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HPV from lesbian intimacy
I am female. A girl that I'm dating, I hooked up with recently just found out that she has HPV. They are calling it "low risk" HPV, however, it's not genital warts. She went in for a colposcopy(sp) recently. Is this customary after one has been diagnosed with any form of HPV?
As far as the "hooking up" goes, we did not perform oral sex on eachother. I knew she had yet to get a pap smear (though had been tested negative for other stds via blood and urine), so we discussed being careful. There was no "nude grinding" or skin to skin/genital to genital contact. We used a toy, but it was only used on her. It was not shared. The only possible way for transmission was there is a small chance that when the toy was inserted, she touched herself (on the outside) to guide the toy. Several minutes later, she did penetrate me with her fingers.
I am wondering what, in your opinions, the chances are of transmission. We were particularly careful, as I mentioned, keeping in mind that she had not yet been tested.
I was also curious about what the chances are of receiving HPV from lesbian sexual interaction. HPV is one of the more confusing STDs to me and I can't seem to get a firm grasp on it. I'm also curious to know if it's possible to contact genital HPV from receiving oral sex (from a male or female), or performing oral sex on a female. Generally, people don't know if they have HPV of the mouth, correct? If this is the case, how is it possible to prevent transmission? I have received oral sex from both men and women (though been with VERY few partners) who have never had an "outbreak" on their mouths, but from what I understand.. you never know. And generally, people don't get throat cultures with regular STD testing.
I will be getting a pap smear on tuesday as well as std testing, since it is that time of the year for me, just curious about what you all have to say.
Thanks everyone! Besides using this information to help with my own concern, it's simply an area of interest to me and I'm always wanting to learn more.
As far as the "hooking up" goes, we did not perform oral sex on eachother. I knew she had yet to get a pap smear (though had been tested negative for other stds via blood and urine), so we discussed being careful. There was no "nude grinding" or skin to skin/genital to genital contact. We used a toy, but it was only used on her. It was not shared. The only possible way for transmission was there is a small chance that when the toy was inserted, she touched herself (on the outside) to guide the toy. Several minutes later, she did penetrate me with her fingers.
I am wondering what, in your opinions, the chances are of transmission. We were particularly careful, as I mentioned, keeping in mind that she had not yet been tested.
I was also curious about what the chances are of receiving HPV from lesbian sexual interaction. HPV is one of the more confusing STDs to me and I can't seem to get a firm grasp on it. I'm also curious to know if it's possible to contact genital HPV from receiving oral sex (from a male or female), or performing oral sex on a female. Generally, people don't know if they have HPV of the mouth, correct? If this is the case, how is it possible to prevent transmission? I have received oral sex from both men and women (though been with VERY few partners) who have never had an "outbreak" on their mouths, but from what I understand.. you never know. And generally, people don't get throat cultures with regular STD testing.
I will be getting a pap smear on tuesday as well as std testing, since it is that time of the year for me, just curious about what you all have to say.
Thanks everyone! Besides using this information to help with my own concern, it's simply an area of interest to me and I'm always wanting to learn more.
I have HPV & had the colposcopy. The reason for this exam is to look for any visually abnormal tissue which could be pre cancerous or cancerous. I was not told which strain of HPV I have but my colposcopy showed 3 spots which were biopsied & happened to be in the final stage of pre cancerous & then had the LEEP procedure to have the abnormal tissue removed.
You can have abnormal cells & not have HPV but having the HPV greatly increases your risks of those cells turning cancerous- that is why it they want to look with the colposcopy.
You can have abnormal cells & not have HPV but having the HPV greatly increases your risks of those cells turning cancerous- that is why it they want to look with the colposcopy.
Thank you so much for the thorough response! So greatly appreciated that you'd take your person time out to help a stranger. :) Very informative and helpful.
I'm curious as to why Planned Parenthood gave her a colposcopy when her pap results came back as abnormal. They told her that this was to find out how to treat it....if she needs a LEEP surgery, antibiotics, or nothing at all. Does this seem normal, if what they found truly was "low risk" hpv? Her original pap test (without her even asking), was a thin prep pap test. I suppose it's possibly because she let them know she wanted to get a full STD workup (including blood, urine and a pelvic exam). Planned parenthood doesn't seem to provide her with much information about what is going on, but I guess there is no complaining, as she had taken a year off school and is currently insurance free...and therefore receives the PP services free of charge.
I'm nearly positive we did nothing for me to be able to contract the HPV. I certainly appreciate the help on how to remain safe while still being intimate, however...very useful. I will certainly let my doctor know I want to be specifically tested for HPV :) Is this genuinly necessary? Or is a plain pap smear enough to tell if there are any problems? What I am asking is, if such a majority of people have HPV, is it really necessary to go through the stress and worry of a thin prep pap test, if it is indeed only there to detect the common and harmless strands of HPV that can't be detected in a normal pap smear?
Again, can't thank you enough for sharing your education!
