Ever since the new HPV vaccine was introduced, there has been some confusion surrounding what it does and does not do. For instance, many people are under the mistaken impression that the vaccine can cure HPV if you have been infected. It can't. If you have a healthy immune system, you will probably be able to get rid of the virus naturally, but this can often take years. Other than that though, there is no treatment for HPV.
While there is no cure for the virus itself, there are treatments available for the diseases that HPV causes such as genital warts and certain types of cancer.
Gential warts that appear on the outside of the body can be cured by certain medications, creams and lotions. In time, genital warts may disappear on there own as well.
Some strains of HPV have also been shown to cause certain types of cancer such as cervical cancer, anal cancer and penile cancer. Because there is no HPV cure, it's important to get regular checkups if you are sexually active because the best way to treat these types of cancer is to catch them early. For women, regular routine Pap testing is a must.
Cervical cancer is the most common form of cancer caused by HPV and is also the most treatable if detected early enough. Depending on the stage, radiation, chemotherapy or surgery can be used to cure HPV caused cancer.
Again, HPV cannot be cured so it's important to take the steps necessary to prevent infection in the first place.
