Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common infection that spreads through sexual contact. There are over 100 types of HPV, with around 40 types that can infect the genital areas. Most people who become infected with HPV do not have any symptoms and clear the infection on their own within 1 to 2 years.
What is HPV?
HPV stands for human papillomavirus. It is a group of over 100 related viruses, of which there are more than 40 different types that can infect the genital areas of males and females. HPV is considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Some types of HPV can cause health problems including genital warts and cancers. But most HPV infections do not lead to cancer or warts. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types that can cause cancers.
HPV is the most common STI. Around 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, with about 14 million people becoming newly infected each year. HPV is so common that nearly all men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives if they are sexually active.
How is HPV spread?
HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. It can be spread through oral sex and other close skin-to-skin touching during sexual activity. It can also be passed even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.
Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. You also can develop symptoms years after you have sex with someone who is infected. This makes it hard to know when or from whom you got the infection.
What are the symptoms of HPV?
Most people with HPV do not develop any symptoms and the infection usually goes away completely by itself. When HPV does not go away and becomes an infection that lasts for many years, it can cause cells to change and lead to:
- Genital warts (cauliflower-shaped bumps in the genital area caused by some low-risk HPV types)
- Cervical cancer and precancerous cervical lesions
- Anal cancer
- Oropharyngeal cancer (cancer in the back of the throat, including in the base of the tongue and tonsils)
- Penile cancer
- Vaginal cancer
- Vulvar cancer
But these problems develop slowly over many years and are not common in most people with HPV. Cervical cancer screening and HPV testing can help prevent cervical cancer by catching precancerous changes early.
How long does an HPV infection last?
For most people, an HPV infection will go away on its own within 1 to 2 years. Approximately 90% of new HPV infections, including those caused by high-risk HPV types, clear or become undetectable within 2 years. But sometimes an HPV infection will last longer and become a persistent infection.
When HPV lingers for many years, it can cause cell changes that lead to cancer over time. It is not known why HPV goes away in some, but not most people. There is no treatment that can make an HPV infection clear faster.
Persistent HPV infection
An HPV infection is considered persistent when it does not go away on its own within a few years. Persistent infection occurs in about 10% of people with HPV. A persistent HPV infection lasts for more than 2 years, 5 years, or even longer.
Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is the greatest risk factor for HPV-related diseases including cancers. The chance that HPV will become persistent depends on the site of infection, viral factors, and the person’s immune response.
Having a weakened immune system also makes it more likely that HPV will persist for a long time. People with HIV/AIDS have a higher risk of getting an HPV infection that does not go away.
How to get rid of a persistent HPV infection
There is currently no treatment available that will get rid of an established HPV infection or make it go away faster. But even infections that persist can still clear eventually.
The only HPV vaccines available are used to prevent new HPV infections – they will not treat or get rid of existing HPV infections. For persistent infections that can lead to cancer, treatments are available for the cell changes or cancer but not the HPV infection itself.
Taking care of your health with good nutrition, exercise, stress management, and sleep may help boost your immune system to clear an HPV infection. But there are no supplements or home remedies that will make an HPV infection go away.
How long is HPV contagious?
HPV can be passed to a partner during any type of sexual activity. It is easily spread by skin-to-skin contact. HPV is considered the most contagious STI.
If you are sexually active with a partner, the chances of transmitting HPV are high. Using condoms may lower your chance of passing the infection to a partner but does not completely prevent it.
Even after a person’s HPV infection clears, they can transmit the virus to new partners. An HPV infection can lay dormant and you may still be able to transmit the virus years later after it reactivates.
The contagious period lasts as long as HPV remains in the body. An HPV infection can be transmitted to a partner anytime from your first sexual encounter until the virus goes away, which may be weeks, years, or even lifelong if it does not clear.
Reducing HPV transmission
To reduce your risk of spreading HPV or getting a new HPV infection:
- Limit your number of sex partners, have sex with someone who only has sex with you
- Use latex condoms correctly every time you have sex
- Do not have sexual contact if you or your partner have signs of infection like warts
- Get vaccinated against HPV if eligible
Who gets HPV infections?
HPV is extremely common and anyone who is sexually active can get the virus at some point. According to the CDC, about 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV and about 14 million people become newly infected each year.
At least 80% of sexually active people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime. By age 45, most men and women have been exposed to HPV.
Some groups at highest risk of getting HPV infections include:
- People in their late teens and early 20s (although people of any age can get HPV)
- Individuals who have multiple sex partners
- Men who have sex with men
- People with weakened immune systems, including those with HIV
HPV infection by age
| Age Group | HPV Prevalence |
|---|---|
| 14 to 19 years | 24% infected |
| 20 to 24 years | 45% infected |
| 25 to 29 years | 35% infected |
| 30 to 39 years | 25% infected |
| 40 to 49 years | 19% infected |
Rates of HPV are highest in people in their late teens and 20s, who are more likely to have multiple new sex partners.
