Can HPV go away on its own?

Hi Anon - Please take a deep breath...and let's see what we can do to get you some helpful information. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types that can cause penile cancer. It's highly unlikely that the new warts are an indication of cancer. The first signs include changes in color, skin thickening or a build-up of tissue on the penis. Later signs include a growth or sore on the penis. It's usually painless, but in some cases, the sore may be painful and bleed. Additionally, penile cancer is very rare.

That being said, it still remains really, really important that you understand the risks from STDs and that you take appropriate precautions, which become even more important when you're showing signs of an active STD. The following link provides a lot of good information. Will you read it and then let us know what you think? Pat
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv-and-men.htm

I'm 21 i recently seen small little white warts on my penis and went to a doctor and he said it is HPV and he removed them with a laser and i got some again like 1 or 2 that reappeared so does that mean i have the cancer one? :-( im really scared.... and if i do have sex should it always be with a condom so it doesn't spread???? please hellpppp

HPV does not go away. However, it does not necessarily mean you will get cervical cancer. My mom was told she had cervical pre-cancer but considering how healthy her lifestyle is, the doctor said it would just work itself out and it went away all on its own. Just stay healthy and aware of how your body feels.

I think there is a bit of confusion about what the body does to deal with viruses and what it means to get over a viral infection in general. I wont go into an immunology lesson and will try to keep it simple.

When a virus enters the body it replicates itself by hijacking cells and altering their DNA so that that cell no longer functions normally but instead makes more of the virus. The immune system combats this by killing those cells and viruses with various types of immune cells. The goal of the immune system is two fold; kill the infected cells and virus and make antibodies to that virus for future protection. In ideal cases the immune system wins and the viral load is reduced and the infection is eliminated. Some virus remains however in an inactive state, that is, not attacking cells and proliferating in the body. The infection has been cleared but the virus will always remain as will the antibodies to keep it in check. With many viruses like the rhinovirus or common cold, that is the end of the story, the immunes system won't allow that virus to cause illness again, which is why you wont get the same cold twice.

Some viruses however can be reactivated after the initial infection or are so virulent that they can not be over come by the immune system at all, and the virus wins. Examples of this can be seen with many of the herpes simplex viruses, the AIDS virus and the HPV virus.

Hope this information helps clarify what has previously been said about HPV infections or cervical dysplasia.

Hi Anon - Yes, this can be very confusing. Because HPV is a virus you will always have it, it isn't possible to eradicate a virus from the body. Our immune systems are our best and only defense against viruses and work to keep the virus in check. When someone says HPV will go away on its own, they are referring to the expression of the virus in tissue. That can be cleared and "go away" and often does. There is currently no treatment available for the virus itself. However, good treatments do exist for the diseases HPV can cause, such as cervical cell changes in women or genital warts in both women and men.

Most sexually active couples share HPV until the immune response eliminates the infection. Partners who are sexually intimate only with each other are not likely to pass the same virus back and forth. When the HPV tissue infection is cleared up the immune system will remember that HPV type and keep a new infection of the same HPV type from occurring again. However, because there are many different types of HPV, becoming immune to one HPV type may not protect you from getting HPV again if exposed to another HPV type.

The American Social Health Association has a lot of helpful information including this information specifically for men: http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_hpv_men.cfm

Their HPV Prevention Resource Center is also helpful:
http://www.ashastd.org/hpv/hpv_overview.cfm

Hi this is the person who said about only having one year left. What I ment by this is you said somwhere else here tha HPV clears up on it's own usually within two years so now I'm confused? If it doesn't go away what am I supposed to do? I couldn never take the chance of passing it on to someone else, that would be too selfish. Thank you for the information before

Hi Anon - I'm not sure what you mean by "only having a year left" and "sticking it out." HPV is a virus and does not go away. Most men won't ever have symptoms, but they can pass the virus on to women. Some men do get genital warts, but only about 1% of sexually active men in the United States have them at any given time. If you use condoms as protection they are only 70% effective against HPV infection because the virus often live on the scrotum in males.

Here's a page about HPV in men from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv-and-men.htm

Here's an overview of HPV, how it's transmitted, symptoms and treatment:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hpv-infection/DS00906

I applaud you for seeking information and for wanting to protect both yourself and your partners. This is obviously going to have a significant impact on your life and the more you know the better.
Take good care, Pat

Hi this information is really helpfull I heard that it clears away on it's on but some places say it never goes thanks :) I was wondering if you could help me with future partners, see I don't want to pass it on so I was thinking I only have a year left I could stick it out but I'm also thinking what if I meet someone and they ask why I don't want to do it? If I do not have any warts and I was givin the all clear they were gona can I still pass HPV on even using a condom? It would be much appreciated to know thank you :)