Treatment Options for HPV
There is NO cure for HPV
However, there are few treatment options to remove abnormal cells.
90% of the time, the body's immune system can rid some types of HPV on its own.
HPV Positive, No Symptoms
*Simply testing positive for HPV may not mean you will need treatment, at least not immediately. After a positive HPV test, your doctor may suggest close monitoring.
*For women, doctors may swab cells from the cervix, just as they are collected for a Pap test, and have them analyzed in a laboratory. This analysis looks for genetic material, or DNA, of HPV within the body's cells. It can detect the high-risk HPV types. No specific test for the strains of HPV that cause cancer is available at this time for men.
*If a woman is infected with a type of HPV that can lead to cancer, the doctor may suggest frequent Pap tests to watch for signs of abnormal cell changes in the genital area. Abnormal cell changes in the cervix are a warning sign of possible cervical cancer. The doctor may also do a test called a colposcopy, in which a special magnifying device is used to look closely at the cervix, vagina, and vulva.
*The HPV virus itself cannot be treated, but often the body will clear HPV infection on its own. In most women, cervical HPV infection clears on its own within two years of detection.
(Note: Pregnant women, or women trying to conceive, should consult closely with their doctor before starting treatment. HPV treatments can affect pregnancy, so doctors may want to delay treatment until after childbirth.)
HPV Treatments for Tissue Changes
*If the HPV infection has caused abnormal cell changes that could lead to cervical cancer, there are four main treatment options:
- Watch and wait. Sometimes the cell changes -- called cervical dysplasia, precancerous cell changes, or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia -- will heal on their own.
- Cryotherapy. This involves freezing the abnormal cells with liquid nitrogen.
- Conization. This procedure, also known as a cone biopsy, removes the abnormal areas.
- LEEP or Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure. The abnormal cells are removed with a painless electrical current.