How common are HPV infections in males vs females?
HPV infections are very common in both men and women. However, HPV tends to be more persistent in men. The prevalence of genital HPV infection is similar among males and females in the U.S. population.
According to the CDC, around 45% of men and 40% of women have a genital HPV infection at any given time. By age 45, around 70% of men and women have been exposed to genital HPV.
While HPV clears quickly in most women, over 18% of men have a persistent oral HPV infection. The reasons why HPV persistence is higher among men are unclear.
Can HPV infections be prevented?
Yes, HPV infections can be prevented. The best way to prevent HPV is by getting vaccinated. Two HPV vaccines are recommended by the CDC – Gardasil and Cervarix. HPV vaccination works very well to prevent new infections with the HPV types targeted by the vaccine.
The HPV vaccines provide long-lasting protection against new HPV infections. They do not treat or get rid of existing HPV infections. To get the most benefit, the vaccines should be given before a person becomes sexually active or exposed.
HPV vaccination is recommended at ages 11 to 12 for both boys and girls, but can be given as early as age 9. Catch-up vaccines are recommended for females ages 13 to 26 and for males 13 to 21 who have not been vaccinated already.
In addition to vaccination, practicing safer sex can lower your risk of getting HPV. But condoms and other barriers do not fully protect against HPV.
Can HPV infections be cured?
There is currently no cure for an HPV infection. For most people, HPV goes away on its own within 1-2 years. But for some people HPV persists and is not naturally cleared from the body.
Persistent HPV infection is a major risk factor for cervical cancer and some other types of cancers. But even infections that persist long-term can eventually clear. Some studies show that more than 90% of new HPV infections will clear or become undetectable within 10 years.
Even if an HPV infection goes away, you can be re-infected later by a new partner. Previous exposure to HPV does not give immunity to new infections. There is no limit to the number of times you can get infected.
Although HPV has no cure, the cancers and lesions it causes can be treated. Cervical cancer is highly preventable with regular screening. There are also effective treatments for genital warts and precancerous cervical changes caused by HPV.
Can HPV be cured naturally?
There are no known natural cures or home remedies that will get rid of an HPV infection. While supplements like vitamins, herbs, and probiotics support good health, they do not specifically eliminate HPV.
Your body’s immune system plays an important role in clearing HPV. Taking good care of your overall health may help boost your ability to fight infections. But healthy lifestyle habits have not been proven to make HPV infections go away faster.
Most alternative treatments advertised online as HPV cures have not been medically proven effective or safe. Before trying any product, discuss it with your doctor to make sure it will not interact with any health conditions or medications.
Does HPV go away forever?
HPV does not always go away forever after you get infected. Some people clear an HPV infection quickly, while others can have it for many years. Occasionally HPV lasts a lifetime and does not go away.
In most healthy people, their immune system will eventually clear or suppress HPV. About 90% of new HPV infections go away and become undetectable within 2 years. It is harder to study how often HPV persists beyond 2 years.
One study followed 1,900 college women for up to 10 years. After 10 years, over 90% of HPV infections cleared completely and were no longer detectable.
Even after testing negative for HPV, you can become reinfected by a new partner. Previous exposure to HPV does not provide any immunity against new types you have not been infected with before.
HPV dormancy and reactivation
When HPV seems to go away but then comes back later, this may be due to the virus going into a dormant state. HPV can go dormant in cells and remain inside the body for months or years after an infection appears to clear.
At any time, dormant HPV can reactivate and the infection will become detectable again on tests. You may also be able to transmit the virus to partners again after reactivation, even if you tested negative before.
It is not known what causes HPV to go dormant and become reactivated. Having a weakened immune system may make reactivation more likely. But even people with normal immunity can experience HPV reactivation.
Conclusion
HPV infections are extremely common, with most sexually active people getting infected at some point. While condoms reduce the risk of HPV transmission, the virus spreads easily during skin-to-skin sexual contact.
Most people’s immune systems clear the virus naturally within 1 to 2 years. But in some, HPV persists as a long-term infection that puts them at risk for certain cancers. Persistent infection is more common in men than women.
There is currently no cure for HPV once you are infected. But in most people, an HPV infection will eventually go away on its own even if it lingers for many years. Getting vaccinated is important to prevent new HPV infections that you have not already been exposed to.
Even after an infection clears, it is possible to have a recurrence or transmit HPV to partners from viral reactivation. Practicing safer sex and getting regular cancer screening remain important even after you have already had HPV.