it's safe for them to be observed for a brusk period to allow their immune system to articulate the virus. Nine in 10 infections are non detectable in ane to 2 years. For those who can't clear the virus or accept a high risk strain, handling may exist warranted sooner.

Instead, during this time, you lot and your medico will carefully watch for any changes to your cells or unusual symptoms that might advise you're showing early on signs of HPV-related cancers. Doctors call this active surveillance or watchful waiting.

Past keeping an eye out for changes, you can swiftly take activeness if an event arises. You can also avoid costs and procedures that might ultimately exist unnecessary.

HPV tests aren't perfect. From time to time, people get false positives when they don't accept HPV. Others sometimes go faux negatives when they have an infection.

While the chances of this are depression, they're not zero. With incorrect information, you may take handling steps that aren't necessary. You may also feel anxiety and worry.

In short, you accept time to figure out the steps y'all want to take, so weigh your options well.

At some clinics, the cost of an HPV test tin be equally low every bit $thirty. Cervical cancer screening as part of a wellness exam is also covered by the vast majority of private and government insurance. Some STI screening may also exist covered as part of a health exam.

Only the doc may as well charge you the cost of a clinic or function visit. That volition brand your overall pecker college.

If you lot elect to accept a Pap test at the same time, you may take that additional cost. What's more than, each separate STI test y'all elect to have could add together to your total.

Insurance frequently covers an HPV test conducted in a doc's office, only very few cover the toll of an at-dwelling test. Call your insurance visitor before your visit if you have questions about what your program will or won't cover.

If yous don't have wellness insurance, you tin can telephone call local clinics or doctors and request prices. This way, yous can find an function that fits your budget and provides the services you need.

Once the test results are back, you may need to consider what comes next.

You have a negative test

Y'all don't need to practice anything else. Your doctor will tell y'all when you lot should have your next screening in 3-5 years.

You lot take a positive test merely cervical cells are normal

Your doctor may want to practise a follow-up test to determine if you lot take a high risk strain of the virus. But some doctors may choose not to deed on the positive result even so.

In the case that this is your first high chance HPV positive, cytology-normal effect, they may desire to do a follow-up screening in a twelvemonth to come across if the result has changed and if your cervical cells are impacted.

In curt, you might enter a period of watchful waiting.

You have a positive test and cervical cells are abnormal

Your doctor may desire to take a biopsy of your cervix. In this process, they'll take a sample of cells from the neck to report them more than closely nether a microscope.

They may as well suggest a colposcopy. In this process, they'll use a magnifying lens to have a closer wait at the cervix.

Depending on these results, your doctor may suggest removing areas of the cervix that have abnormal cells. This can be done under general anesthetic with a scalpel or with LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision process). LEEP merely requires a local coldhearted and uses a thin wire loop to remove abnormal cells with an electrical current.

Doctors can too destroy abnormal cells past freezing or with lasers.

Are at-dwelling house HPV tests accurate?

Yes, near popular at-dwelling HPV tests are at least 99 percent accurate, and some are 99.ix percent accurate.

But HPV tests are typically lab-adult and aren't subject to the same regulations required for those used in clinics and hospitals.

These tests too don't test for all HPV types.

Are HPV tests and Pap tests the same?

No, they're not the same. A Pap examination doesn't look for the HPV virus. Rather it takes a cell sample from the cervix to look for abnormalities. An HPV examination looks for high risk HPV (the molecular presence of HPV).

You can test positive for HPV and have a normal Pap exam. Cervical changes are oftentimes acquired by HPV, only having HPV doesn't always pb to abnormal Pap tests.

How can I protect myself from getting HPV?

The safest way to avoid all STIs is to abstain from sex and all forms of sexual contact. The next all-time style is to use condoms and other bulwark methods when you lot have sex and to get regular Pap smear and HPV screenings, although this doesn't completely limit your chances of contracting HPV.

With this in listen, HPV is an extremely mutual STI and there's no shame in testing positive.

Is at that place a vaccine for HPV?

Yep. Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine that protects against 9 types of HPV that can atomic number 82 to cancer and genital warts. The vaccine is most effective before someone becomes sexually active. The HPV vaccine is one of only two vaccines bachelor on the market that tin prevent cancer.

The HPV vaccine is not only effective at decreasing risks of cervical cancer just also whatever HPV-meditated cancer (this includes anal, oropharyngeal, vaginal, vulvar, penile, and some not-cancers).

The Centers for Disease Controls (CDC) recommends that everyone receive two vaccine shots at around age 11. If you lot're between xv to 26, you'll need three shots. If yous're above 26, there may be some benefit in getting the vaccine.

HPV is a mutual type of sexually transmitted infection. In fact, well-nigh sexually active people will have some strain of the virus at some point in their lives.

Some strains of HPV are linked to serious conditions like cancer of the cervix, anus, and mouth. That'due south why testing for HPV is encouraged in females throughout their adult lives.

An HPV test may be uncomfortable, only information technology shouldn't exist painful. It could even salve your life.

Talk with a dr. if y'all're interested in having a screening. You tin can walk through your options for testing and what happens when the results come up dorsum.