I'm curious as to why Planned Parenthood gave her a colposcopy when her pap results came back as abnormal. They told her that this was to find out how to treat it....if she needs a LEEP surgery, antibiotics, or nothing at all. Does this seem normal, if what they found truly was "low risk" hpv? Her original pap test (without her even asking), was a thin prep pap test. I suppose it's possibly because she let them know she wanted to get a full STD workup (including blood, urine and a pelvic exam). Planned parenthood doesn't seem to provide her with much information about what is going on, but I guess there is no complaining, as she had taken a year off school and is currently insurance free...and therefore receives the PP services free of charge.
I'm nearly positive we did nothing for me to be able to contract the HPV. I certainly appreciate the help on how to remain safe while still being intimate, however...very useful. I will certainly let my doctor know I want to be specifically tested for HPV :) Is this genuinly necessary? Or is a plain pap smear enough to tell if there are any problems? What I am asking is, if such a majority of people have HPV, is it really necessary to go through the stress and worry of a thin prep pap test, if it is indeed only there to detect the common and harmless strands of HPV that can't be detected in a normal pap smear?
Again, can't thank you enough for sharing your education!
I think it's worthwhile as a woman to get tested for hpv in a situation like you are in now. That way you know that you didn't have a high risk type that you need to be worried about transmitting to your partner. If you test + for a low risk type - then you can decide if it's worthwhile going thru a further work up or if you feel comfortable just taking the wait and see approach and just return to your gyn in a few months for follow up testing. Definitely talk to your gyn about it all and talk about the gardasil vaccine too.
grace
grace
When you go for your pap test - be sure to also ask for a hpv test. Regular pap tests do not test for hpv - they only test for the presence of abnormal cervical cells so unless it's an advanced hpv infection - it doesn't show up. The thin prep pap test does also test for hpv - it will tell you if you have high risk hpv which is a health concern.
Some basic hpv facts :
There are over 130 different types of hpv - about 30 of which infect the genital area. Of those - some of the cause obvious genital warts ( though most folks don't have obvious warts to let them know that they are infected ). The other ones infect the cervix and don't cause obvious external genital warts. Of the ones that infect the cervix some of the types are considered high risk which means they tend to stick around and if left untreated can progress into cervical cancer. The rest of them are considered low risk which means that statistically even without treatment your body will clear the virus on its own and it won't be a long term health risk. Many times when a woman has an abnormal pap the doctor waits to repeat the pap in 3-6 months because the odds are it's a low risk infection that will go away on its own and isn't worth extensive ( and expensive ) treatment. Most hpv infections go away on their own within a year or two. Even the high risk strains typically take YEARS to progress to even precancerous cells.
So what do you do when your partner has low risk hpv? Have you had your gardasil shots yet? If not it's well worth talking to your gyn about them at your appointment. Until she's gotten the all clear from her gyn that her hpv infection is gone - don't share toys. Each time you have sex - make the pink one hers and the purple one yours for that encounter and then wash them thoroughly afterwards ( you can find info on the web or contact the manufacturer about how to properly clean them ) or put a condom over the toy and change it in between the two of you. Also remember to wash your hands well with soap and water after sex too until it's cleared.
Statistically if you have 3 partners or more in your lifetime you've had hpv - it's just that most of us have no idea we have it unless specifically tested for it or get obvious warts. It's really very common. Thankfully low risk hpv is just that - low risk so even if you contract it from her - it shouldn't progress to a health concern.
grace
Some basic hpv facts :
There are over 130 different types of hpv - about 30 of which infect the genital area. Of those - some of the cause obvious genital warts ( though most folks don't have obvious warts to let them know that they are infected ). The other ones infect the cervix and don't cause obvious external genital warts. Of the ones that infect the cervix some of the types are considered high risk which means they tend to stick around and if left untreated can progress into cervical cancer. The rest of them are considered low risk which means that statistically even without treatment your body will clear the virus on its own and it won't be a long term health risk. Many times when a woman has an abnormal pap the doctor waits to repeat the pap in 3-6 months because the odds are it's a low risk infection that will go away on its own and isn't worth extensive ( and expensive ) treatment. Most hpv infections go away on their own within a year or two. Even the high risk strains typically take YEARS to progress to even precancerous cells.
So what do you do when your partner has low risk hpv? Have you had your gardasil shots yet? If not it's well worth talking to your gyn about them at your appointment. Until she's gotten the all clear from her gyn that her hpv infection is gone - don't share toys. Each time you have sex - make the pink one hers and the purple one yours for that encounter and then wash them thoroughly afterwards ( you can find info on the web or contact the manufacturer about how to properly clean them ) or put a condom over the toy and change it in between the two of you. Also remember to wash your hands well with soap and water after sex too until it's cleared.
Statistically if you have 3 partners or more in your lifetime you've had hpv - it's just that most of us have no idea we have it unless specifically tested for it or get obvious warts. It's really very common. Thankfully low risk hpv is just that - low risk so even if you contract it from her - it shouldn't progress to a health concern.
grace
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