How to Reduce Your Risk of Contracting HPV



Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that affects the skin and mucous membranes. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, with around 79 million people currently infected. While there is no cure for HPV, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of contracting it. Here are some tips on how to reduce your risk of contracting HPV:

1. Get Vaccinated: The best way to protect yourself from HPV is to get vaccinated. The HPV vaccine helps protect against nine types of the virus and can be given as early as age 9. Talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated if you haven’t already.

2. Use Protection: If you’re sexually active, it’s important to use protection such as condoms or dental dams during any sexual contact including oral sex or intercourse, as these can help reduce your risk of contracting HPV and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections).

3. Limit Your Partners: The more partners you have, the higher your risk of contracting an STI like HPV will be so limit your number of partners if possible and practice safe sex every time.

4. Get Tested Regularly: Make sure you get tested regularly for STIs including HPV even if you don’t have any symptoms as some types don’t show any signs until they cause health problems later on in life such as cervical cancer or genital warts.

5. Avoid Skin-to-Skin Contact: Avoiding skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an active infection may help lower your chances of getting infected with HPV so avoid activities like dry humping which can spread the virus even if clothes are still on both parties involved in this type of contact

Following these tips can help reduce your risk of contracting HPV but it doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get it so make sure to talk to a healthcare professional about ways to protect yourself from this virus and other STIs

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. Human papillomavirus (HPV), sexually transmitted infection, United States, vaccine, protection, condoms, dental dams, sexual contact, intercourse, oral sex, partners, STIs (sexually transmitted infections), tested regularly, skin-to-skin contact,

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