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High risk HPV questions and clarification
Greetings all, little bit of background and info.
I recently began a relationship with my girlfriend (me 27, her 28 ) to which she disclosed she has high risk HPV, I believe the 16/18 strains. Sadly she developed cervical cancer from it, but is now thankfully cancer free. We haven't had intercourse yet, in any form. However we've had a few spirited make out sessions and hand-genital contact ( me to her ) so my first question is; Can HPV be spread by those types of contact? The online research I've read doesn't seem to agree if HPV can be spread by kissing, or by genital contact with intact skin or not.( Further clarification, she doesn't have the strains that cause warts)
I've also read that HPV is usually "cleared" by the immune system, but I've yet so come across a definitive answer as to if this is simply the disease laying dormant, or the immune system suppressing it. I've also read that the disease is for life, regardless of symptoms or infection status with regards to cellular change.
How common is HPV truly? From what I've read this is a very common occurrence bordering the common cold for infection rates. But those statistics, like most of the internet vary from source to source.
Any additional information or questions I should ask myself are welcomed.
(I have read the CDC information on HPV as well as their cited research. However a-lot of it isn't defined, such as skin-skin contact. Is high risk HPV transmitted purely by touching uninfected skin to infected skin ?)
Cheers and have a good day.
I recently began a relationship with my girlfriend (me 27, her 28 ) to which she disclosed she has high risk HPV, I believe the 16/18 strains. Sadly she developed cervical cancer from it, but is now thankfully cancer free. We haven't had intercourse yet, in any form. However we've had a few spirited make out sessions and hand-genital contact ( me to her ) so my first question is; Can HPV be spread by those types of contact? The online research I've read doesn't seem to agree if HPV can be spread by kissing, or by genital contact with intact skin or not.( Further clarification, she doesn't have the strains that cause warts)
I've also read that HPV is usually "cleared" by the immune system, but I've yet so come across a definitive answer as to if this is simply the disease laying dormant, or the immune system suppressing it. I've also read that the disease is for life, regardless of symptoms or infection status with regards to cellular change.
How common is HPV truly? From what I've read this is a very common occurrence bordering the common cold for infection rates. But those statistics, like most of the internet vary from source to source.
Any additional information or questions I should ask myself are welcomed.
(I have read the CDC information on HPV as well as their cited research. However a-lot of it isn't defined, such as skin-skin contact. Is high risk HPV transmitted purely by touching uninfected skin to infected skin ?)
Cheers and have a good day.
Alas, HPV is very, very common. Think about the fact that there is no test for high-risk HPV in men and we don't display for it either. Consider the rise of the hookup culture with Tinder and the continued use of condoms. HPV is out there, and it's everywhere. Well, probably not everyone, but it is extremely common another thing to keep in mind is that people are getting HPV at all different times and so and any given moment the community will have people dealing with different phases of the infection. Some will be highly infectious, and others probably not at all.
I wouldn't worry about kissing or skin-to-skin contact that's not the genitals. But I wouldn't go out of my way to immediately go from digitally penetrating or touching her to masturbating myself. Mutual masturbation without back and forth touching would be fine in my opinion. You two can have sex with a condom all night long, and 99.99% be protected. Just be smart about your foreplay.
To me, it doesn't really matter whether the body is suppressing it or the virus is dormant because the result is the same. However, I know more about that with HPV warts then with the high-risk. Yes, you do have the virus for life, and it can rear its head again in the future for whatever reason. I know that stress plays a prominent role.
I wouldn't worry about kissing or skin-to-skin contact that's not the genitals. But I wouldn't go out of my way to immediately go from digitally penetrating or touching her to masturbating myself. Mutual masturbation without back and forth touching would be fine in my opinion. You two can have sex with a condom all night long, and 99.99% be protected. Just be smart about your foreplay.
To me, it doesn't really matter whether the body is suppressing it or the virus is dormant because the result is the same. However, I know more about that with HPV warts then with the high-risk. Yes, you do have the virus for life, and it can rear its head again in the future for whatever reason. I know that stress plays a prominent role.
You are reading content posted in the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Community
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