Genital human papilloma virus (or HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection.
Statistics indicate that up to 90% of males and females come into contact with HPV at some point in their life if they have been sexually active.
And in many of these cases, they unwittingly pass it on to their partner.
But the good news is that the vast majority of the 250 recognised strains of HPV cause no symptoms, signs or illness and our immune system works to destroy the infection with no side effects.
However, medical researchers have isolated 15 strains of the virus that can lead to serious health risks.
When it comes to the consequences of HPV, men are relatively fortunate because the most serious strains of HPV can lead to cervical cancer and death in women.
Every year around 3000 to 4000 women die from cervical cancer, and in 70% of these cases, the cancer is directly related to HPV.
What are the Dangers of HPV? In the vast majority of cases, men can become infected with HPV and show no signs or symptoms.
However, simply showing no symptoms of infection doesn't mean that you aren't carrying one of the strains of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer in a woman.
You just don't know it.
So it pays to have regular check-ups with your medical practitioner every time you begin a new relationship.
This may sound over-the-top and unnecessary, but how would you feel if you learned that you inadvertently passed on one of the deadly strains of HPV to your partner that resulted in cervical cancer? Fortunately, genital HPV won't kill you if you are male, but it can be very embarrassing, painful and unsightly if you contract one of the strains of HPV that results in genital warts.
Remember, every time you have sex with a new partner, you are having sex with every partner she has ever had and every partner they have ever had...
scary, huh? What are the Symptoms of HPV? If you have detected any abnormalities including scaly or itchy patches or growths in your genital area, you need to get checked out immediately.
HPV testing for men is a relatively simple procedure.
Genital warts tend to appear in clusters, like miniature cauliflowers.
They can be quite small in size or spread across a wide area from your genitals through to your anus.
The area surrounding the warts is often painful and the warts are often itchy.
If you are diagnosed with genital warts, your physician can recommend topical HPV treatments that relieve the symptoms until the infection has passed.
How to Prevent HPV Infections You may have the genital warts virus and simply not know it.
Even if you've never had an outbreak of genital warts, but particularly if you have, the strain of HPV that results in genital warts or a number of other serious conditions, including cancer, may be dormant in your system.
So always practicing safe sex is mandatory if you want to protect yourself from HPV and also so you can prevent spreading the infection to your partner.
The risk that you could unwittingly pass the strains of HPV that lead to cervical cancer in women cannot be stressed enough.
To avoid coming into contact with HPV, men need to wear a latex condom when having sex.
Not only does a condom help protect you from unwanted pregnancy, it also prevents you from catching HPV, as well as preventing you from passing it on.
And HPV is only one of a number of sexually transmitted diseases that can infect you.
None of them are pretty and all of them will have a dramatic impact on the state of your sexual health with all your future partners, for as long as you continue to be sexually active - and for most of us that means the rest of our lives.
Statistics indicate that up to 90% of males and females come into contact with HPV at some point in their life if they have been sexually active.
And in many of these cases, they unwittingly pass it on to their partner.
But the good news is that the vast majority of the 250 recognised strains of HPV cause no symptoms, signs or illness and our immune system works to destroy the infection with no side effects.
However, medical researchers have isolated 15 strains of the virus that can lead to serious health risks.
When it comes to the consequences of HPV, men are relatively fortunate because the most serious strains of HPV can lead to cervical cancer and death in women.
Every year around 3000 to 4000 women die from cervical cancer, and in 70% of these cases, the cancer is directly related to HPV.
What are the Dangers of HPV? In the vast majority of cases, men can become infected with HPV and show no signs or symptoms.
However, simply showing no symptoms of infection doesn't mean that you aren't carrying one of the strains of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer in a woman.
You just don't know it.
So it pays to have regular check-ups with your medical practitioner every time you begin a new relationship.
This may sound over-the-top and unnecessary, but how would you feel if you learned that you inadvertently passed on one of the deadly strains of HPV to your partner that resulted in cervical cancer? Fortunately, genital HPV won't kill you if you are male, but it can be very embarrassing, painful and unsightly if you contract one of the strains of HPV that results in genital warts.
Remember, every time you have sex with a new partner, you are having sex with every partner she has ever had and every partner they have ever had...
scary, huh? What are the Symptoms of HPV? If you have detected any abnormalities including scaly or itchy patches or growths in your genital area, you need to get checked out immediately.
HPV testing for men is a relatively simple procedure.
Genital warts tend to appear in clusters, like miniature cauliflowers.
They can be quite small in size or spread across a wide area from your genitals through to your anus.
The area surrounding the warts is often painful and the warts are often itchy.
If you are diagnosed with genital warts, your physician can recommend topical HPV treatments that relieve the symptoms until the infection has passed.
How to Prevent HPV Infections You may have the genital warts virus and simply not know it.
Even if you've never had an outbreak of genital warts, but particularly if you have, the strain of HPV that results in genital warts or a number of other serious conditions, including cancer, may be dormant in your system.
So always practicing safe sex is mandatory if you want to protect yourself from HPV and also so you can prevent spreading the infection to your partner.
The risk that you could unwittingly pass the strains of HPV that lead to cervical cancer in women cannot be stressed enough.
To avoid coming into contact with HPV, men need to wear a latex condom when having sex.
Not only does a condom help protect you from unwanted pregnancy, it also prevents you from catching HPV, as well as preventing you from passing it on.
And HPV is only one of a number of sexually transmitted diseases that can infect you.
None of them are pretty and all of them will have a dramatic impact on the state of your sexual health with all your future partners, for as long as you continue to be sexually active - and for most of us that means the rest of our lives.
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