Sexual Health STDs HPV HPV Guide HPV Guide Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Coping Prevention How Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Is Treated Treatment Focuses on Symptoms and the Avoidance of Complications By Lisa Fayed Lisa Fayed is a freelance medical writer, cancer educator and patient advocate. Learn about our editorial process Lisa Fayed Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Anita Sadaty, MD on April 25, 2019 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Anita Sadaty, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist at North Shore University Hospital and founder of Redefining Health Medical. Learn about our Medical Review Board Anita Sadaty, MD Updated on January 27, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Asymptomatic Infection Genital Warts Dysplasia Considerations Next in HPV Guide What to Do If You Have HPV In most cases, the immune system will be able to clear human papillomavirus (HPV) on its own within 18 to 24 months, usually with no long-term consequences, though that is not always the case. Because there are no drugs available to treat an active HPV infection, HPV treatment involves resolving HPV symptoms and monitoring for any changes in the skin or mucosal cells; in addition to causing genital warts, more than 30 of the approximately 150 viruses that make up HPV are linked to cervical, anal, and other cancers. HPV treatment options are largely based on whether a person has one or more of the following features: Asymptomatic infectionGenital wartsAbnormal changes in cells (dysplasia) of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, penis, mouth, or throat Illustration by Verywell Asymptomatic Infection When an HPV infection is asymptomatic (without symptoms), no specific treatment is recommended. These infections are often identified if a person's sexual partner has developed genital warts. If a woman tests positive for cervical HPV infection but has a normal Pap smear, the doctor may do one of two things: Schedule another round of tests in 12 months. If the results are normal, you can return to normal screening. If they are not, additional testing will be needed.Perform an HPV test to identify the two high-risk HPV strains (HPV 16 and HPV 18) that account for 70% of all cervical cancers. If the results are negative (meaning you have not been infected with these specific viruses), you can be retested in 12 months as a safeguard. If the results are positive, additional testing will be needed. While there are no specific recommendations or HPV tests available for men, those considered to be at high risk—namely, men who have sex with men (MSM) who engage in receptive anal sex—could undergo an anal Pap smear to check for dysplasia. This is especially true for MSM who have HIV. If you are confirmed to have HPV but have no symptoms, you may be advised to get an HPV vaccination to protect you against the most common high-risk strains of HPV. Vaccination is recommended up until the age of 26 for women and 21 for men. People at high risk can get vaccinated at any time. Sexual partners should also consider getting vaccinated. Genital Warts Though unsightly and uncomfortable, genital warts generally do not pose any major health risk. Most are caused by two low-risk strains, known as HPV 6 and HPV 11, which account for around 90% of all genital wart outbreaks. Some genital warts may go away on their own, usually within a year. Others may need to be treated at home with topical creams prescribed by a doctor. Other methods of genital wart treatment include: Cryotherapy (freezing warts with liquid nitrogen)Electrocautery (using electricity to burn warts away)SurgeryLaser therapyTrichloracetic acid (applied topically to gradually remove a wart) Genital warts should never be considered normal, and you should not treat them at home without first seeing a doctor. While most warts will turn out to be benign, others may require further investigation, particularly if they are bleeding, inflamed, spreading, resistant to treatment, or have an atypical appearance. HPV Doctor Discussion Guide Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Download PDF Email the Guide Send to yourself or a loved one. Sign Up This Doctor Discussion Guide has been sent to {{form.email}}. There was an error. Please try again. Dysplasia Infection with certain high-risk HPV strains can lead to abnormal changes in the tissues of the genitals or anus. Known as dysplasia, these changes can vary in severity from mild (low-grade) to serious (high-grade). While mild dysplasia usually resolves on its own, moderate to severe dysplasia may progress to an early form of cancer known as carcinoma in situ (CIS). The diagnosis can be made by performing a biopsy and analyzing the tissues in the lab. For persons with low-grade dysplasia, doctors will typically take a watch-and-wait approach.For persons with moderate- to high-grade dysplasia, treatment would involve the removal of affected tissue using either a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), cone biopsy, cryotherapy, or other surgical techniques. It is important to remember that dysplasia is not cancer. The removal of tissue is simply to reduce the risk of dysplastic cells becoming neoplastic (cancerous). Treating dysplasia (whether of the cervix, anus, penis, or larynx) only treats the symptoms of the infection, not the infection itself. People who have been diagnosed with dysplasia will need to be monitored closely for recurrence. This is especially true if an HPV infection lasts for more than two years. Considerations While an HPV infection can be distressing, it provides you the opportunity to catch a problem before it can become serious or even life-threatening. By and large, HPV treatments have few complications. Many of the treatments are covered, at least in part, by health insurance. Patient assistance and co-pay programs are available to assist with vaccination costs. Women who require more frequent treatments and biopsies may be at an increased risk of pre-term labor or low birth weight babies. But, on its own, HPV treatment will not directly affect a woman's chance of getting pregnant. Moreover, HPV is rarely passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy. In the unlikely event that cancer is diagnosed, remember that getting early treatment gives you the greatest chance at the best outcome. As you address your HPV diagnosis, be sure to tell those you love about prevention strategies that can help them stay well. Can You Get an STD From Masturbating? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Stanley M. HPV - immune response to infection and vaccination. Infect Agent Cancer. 2010;5:19. Published 2010 Oct 20. doi:10.1186/1750-9378-5-19 Luria L, Cardoza-Favarato G. Human Papillomavirus. [Updated 2019 Dec 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448132/ Boda D, Docea AO, Calina D, et al. Human papilloma virus: Apprehending the link with carcinogenesis and unveiling new research avenues (Review). Int J Oncol. 2018;52(3):637‐655. doi:10.3892/ijo.2018.4256 American Cancer Society. HPV and HPV Testing. Updated February 18, 2019. cancer.org Braaten KP, Laufer MR. Human Papillomavirus (HPV), HPV-Related Disease, and the HPV Vaccine. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2008;1(1):2‐10. Lindsey K, Decristofaro C, James J. Anal Pap smears: Should we be doing them? J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2009;21(8):437-43. doi:10.1111/j.1745-7599.2009.00433.x Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV Vaccine Recommendations. Updated December 15, 2016. cdc.gov Planned Parenthood. What are the symptoms of HPV? plannedparenthood.org Burd EM. Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003;16(1):1‐17. doi:10.1128/cmr.16.1.1-17.2003 Akhtar M, Al-Bozom IA, Ben Gashir M, Taha NM, Rashid S, Al-Nabet ADMH. Urothelial Carcinoma In Situ (CIS): New Insights. Adv Anat Pathol. 2019;26(5):313‐319. doi:10.1097/PAP.0000000000000239 Cooper DB, McCathran CE. Cervical Dysplasia. [Updated 2019 Dec 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430859/ American Academy of Family Physicians. Cervical dysplasia. Updated November 13, 2018. familydoctor.org Additional Reading American Cancer Society. "HPV and HPV Testing." Atlanta, Georgia; updated October 9, 2017. Khan, M. and Smith-McCune, K. "Treatment of Cervical Precancers: Back to Basics." Obstet Gynecol. 2014; 123(6):1339-43. DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000287. Lopaschuk, C. "New approach to managing genital warts." Can Fam Physician. 2013; 59(7):731-36.