Someone asked us:
Hey! I just recently discovered that I have high-risk HPV and I’m really scared to pass this on. How can I do that? (btw I’m a bisexual cis women)
It’s great that you’re thinking about how to keep you and potential partners safe. Because you have high-risk HPV, you have a higher chance of passing on the virus. HPV is the most common STD — it’s easily spread from sexual skin-to-skin contact. You get it when your vulva, vagina, cervix, penis, or anus touches someone else’s genitals or mouth and throat — usually during sex. HPV can be spread even if no one cums, and even if a penis doesn’t go inside the vagina/anus/mouth. There’s no cure for HPV, but there are things you can do to make sex safer, like using condoms and/or dental dams each time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Condoms and dental dams aren’t as effective against HPV as they are against other STDs like chlamydia and HIV, but practicing safer sex can lower your chances of spreading HPV.
You can also speak to your partner about getting the HPV vaccine — it can protect them against certain types of HPV that can lead to cancer or genital warts.
-Attia @ Planned Parenthood
