What does hpv do to you

Some cases of genital HPV infection may not cause any health problems. However, some types of HPV can lead to the development of genital warts and even cancers of the cervix, anus, and throat. The virus that causes HPV infection is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Most people get a genital HPV infection through direct sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex.

In rare cases, a mother who has HPV can transmit the virus to her baby during delivery. When this happens, the child may develop a condition called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis where they develop HPV-related warts inside their throat or airways. These include genital warts and warts in the throat known as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

HPV can also cause cervical cancer and other cancers of the genitals, head, neck, and throat. The types of HPV that cause warts are different from the types that cause cancer. Regular screenings can help diagnose HPV-related health problems earlier. This can improve outlook and increase chances of survival. Learn more about HPV symptoms and infection. Many men who contract an HPV infection have no symptoms, although some may develop genital warts.

See your doctor if you notice any unusual bumps or lesions on your penis, scrotum, or anus. Some strains of HPV can cause penile, anal, and throat cancer in men.

Some men may be more at risk for developing HPV-related cancers, including men who receive anal sex and men with a weakened immune system. Get more information about HPV infection in men. Some women may notice that they have genital warts, which can appear inside the vagina, in or around the anus, and on the cervix or vulva.

Make an appointment with your doctor if you notice any unexplained bumps or growths in or around your genital area. Some strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer or cancers of the vagina, anus, or throat. Regular screening can help detect the changes associated with cervical cancer in women.

Regular Pap tests help to identify abnormal cells in women. These can signal cervical cancer or other HPV-related problems. Women ages 21 to 29 should have just a Pap test every three years.

From ages 30 to 65, women should do one of the following:. There are at least 14 strains of HPV that can lead to cancer.

If you have one of these strains, your doctor may want to monitor you for cervical changes. You may need to get a Pap test more frequently. Your doctor may also request a follow-up procedure, such as a colposcopy. Cervical changes that lead to cancer often take many years to develop, and HPV infections often go away on their own without causing cancer.

Lasting HPV infection can cause genital warts or certain kinds of cancer. It is not known why some people develop health problems from HPV and others do not. Most men who get HPV never develop symptoms and the infection usually goes away completely by itself.

However, if HPV does not go away, it can cause genital warts or certain kinds of cancer. See your healthcare provider if you have questions about anything new or unusual such as warts, or unusual growths, lumps, or sores on your penis, scrotum, anus, mouth, or throat. Genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area around the penis or the anus.

These warts might be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower. The warts may go away, or stay the same, or grow in size or number. Usually, a healthcare provider can diagnose genital warts simply by looking at them. Genital warts can come back, even after treatment.

The types of HPV that cause warts do not cause cancer. These include cervical cancer in women, penile cancer in men, and anal cancer in both women and men. HPV can also cause cancer in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils called oropharyngeal cancer. All of these cancers are caused by HPV infections that did not go away.

Cancer develops very slowly and may not be diagnosed until years, or even decades, after a person first gets infected with HPV. Currently, there is no way to know who will have only a temporary HPV infection, and who will develop cancer after getting HPV.

However, some healthcare providers do offer anal Pap tests to men who may be at increased risk for anal cancer, including men with HIV or men who receive anal sex. If you have symptoms and are concerned about cancer, please see a healthcare provider. Plantar warts are caused by the same type of virus that causes warts on your hands and fingers.

But, because of their location, they can be painful. Flat warts are smaller and smoother than other warts. They generally occur on the face or legs and are more common in children and teens than in adults. Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection. They can appear on the genitals, in the pubic area or in the anal canal. In women, genital warts can also grow inside the vagina. In most cases, your body's immune system defeats an HPV infection before it creates warts.

When warts do appear, they vary in appearance depending on which kind of HPV is involved:. Genital warts. These appear as flat lesions, small cauliflower-like bumps or tiny stemlike protrusions. In women, genital warts appear mostly on the vulva but can also occur near the anus, on the cervix or in the vagina. In men, genital warts appear on the penis and scrotum or around the anus. Genital warts rarely cause discomfort or pain, though they may itch or feel tender. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections, but cervical cancer may take 20 years or longer to develop after an HPV infection.

The HPV infection and early cervical cancer typically don't cause noticeable symptoms. Getting vaccinated against HPV infection is your best protection from cervical cancer.

Because early cervical cancer doesn't cause symptoms, it's vital that women have regular screening tests to detect any precancerous changes in the cervix that might lead to cancer. Current guidelines recommend that women ages 21 to 29 have a Pap test every three years. Women ages 30 to 65 are advised to continue having a Pap test every three years, or every five years if they also get the HPV DNA test at the same time. If you or your child has warts of any kind that cause embarrassment, discomfort or pain, seek advice from your doctor.

HPV infection occurs when the virus enters your body, usually through a cut, abrasion or small tear in your skin. The virus is transferred primarily by skin-to-skin contact. Genital HPV infections are contracted through sexual intercourse, anal sex and other skin-to-skin contact in the genital region. Some HPV infections that result in oral or upper respiratory lesions are contracted through oral sex. If you're pregnant and have an HPV infection with genital warts, it's possible your baby may get the infection.

Rarely, the infection may cause a noncancerous growth in the baby's voice box larynx. Warts are contagious. They can spread through direct contact with a wart. Warts can also spread when someone touches something that already touched a wart.

HPV infections are common. Risk factors for HPV infection include:. It's difficult to prevent HPV infections that cause common warts. If you have a common wart, you can prevent the spread of the infection and formation of new warts by not picking at a wart and not biting your nails. To reduce the risk of contracting HPV infections that cause plantar warts, wear shoes or sandals in public pools and locker rooms.