Using condoms at all times and having the Gardasil vaccine can minimize your risk of contracting HPV.
High levels of HPV are virus strains which cause cervical, penile, anal and oral cancer. According to Planned Parenthood, there is currently no available treatment for HPV. Treatment is available for the abnormal skin cells changes the virus can cause, however.
Features
High levels of HPV, which are commonly referred to as high-risk HPV, cannot be treated. As long as the person with human papillomavirus has a healthy immune system, the virus is known to leave the body on its own within two to three years.
Significance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 50 percent of all sexually active people will get HPV at some point. At least 75 percent of cervical cancer is believed to be caused by high levels of HPV.
Prevention/Solution
High levels of HPV can be prevented through the Gardasil vaccine, using condoms at all times, and avoiding sexual skin-to-skin activity with multiple partners. Having routine Pap smears is an essential key to early detection of the virus, as women do not usually know that they have it until they experience an irregular Pap smear.
Treatment
While high levels of HPV themselves cannot be treated, the abnormal and potentially cancerous skin cells that they cause can be. They are generally removed during a colposcopy, cryosurgery, or loop electrical excision procedure (LEEP).
Considerations
There is currently no way to diagnose or treat high levels of HPV among men, but penile cancer and anal cancer can be detected and treated. The effects of the Gardasil vaccine as a method of HPV prevention are currently being tested on men.
Warnings
A colposcopy, which checks for cancer among abnormal skin cells, is considered safe during pregnancy. If your doctor feels that any further treatment of the cells is necessary, she will most likely wait until after delivery because certain treatment options may be harmful to the unborn baby.
Tags: Gardasil vaccine, skin cells, abnormal skin, abnormal skin cells, cannot treated, condoms times, high levels
