HPV disclosure

I was diagnosed with GW in January 2009 and may have had a recurrance late last year (but doctor opinions varied as to whether they were actualy more warts).

I have recently started seeing a new guy, and am confused about disclosure. Since it could be up to a year, or at the very least several months since I had any warts, I could already have cleard the infection and bringing it up would just cause unneeded stress.

And evn if i had't got visible GW, as a young 20s girl isn't it more than likely that at some stage I'd have had it asymtomaticly and possibly passed it on anyway? Wouldn't lots of people not know they have it, therefore not know to disclose? Why should the small percentage of us who get GW go through that added stress of haing to disclose what lots of people are ignorantly passing on anyway?

Therefore, as long as any visiblewarts are well and truly treated and healed, would it be appropriate for me not to mentin it to further partners?

[Amie635]

It is really up to you wether you tell future partners or not. Some people feel more comfortable with it just incase they pass the virus on, some people find it a weight off there shoulders but some people see it as unnecesary.

You can clear of HPV in 6-24 months but some people take longer than that. 90 percent clear in 2 years, so only a small amount carry on having GW after that time. If you are with someone you trust who is understanding, then it wouldn't hurt telling them, though if you are only just getting to know someone maybe you should hold back. As long as you use condoms you should be safe.

Your right in what you say because a lot of times people don't have symptoms and HPV goes undetected, or even if they do have visable warts they don't know themselves what it is, so they pass it around without realising. Genital warts are actually really common, they are one of the most common STDs. You just need to decide what is best for you when it comes to telling people, and practise safe sex.