Worried about having contracted Genital Warts

About 8 months ago I had a VERY quick one night stand with a man, later to find out my friend was dating this man and sexually active (losing her virginity to him) with him during the same time. She then started dating a new person in September and became sexually active with him. This month she confided in me that she was diagnosed with genital warts in November.  As I never told her about my own one night stand with her ex, I became immediatly worried that maybe he was  who gave her genital warts and if he maybe gave them to me as well... I am wondering what are the chances that I would contract genital warts from a one time five minute exposure.. I have had no symptoms or warts. And I am wondering how long they take to show up as I now have a boyfriend and I would hate to have infected him unknowingly..

[Mags370]

Well, based on what I know if she has only been with two men, no other activity at all with any other person ever then she very likely did get it from the guy you both have been with. I say this because symptoms don't usually show up til 3-6 months. That doesn't mean she didn't get them from the new guy. What you need to know is that HPV is very common, the type that causes warts is low risk, cell changes is high risk. You get it from skin to skin contact, usually genital. So even if you only touched for 5 seconds there is a chance you were infected. Condoms don't cover all the skin so they are not 100% effective. Because you have had sex with more than one person you have likely already come in contact with the almost 40 HPV types. Many people do and never know it because our immune systems clear it without symptoms. If you are worried just keep up your yearly gyn visits and paps,ask for testing. If you are young enough get the vac. Even if you do get symptoms there are lots of treatment if it even gets to a stage where that is needed.

[dora391]

Thanks for your response!! I feel awful about the situation as I didn't  know they were an item... real shady guy! I just don't know if I should tell my boyfriend about this.. I'd hate to mention it and him freak out and I don't even have it..

[vandykd3]

Mags, dora is right when she says that if you are worried, the only thing you can do is just keep up your yearly gyn visits and the paps.  Also self inspect for warts are best you are able once a week or two weeks, more than that is unnecessary.  Though it is possible for you to get warts, or, more appropriately put, HPV from a single HPV encounter, it is also very likely that you didn't get it from that encounter.  I don't thing I gave it to my ex and I had a full on outbreak two or three days after an unprotected encounter and then again a week or ten days after my treatment.  With HPV anything is possible but some things are much more statistically likely.  The best thing you can do is be cool, chill, don't assume you have it but we alert these next several months.  

If you have been unprotected wtih your current flame, then it might not be necessary to talk about it now.  Just wait if you want.  

[Mags370]

Don't feel bad we all make choices in life. :) As for you BF, that is a debate, you don't know if you have anything, because HPV is so common you and he both could, he could have given you HPV. Now don't go accusing him. LOL If you have a concern make a doc appt., and because you are sexually active you should have your yearly exam, testing. Because we are taught so little about HPV we are scared that it is an STD, yet it is something most of us have or will get.

[vandykd3]

Oops, I addressed my post wrong, It should've started off:  dora, Mags is right.  

[Mags370]

;)

[dora391]

Thank you both for your replys... you have both made me feel just a tad bit better!!