Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHPV Infection SymptomsCommon SymptomsHPV and Cervical CancerOther ComplicationsPreventionNext in HPV GuideHow HPV Is Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
HPV Infection Symptoms
Common Symptoms
HPV and Cervical Cancer
Other Complications
Prevention
Next in HPV Guide
Human papillomavirus(HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). In the United States, HPV affects about 40% of people aged 15-59.It’s so common that just about all sexually active people get it at some point.
In as many as nine cases out of 10, HPV doesn’t cause health issues. And it usually clears up on its own within two years. But in cases where it doesn’t, it can lead to genital warts, cancer, and other health problems.
This article discusses symptoms and complications of HPV, as well as how to prevent getting or spreading it.
Mypurgatoryyears / Getty Images
Understanding HPV Infection Symptoms
It’s relatively common to have HPV and not know it. Most of the time, the immune system can clear the virus without symptoms or complications. HPV is a group of more than 200 viruses.Symptoms vary, depending on the type of HPV, but can include warts that may itch or cause other problems.
The virus can only survive insquamous epithelialcells on the surface of the skin and moist surfaces (mucosal surfaces) found in and around the:
HPV spreads throughsexual contact. There’s currently no routine screening for HPV in men since there’s no approved test.Women can get routinePap testingto check for cervical changes, including earlycervical cancer. HPV testing can take place along with your Pap test. There’s also an effectiveHPV vaccinegenerally recommended for people between the ages of 11 and 26.
Common Symptoms of HPV Infection
The most common thing is to have no symptoms at all. Certain low-risk HPV infections can cause a variety ofwarts.Viral warts arebenign, but they can be a nuisance. Warts often resolve on their own within one to five years.
Genital Warts
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from © DermNet and © Te Whatu Oradermnetnz.org2023.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet and © Te Whatu Oradermnetnz.org2023.
Genital wartscan be small or large and raised or flat. They can be dome-shaped or resemble small cauliflowers. Genital warts can appear on the:
Genital warts sometimes cause itching. Depending on their location, they can cause pain when you move your bowels or when you have sex.
Common Warts
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoDmitry Epov / Getty Images
Dmitry Epov / Getty Images
Common warts(verruca vulgaris) grow on the fingers, around the nails, and on the backs of the hands. The bumps are rough and may have black dots that look like seeds. They can range from the size of a pinhead to the size of a pea.
Plantar Warts
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoAlena Ivochkina / Getty Images
Alena Ivochkina / Getty Images
Plantar wartsappear on the soles of the feet. They’re hard and can grow rather large. They sometimes have black dots and appear in clusters (mosaic warts). Since feet carry the weight of your whole body, plantar warts push inward instead of growing outward like other types of warts, which can cause tenderness and pain.
Flat Warts
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.
Flat wartsare smooth, slightly raised, and small, usually just millimeters wide. These warts can grow anywhere but tend to appear on the face, especially the forehead and cheeks. Men may get these in the beard area, and women may get them on their legs. Flat warts typically appear in multiples. You can get 20 to 100 at a time.
HPV Infections and Cervical Cancer
Some low-risk strains of HPV may lead to abnormal changes in the cells on the surface of the cervix (cervical dysplasia) that are not precancerous.However, research suggests that HPV causes about 99% of all cases of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer happens when the immune system can’t clear high-risk strains of HPV. Over time, these cells can turnprecancerous, then cancerous. Routine Pap screening can allow healthcare providers to detect and remove precancerous cells before they become cancerous. And HPV vaccines can prevent the types of HPV most likely to cause cervical cancer.
Other Possible HPV Complications
HPV types 16 and 18 cause most cancers related to HPV, including cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, and anus. Some strains can also lead to cancer of the throat, tongue, and tonsils (oropharyngeal cancer).Research suggests that HPV causes about 65% ofvaginal cancers, 50% ofvulvar cancers, 45%-90% of oropharyngeal cancers, and 90% ofanal cancers.
HPV is also associated with some oral benign proliferative (rapid growth) and malignant (cancerous) lesions of the head, neck, middle part of the throat (oropharynx), tonsils, and tongue.
A Word From VerywellGiven the safety and efficacy of the HPV vaccine, it is important to consider vaccinating your children to protect them from developing certain cancers later in life.—RENEE NILAN, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Given the safety and efficacy of the HPV vaccine, it is important to consider vaccinating your children to protect them from developing certain cancers later in life.—RENEE NILAN, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Given the safety and efficacy of the HPV vaccine, it is important to consider vaccinating your children to protect them from developing certain cancers later in life.
—RENEE NILAN, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
How to Prevent an HPV Infection
HPV can be transmitted through skin-to-skin sexual contact as well as vaginal, oral, or anal sex.Since there are so many types of HPV, you can get infected multiple times or get more than one strain at a time.
HPV vaccines are highly effective in protecting against seven types of HPV that are most likely to cause cancer and two low-risk types that cause most genital warts.
Summary
HPV is the most common STI. It spreads so easily that just about every sexually active person gets it at some point. Most of the time, the immune system can clear the infection without symptoms or complications. However, some low-risk strains can cause troublesome warts. High-risk strains that don’t clear up can lead to cervical cancer or other types of cancer in females and males.
