Anonymous asked: Thanks for speaking so openly about HPV and STIs! I recently contracted HSV-1 genitally from oral sex with a partner, and I felt guilty about it for a long time (even though it's basically a common cold sore!). People need to stop being so ignorant about STIs (including making jokes about them), grow up, and realize that with sex comes risk and that, as you said, 80% of people will contract HPV, just like 90% of all American adults carry some form of HSV. Kudos!
Yup, I agree.
One thing I want to correct from my previous post. I mentioned that there’s no HPV test for guys, but I should have made it clear that I was referring to cisgender men. Also, urologists can, in fact, test for HPV with a penile swab and some doctors recommend an anal Pap test (also using a swab) for those engaging in anal intercourse (which makes it more likely that you may contract anal cancer from the virus). There are not, however, routine screenings like annually-administered pap smears.
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