HPV

How can you get HPV?

You can get HPV through:

• Anal sex
• Blowjobs
• Rimming
• Cuddling or dry humping
• Touching the skin around the penis or anus with your fingers
• Sharing a towel

Often you will have no symptoms and won’t even notice that you have HPV. As a result, you could have the STD and pass it on without even knowing.

What are the symptoms of HPV?

Usually you won’t notice HPV. In some cases you could get genital warts. They are not dangerous and heal on their own eventually.

Read more about genital warts

Other symptoms?

Do you have other symptoms? They could be caused by something else. So it’s important to go to your GP or to the GGD. Don’t wait too long and make an appointment.

Check out the symptoms of other STDs

Treating HPV

HPV usually heals on its own. You don’t need to take medication for it.

Anal cancer caused by HPV

Some types of HPV can give you anal cancer. This is a rare form of cancer. You can only get anal cancer if HPV doesn’t leave your body. 

In this case, you might find yourself in the early stage of anal cancer. This is called AIN. It means you don’t have anal cancer yet, but you are at risk for developing it. 

Anal cancer in men with HIV

Men with HIV have a slightly higher chance of getting anal cancer or AIN caused by HPV. This is because it’s harder for their bodies to get rid of HPV. 

Do you have HIV? Then you can get examined for AIN. Discuss the possibilities with your HIV doctor.

Preventing HPV

Condoms don’t do well against HPV. To avoid HPV, you can do this:

• Are you under 18? Then you can get a free vaccination from your GGD's youth health department
• If you are18 or over, you can get vaccinated by your GP. This is not free
• There is also a vaccine that protects against the type of HPV that can give you genital warts. Do you want to get vaccinated? Ask you GP about it. This is not free