how does a female know if she has HPV??

[forrealzies]

All the pictures I have seen about women and genital warts really doesn't show the beginning stages of what they look like.  Please answer.

[SarahB79]

i'm gonna say probably like small warts???? I mean i had a wart on my finger once and it started out as a tiny flesh colored bump until it grew and got rougher and larger.  I'd say HPV vaginal warts would look like red or white bumps, probably clustered.

[forrealzies]

Thanks for answering.  I have read that info, but what my question (s) are is what do the warts look like in the beginning stage of HPV??

[SarahB79]

There are two classes of HPV.  High risk and low risk.  The low risk ones can cause genital warts and some are symptomless and go away on their own.  The high risk ones are symptomless and also usually resolve theirselves in about 6 months to 2 years... but they are more prone to cause abnormal cell changes in your cervix.  Some of the low grade changes can eventually heal themselves as the HPV goes away, but sometimes your body will struggle to fight off the infection and the cell changes become higher grade and treatment is necessary.  Early detection through pap smears is key to it never turning into cancer.  

80% of sexually active adults get HPV.  It is simplely a skin virus.