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Help! Argent!
Can you get HPV Genital Warts from sharing the same towels and soap?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Warts are tumours or growths of the skin caused by infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV).They are contagious when in contact with the skin of an infected person. It is also possible to get warts from using towels or other objects used by an infected person.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.
Warts are tumours or growths of the skin caused by infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV).They are contagious when in contact with the skin of an infected person. It is also possible to get warts from using towels or other objects used by an infected person.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.
In other words, you ask if towels and soap can be vectors of an HPV infection.
Well, nowadays there's no finding to support it that much, yet it's known that HPV particles can survive outside the host for weeks and even months.
However, for infection two criteria must be met:
1. A way for the virus to invade the host. The HPV must invade the basal layer of the skin/mucous.
2. The virus must fit the type of host - i.e. the type of cell. HPV has more than known 100 types and more yet to discover. Each type has its own variations in its envelope and genetic material. HPV-6, for instance, tend to affect the anogenital area mostly, the oral cavity - to a much less extend, and almost not tend to affect the area of the eyes and to not affect at all others parts of the body such as the limbs.
3. There must be a significant amount of the particles in order to lead to infection.
So towels are not considered to be a way of contracting anogenital HPVs, so is soap.
On te other hand, there's some risk when sharing intimate materials such as sex toys, razors or lube - but in general it's very low.
For other reasons, it's generally adviced not to share intimate stuff, and if you do (regarding sex toys) - always keep them clean and sterlized before and after each use (there are those who cannot be sterlized so it's important not to share them at all).
Well, nowadays there's no finding to support it that much, yet it's known that HPV particles can survive outside the host for weeks and even months.
However, for infection two criteria must be met:
1. A way for the virus to invade the host. The HPV must invade the basal layer of the skin/mucous.
2. The virus must fit the type of host - i.e. the type of cell. HPV has more than known 100 types and more yet to discover. Each type has its own variations in its envelope and genetic material. HPV-6, for instance, tend to affect the anogenital area mostly, the oral cavity - to a much less extend, and almost not tend to affect the area of the eyes and to not affect at all others parts of the body such as the limbs.
3. There must be a significant amount of the particles in order to lead to infection.
So towels are not considered to be a way of contracting anogenital HPVs, so is soap.
On te other hand, there's some risk when sharing intimate materials such as sex toys, razors or lube - but in general it's very low.
For other reasons, it's generally adviced not to share intimate stuff, and if you do (regarding sex toys) - always keep them clean and sterlized before and after each use (there are those who cannot be sterlized so it's important not to share them at all).
No you cannot. One can never say never but you have a greater chance of getting genital warts from standing alone in a forest. You certainly do not need to worry about this.
You are reading content posted in the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Community
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