transmitt from genital to mouth/lips

[anonymous7358367]

Hello!

I am getting very paranoid. I have HPV genital warts and my concern is, can I spread it to other areas on my body if lets say i accidently touch my genital area and then touch my mouth/lips. I am afraid to get oral cancer and what else it can do to you.

please let me know
thanks doc

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You have no worries about oral cancer.  First, the HPV types (primairly HPV -6 and -11) that cause warts are different from the one (HPV-16) associated with thoat cancer.  Second, despite all the news reports about oral/throat cancer related to HPV, it amounts to only about 6,000 cases per year in the entire country -- a very rare cancer!

In 30+ years in a busy STD clinic, I never once saw a patient with oral HPV the he or she caught from his or her own genital infection.  It doesn't happen.

Put HPV in perspective.  You have experienced a stressful but medically unimportant infection which will never cause you (or a sex partner) serious harm.  It isn't worth the anxiety you express.  Just follow your provider's advice about treatment of your genital warts, then no worries.  Mellow out and let it go.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[anonymous7358367]

thank you for calming me down!!