HPV isn't a big deal. If you don't show symptoms and your paps are clear, you have nothing to worry about because even if you do have it and it's just not showing up it that means that it's not going to harm you, most likely, and your body may even clear it in a year. I asked a doctor because I was concerned, that as a VIRGIN, I could still have it from skin contact and oral. I told her my pap was fine and she checked me and said I didn't have warts, and I said well I could still have it, isn't it a big deal? She said "it's nothing to worry about because at this age, your body will clear it on it's own" and I said "really I shouldn't worry?" She said "If you're concerned I would get the vaccine and use condoms when you do have sex, but as far as it not showing up now, it's not a big deal unless your pap shows up abnormal and you don't follow up on it." So basically, this is a very common virus that people may not even know they have, and they don't test you for it unless you are over a certain age or show abnormal paps or warts. Now as scary as warts sound, that isn't the strain that can cause cancer, it's just a pain to get removed. The other kind that you don't see signs of without a pap, is more dangerous, but like I said, if your pap is clear, you are fine. It's the kind of thing you can't worry about, you have to use condoms as often as possible and get a pap smear once a year or once every 6 months if you are really concerned. A healthy diet also keeps the virus from doing harm, that is if you have it. Even though this is a common virus, it's not like EVERYONE has it, I mean if you've only slept with two or three people you probably don't have it, but the more people you sleep with, the greater your chances. However like the doctor told me, it's not something to worry about if you have no signs of it because think of it this way: If you had it but it wasn't doing anything, what would it matter? Yes you don't want to pass it on, but that's why you should use condoms with EVERYONE EVERY TIME, unless you are married to the person. My mom had a lesion on her cervix which showed up after my brother was born, they cut it out and she was fine. She was scared, of course but 28 years later, she shows no sign of hpv at all. She is healthy and eats right, so that's why the virus cleared up. Back in the day, since she is much older than us, they didn't have the vaccine or really know what it was, and even though people got pap smears done it wasn't as talked about so people were at higher risk, but now people are more aware of it, and there is a vaccine. STDs are scary, but it's only because we make them out to be. If you don't have HIV/AIDS, then STDs are nothing to worry about, you are fine, you just have to keep your stress level down and eat healthy and stay in good shape, which you should do for your own well being anyway. STDs are curable, except for herpes and hpv (though it can go away on its own) and the first is just kind of annoying and something people make jokes about but it's not going to kill you, the second, well yes technically if you aren't careful and healthy if could kill you, but it's so rare that you will get an std, and if you do, like I said, you may not know you have it because it isn't doing anything, and it can clear up. I'm so paranoid about STDs and I'm still technically a virgin! But after talking to a doctor and reading up on it, and hearing my mom tell me she had a lesion but was okay in the end, I realized that all I can do is try to protect myself as best as I can and get an annual check up. Unless you want to never touch another person again, there's not way to avoid these things in life.
