Please tell your wives/girlfriends about this service in case they didn’t know as I didn’t and lots of people I’ve spoken to didn’t either and really wish they had done sooner. It is possible to buy HPV tests from Superdrug (and presumably other places) to check cervical cancer risk at home by yourself. It is currently only available free on the NHS in certain London areas if you are overdue a test. I’m 36 now and have been invited for screening since the age of 25. It’s been 11 years but I’ve never been for one. I’m not getting into the whys on a football forum but if, like me, going and getting this done is not a thing that is something yourself/a lady in your life will do then home tests now exists to do it yourself. It does cost £55 rather than free but you do it at home, it takes 30 seconds to do, is completely painless and could save your life. The way smear/HPV tests work at the doctors is they will do a HPV test and also do a smear to take sample cells from your cervix. If the HPV test comes back positive, they will then test the cells. If the HPV test comes back negative, the cells are not tested. The Superdrug test is the HPV part. I cannot stress enough how simple the test was to do and post back (postage envelope is already paid and can go in any normal postbox). Disclaimer: if you/your partner are/is willing to have a smear test, do that. It could flag up other issues whilst are there and it’s free. If, however, you’re/they’re definitely not going to have one, then please do this test if you can afford it. Mine came back negative thankfully but you just never know. I’ll definitely do one every 5 years now in line with the standard testing schedule for my age.
The problem with HPV is it's transmitted from skin to skin contact. If you end up with a Cauliflower on end of your c oc k have your suspicions but please don't accuse as you could have contracted the virus from that naughty blow job in the bike shed when you were 13.
Warts are caused from strains 6 and 11, that’s not what this test tests for. It’s looking for 16 and 18 (plus other less risky strains) that are known to cause cervical cancer.
Convinced my mother last year as she's always been anxious/nervous about doing doctor stuff. Keep up the good work Jamdrop.
Excuse my crudeness. If said orifice has HPV. If you came out of it or came into contact with it you do too.
Almost everyone has it at some point in their life. Most people’s bodies clear themselves of it within two years. Even if your body doesn’t clear it, it takes a very long time for it to develop into cancer (if you have that specific strain) - around 15-20 years. For women, if they have regular screenings, it can easily be caught and treated if cells are found to be abnormal before it becomes a problem. Unfortunately for men, there are no male screening tests, all you can do is practice safe sex, encourage your female partners to get checked and hope that if you do get it your body clears it like most people’s do. Thankfully, the vaccination program for both boys and girls seems to be extremely effective so hopefully HPV is a problem that will be solved completely in the future.
For any other women out there, having a smear test is not as bad as you may think. Glad you've done the test though @JamDrop , better safe than sorry!
Of course, most women under the age of around 25 have been vaccinated against HPV. But it is still an important issue for those that aren't.
'The routine adolescent HPV vaccination programme, offered to 12 to 13 year olds in school, has been following a 2-dose schedule for girls since September 2014. The programme was introduced to boys aged 12 to 13 in September 2019.' 'There is also a HPV vaccination programme for gay and bisexual men and other MSM up to 45 years of age.'
