4 Ways To Keep Yourself Safe From Hpv

Many people have heard some scary facts about the HPV virus: that there is not a test for it

, no cure for it, and it can cause cancer and other bad issues. This is all true, but there is no reason to feel powerless.

HPV is a common disease, and is an unfortunate fact of life if you want to live a full, sexually active life. However, there are concrete steps you can take to make yourself safe from infection. There are also some things you can do to protect yourself from serious health consequences once you have already acquired the HPV infection. Knowing about how the disease works, and about your options, can make you safe and help you feel in control of your health.

The most important step in keeping yourself protected from genital HPV or from any STD, is to know the facts. This is especially important with HPV because there is so much bad information and just plain inaccuracies out there. Protect yourself by reading up on HPV from reliable sources, such as literature you receive from your doctor, or reputable on-line resources such as the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Cancer Institute, the Mayo Clinic, and your local health clinics. Don't rely on well-meaning friends, sexual partners, or rumors to get your information. Know the facts, and you have already given yourself some great ammunition toward real protection.

Limit your sex partners, and extend the age at which you may become sexually active if you haven't already done so. Incidence of HPV infection has been shown to be directly related to the number of sex partners an individual has. Also, it is increasingly apparent through research that the younger a person is, the more likely there is to be HPV infection present. Researchers have found this trend consistently: it is unknown whether this is occurring because today's youth are more likely to have multiple partners, or some other factor. But many researchers have suggested that there may be something in a young persons physiology - by "young" we mean under 30 - that predisposes him or her to being more vulnerable to certain diseases, including HPV infection. At any rate, the trend is a fact, and if you are young you should keep it in mind when choosing when and with whom to become sexually active.

Protect yourself by practicing safe sex. Although most birth control methods will not protect against HPV transmission - since it is transmitted skin to skin - you can protect yourself to some extent by using a condom every time. Keep in mind that since both oral and anal sex involve skin to skin contact, as does some heavy petting, these sexual practices can also result in your acquiring HPV.

One really great way to keep yourself safe is to take good care of your health. Get regular annual checkups and be up front with your doctor about your sex life, so that he or she can check for signs of any problems associated with HPV or other STDs. The more accurate and thorough information you give your doctor, the better your doctor can take care of you.

by: Michelle Anderson

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