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STDs (Expert Forum)
HPV Related
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
HPV Related
by Blank, Sep 17, 2006 12:00AM
Hello,
I'm a 21 year old male. About a year and a half ago I was in a relationship with a girl. I know that before me she had about 3 or 4 other sex partners. She gave me oral 3 times which was unprotected and we had sex one time which was also unprotected. She was my first relationship. So I've only had sex ONCE in my entire life and i've only had oral, like i said, 3 times in my entire life and as far as I'm concerned I'm waiting until marriage before i ever do it again. My question is, what are the chances of me acquiring genital warts from this kind of exposure? I have always had hair follicles on my penis. Its just after that experience its hard to tell if thats all it is. Do warts grow it one particular place on the penis? or is it all over? also is it possible for hair follicles to grow up the shaft of the penis? As far as any other type of STD, I'm clean. I've been tested for a few and I've also been treated for one. I just get kinda scared about genital warts because I dont want to put my chances of one day being a father at risk. I've learned my lesson from what i experienced. Oh by the way I really like this forums. Its so informative. So I thanks you.
I'm a 21 year old male. About a year and a half ago I was in a relationship with a girl. I know that before me she had about 3 or 4 other sex partners. She gave me oral 3 times which was unprotected and we had sex one time which was also unprotected. She was my first relationship. So I've only had sex ONCE in my entire life and i've only had oral, like i said, 3 times in my entire life and as far as I'm concerned I'm waiting until marriage before i ever do it again. My question is, what are the chances of me acquiring genital warts from this kind of exposure? I have always had hair follicles on my penis. Its just after that experience its hard to tell if thats all it is. Do warts grow it one particular place on the penis? or is it all over? also is it possible for hair follicles to grow up the shaft of the penis? As far as any other type of STD, I'm clean. I've been tested for a few and I've also been treated for one. I just get kinda scared about genital warts because I dont want to put my chances of one day being a father at risk. I've learned my lesson from what i experienced. Oh by the way I really like this forums. Its so informative. So I thanks you.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Sep 17, 2006 12:00AM
, Sep 17, 2006 12:00AM
There are no reliable statistics to predict the likelihood you have HPV infection. Oral sex isn't an issue, as far as known. It is generally believed that oral sex is low risk, because few people with HPV have oral infections.
Having had "3 or 4" partners, the odds are at least 50% that your partner has had HPV. However, that doesn't mean she had it in active, transmissible form when you had vaginal sex with her. If she did, you might have gotten infected. But all things considered, the odds are strong that you haven't yet been HPV infected. On the other hand, it is possible. But no tests for HPV are availalbe, and you will never know for sure. The bumps you describe do not sound at all like warts or any other STD.
I don't understand your statement that you have been treated for "one STD". Which one? It's hard to believe you have ever had an STD, given the sexual lifestyle you describe. From your description, I see no reason for you to have been tested.
You give the impression of being far more concerned about STDs and their risks than is warranted. If you have moral/ethical reasons to be celibate until marriage, and if that decision is right for you, by all means try to pursue that path. But if your reason is medical and not ethical--fear of HPV or other STDs--it may not be a wise decision. With a little common sense, STDs simply aren't so common or so dangerous as to warrant such a severe restriction on your ultimate choice of a life partner. If nothing else, it makes it much harder to find that life partner, if you hope to find someone who, like you, has had few or no other partners.
But assuming you follow that path, do yourself a favor: Carry condoms! Research shows that people who make virginity or one-life-partner pledges have, in the long run, HIGHER risks of STD than people wo don't make "the pledge". One reason is that they don't have condoms handy when they do find themselves in those unintended situations where temptation overrides original intent.
In the meantime, put HPV out of your mind. It's unlikely you are infected, you can't do anything about it if you are, everybody gets it somewhere along the line, and most infections don't cause any harm anyway. And your implied concer about being "a father at risk" makes no sense. Fathers don't infect their kids with HPV.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Having had "3 or 4" partners, the odds are at least 50% that your partner has had HPV. However, that doesn't mean she had it in active, transmissible form when you had vaginal sex with her. If she did, you might have gotten infected. But all things considered, the odds are strong that you haven't yet been HPV infected. On the other hand, it is possible. But no tests for HPV are availalbe, and you will never know for sure. The bumps you describe do not sound at all like warts or any other STD.
I don't understand your statement that you have been treated for "one STD". Which one? It's hard to believe you have ever had an STD, given the sexual lifestyle you describe. From your description, I see no reason for you to have been tested.
You give the impression of being far more concerned about STDs and their risks than is warranted. If you have moral/ethical reasons to be celibate until marriage, and if that decision is right for you, by all means try to pursue that path. But if your reason is medical and not ethical--fear of HPV or other STDs--it may not be a wise decision. With a little common sense, STDs simply aren't so common or so dangerous as to warrant such a severe restriction on your ultimate choice of a life partner. If nothing else, it makes it much harder to find that life partner, if you hope to find someone who, like you, has had few or no other partners.
But assuming you follow that path, do yourself a favor: Carry condoms! Research shows that people who make virginity or one-life-partner pledges have, in the long run, HIGHER risks of STD than people wo don't make "the pledge". One reason is that they don't have condoms handy when they do find themselves in those unintended situations where temptation overrides original intent.
In the meantime, put HPV out of your mind. It's unlikely you are infected, you can't do anything about it if you are, everybody gets it somewhere along the line, and most infections don't cause any harm anyway. And your implied concer about being "a father at risk" makes no sense. Fathers don't infect their kids with HPV.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
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It was implied about 9 months ago that I had trich. but I was having certain difficults at that time such as: painful urination, a dull ache in one of my testicles so I'm not sure but I was put on 2 different types of medication for 2 weeks but if I had it or not I'm clear of it now.
My reason for completely cutting out sex until marriage is totally a moral decision. I'm currrent in a relationship with a girl whose a virgin and I totally respect that fact about her and I have no intention of taking that away from her because I know she wants to wait until marriage.
When I made that statement about "father at risk" what I meant was if I do have HPV will it complicate things when I am infact married and we want to conceive a child? Sorry for not making that more clear, my apologies.
Thank you again.
I doubt you had trich. Some docs turn to that as a possibility for otherwise unexplained genital symptoms, partly because there are no generally available lab tests that are accurate for trich in men. But trich in men generally causes no symptoms at all and it isn't a logical risk for you, given your sexual lifestyle.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD