Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that affects the skin and
mucous membranes. Mainly, moist linings of body cavities that happen to
connect with the outside of the body, like the mouth or nose, are
affected. It is contagious and thus can be transferred from one person
to another through skin contact or through sexual intercourse.
Unfortunately, there is no universal HPV cure available at this time.
Certain types of HPV cause warts, such as genital and plantar warts,
while other types can cause infections and increase the risk for
cervical cancer. Most HPV infections generally tend to be harmless,
although they can be embarrassing. The various types of HPV are
categorized into high or low risks depending on their relation with
cancer. Low risk types of HPV rarely cause cancer while high risk types
are likely to eventually develop into cancer.
HPV infections commonly go unrealized for a very long time because
the symptoms are usually not easily noticed. In fact, many times the
virus is contracted years earlier but still remains in the body without
showing any symptoms and/or infections. Although, for those who
experience HPV symptoms, it is important to note that the symptoms
depend on the particular type of HPV infection. Some of the HPV symptoms
include:
- Common warts: These are painless and firm growths that exhibit a rough surface and tend to appear on the victims knees, fingers, faces, as well as around the nails.
- Flat warts: These are basically small and smooth warts that appear in clusters at the back of the victims hands, face and legs.
- Plantar warts: These appear on top of your feet as well as your soles. When the condition occurs on the soles of your feet, it makes them to be quite painful.
- Filiform warts: These are long and thin projections that appear around the eyes, the face and the neck.
- Genital warts: This condition exhibits small cauliflower like shapes or flat lesions. They tend to appear on the genital areas such as the vagina, cervix, penis, vulva, scrotum and even the anus. Sometimes they result in bleeding, itching, or producing a discharge.
- Precancerous lesions: These are abnormal cells in the cervix. They are are painless and can specifically be detected using a Pap smear.