HPV vaccines effectively prevent the strains most likely to cause warts and cancer. There are no HPV tests for men, but women can get tested along with a Pap test. Speak to a healthcare provider if you think you may have HPV or have screening questions.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lewis RM, Laprise JF, Gargano JW, et al.Estimated prevalence and incidence of disease-associated HPV types among 15–59-year-olds in the United States.Sex Transm Dis. 2021;48(4):273-277. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001356Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About HPV.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About genital HPV infection.National Cancer Institute.HPV and cancer.American Cancer Society.HPV and HPV testing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV vaccination.MedlinePlus.HPV.Okunade KS.Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.J Obstet Gynaecol. 2020;40(5):602-608. doi:10.1080/01443615.2019.1634030American Academy of Dermatology Association.Genital warts: Overview.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Warts: Signs and symptoms.American Podiatric Medical Association.What are warts?NYU Langone Health.Types of human papillomavirus.Petca A, Borislavschi A, Zvanca ME, et al.Non-sexual HPV transmission and role of vaccination for a better future (Review).Exp Ther Med.2020;20(6):186. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9316Mravak-Stipetić M, Sabol I, Kranjčić J, Knežević M, Grce M.Human papillomavirus in the lesions of the oral mucosa according to topography.PLOS ONE.2013;8(7):e69736. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069736Additional ReadingChildren’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Human papillomavirus (HPV).U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health.Pap and HPV tests.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Warts: overview.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lewis RM, Laprise JF, Gargano JW, et al.Estimated prevalence and incidence of disease-associated HPV types among 15–59-year-olds in the United States.Sex Transm Dis. 2021;48(4):273-277. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001356Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About HPV.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About genital HPV infection.National Cancer Institute.HPV and cancer.American Cancer Society.HPV and HPV testing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV vaccination.MedlinePlus.HPV.Okunade KS.Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.J Obstet Gynaecol. 2020;40(5):602-608. doi:10.1080/01443615.2019.1634030American Academy of Dermatology Association.Genital warts: Overview.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Warts: Signs and symptoms.American Podiatric Medical Association.What are warts?NYU Langone Health.Types of human papillomavirus.Petca A, Borislavschi A, Zvanca ME, et al.Non-sexual HPV transmission and role of vaccination for a better future (Review).Exp Ther Med.2020;20(6):186. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9316Mravak-Stipetić M, Sabol I, Kranjčić J, Knežević M, Grce M.Human papillomavirus in the lesions of the oral mucosa according to topography.PLOS ONE.2013;8(7):e69736. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069736Additional ReadingChildren’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Human papillomavirus (HPV).U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health.Pap and HPV tests.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Warts: overview.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lewis RM, Laprise JF, Gargano JW, et al.Estimated prevalence and incidence of disease-associated HPV types among 15–59-year-olds in the United States.Sex Transm Dis. 2021;48(4):273-277. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001356Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About HPV.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About genital HPV infection.National Cancer Institute.HPV and cancer.American Cancer Society.HPV and HPV testing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV vaccination.MedlinePlus.HPV.Okunade KS.Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.J Obstet Gynaecol. 2020;40(5):602-608. doi:10.1080/01443615.2019.1634030American Academy of Dermatology Association.Genital warts: Overview.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Warts: Signs and symptoms.American Podiatric Medical Association.What are warts?NYU Langone Health.Types of human papillomavirus.Petca A, Borislavschi A, Zvanca ME, et al.Non-sexual HPV transmission and role of vaccination for a better future (Review).Exp Ther Med.2020;20(6):186. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9316Mravak-Stipetić M, Sabol I, Kranjčić J, Knežević M, Grce M.Human papillomavirus in the lesions of the oral mucosa according to topography.PLOS ONE.2013;8(7):e69736. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069736
Lewis RM, Laprise JF, Gargano JW, et al.Estimated prevalence and incidence of disease-associated HPV types among 15–59-year-olds in the United States.Sex Transm Dis. 2021;48(4):273-277. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001356
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About HPV.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About genital HPV infection.
National Cancer Institute.HPV and cancer.
American Cancer Society.HPV and HPV testing.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About STIs and gay men.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV vaccination.
MedlinePlus.HPV.
Okunade KS.Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.J Obstet Gynaecol. 2020;40(5):602-608. doi:10.1080/01443615.2019.1634030
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Genital warts: Overview.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Warts: Signs and symptoms.
American Podiatric Medical Association.What are warts?
NYU Langone Health.Types of human papillomavirus.
Petca A, Borislavschi A, Zvanca ME, et al.Non-sexual HPV transmission and role of vaccination for a better future (Review).Exp Ther Med.2020;20(6):186. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.9316
Mravak-Stipetić M, Sabol I, Kranjčić J, Knežević M, Grce M.Human papillomavirus in the lesions of the oral mucosa according to topography.PLOS ONE.2013;8(7):e69736. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069736
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Human papillomavirus (HPV).U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health.Pap and HPV tests.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Warts: overview.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Human papillomavirus (HPV).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health.Pap and HPV tests.
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Warts: overview.
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