Genital warts (condyloma acuminatum) are no joke, kids. Get the HPV Vaccine!
Not only can they be debilitating, embarrassing, and a risk to others, they are also caused by a virus, HPV, some strains of which are associated with higher risk of cervical and anal cancer, among others.
But there is good news. We are fortunate to live in the era of the HPV vaccine.
The currently available versions target strains of HPV that confer the highest cancer risk. It reduces your risk of at least 6 types of cancers. Not too shabby.
Being vaccinated doesn’t mean you’re immune to genital warts, but it does protect you in some cases, and it definitely reduces the risk. Hard to argue with that, especially knowing that about 4 out of 5 people will be exposed to HPV in their lifetimes.
Even if you aren’t worried about having a higher risk of developing an HPV-associated cancer, genital warts alone are no fun. I have seen some remarkably severe cases in my career. The treatments take a lot of work and commitment and are often painful.
To boot, there is no cure, so even if it looks like your warts are gone after treatment, there is always a risk they can come back.
I had to fight my insurance company tooth and nail (one of my favorite pastimes) to cover the vaccine when I got it in 2018. They thought I was too old. Humbug — my patients usually joke that I look like I haven’t graduated high school yet!
Consider talking to your trusted health professional about the HPV vaccine. You won’t regret it.
And, remember, the HPV virus is spread through sexual contact (it’s considered a Sexually Transmitted Infection like syphilis and gonorrhea), so practicing safe sex practices, such as using a male latex condom when applicable, can reduce but not eliminate the risk of transmission.
Do you have questions or concerns about this important topic? Let us know in the comments.
