HPV and genital warts

What HPV does, what warts look like, and what testing can and cannot show.

12 guides

Abnormal Pap Smear but Negative HPV: What It MeansAn abnormal Pap result with a negative HPV test is common and usually not cancer. What mild changes like ASC-US mean, why it happens and the follow-up to expect.
Can HPV Be Cured or Go Away on Its Own?No medicine treats the HPV virus itself, but most infections clear on their own within about two years. What clearing means, what can come back and what to do next.
Can Men Get Tested for HPV?The CDC says no HPV test is recommended for men, and there is no test for HPV status. What a clinician can check instead, and when to see one.
Can You Get HPV From Kissing, Oral Sex or Without Sex?HPV spreads by skin-to-skin contact. Penetrative sex isn't required, oral HPV spreads through oral sex and deep kissing, and it can stay hidden for years.
Can You Have Sex With HPV? Partners and DisclosureYes, most people with HPV can have sex. What the CDC says about condoms, genital warts, telling partners, and why HPV is so often shared between partners.
Does HPV Cause Itching, Smell or Other Symptoms?HPV usually causes no symptoms. Warts can itch, but smell and a rash point elsewhere. Learn what often causes itching and odour, and when to get checked.
Genital Warts: Types, Treatment and Why They Come BackWhat genital warts look like, how clinicians treat them, why a pharmacy wart remover is the wrong tool, and why warts often return in the first few months.
HPV and Pregnancy: What It Means for You and Your BabyHPV is common and people can be pregnant with it. What the CDC says about warts, cervical screening, the small risk to a baby, and the HPV vaccine during pregnancy.
HPV Vaccine: Side Effects and How Many DosesHow many HPV vaccine doses you need by age, the common side effects, the rare reactions to watch for and what safety monitoring has found, per CDC guidance.
HPV vs Herpes vs Molluscum: Telling Bumps ApartGenital warts (HPV), herpes and molluscum can all cause bumps. See how each usually looks and feels, which harmless spots mimic them, and what a clinician checks.
Oral HPV: Bumps on the Lips, Tongue and ThroatCan HPV cause bumps on the lips, tongue or throat? What oral HPV usually looks like (often nothing), what else causes mouth bumps, and when to get checked.
What Does a Positive HPV Test Mean?A positive HPV test means a high-risk HPV type was found, not that you have cancer. What it does and doesn't mean, what happens next and when to follow up.