♥HPV Vaccine: Help Protect Yourself♥

Cervical cancer is caused by a virus. This common and highly infectious virus is the human papillomavirus (HPV) more commonly known as skin warts, or for us Filipinos we call it kulugo.

By Bernadette Young

Skin warts are usually found on our hands and feet and can be cleared by the body’s immune system. Women can get genital warts through sexual contact (through direct genital contact, hand-genital contact, oral-genital contact).

Doctors can easily diagnose genital warts which are soft and moist, flesh-colored, in clusters, smooth and flat, or raised with a rough texture. Genital warts appear within weeks or three months after infection. When these genital warts are not cleared by the body’s immune system it can develop into cervical cancer.

Those who are sexually active, have many partners, or have a partner who had several partners are at risk for HPV. Luckily there is a vaccine for HPV.

HPV vaccines are believed to stimulate the body’s immune system to produce neutralizing antibodies that help protect against HPV in the skin cells of the genital area.

There are two types of vaccines available�a bivalent vaccine that prevents two types of HPV and a quadrivalent vaccine that prevents four types of HPV. Of course, the quadrivalent vaccine costs a bit more. Both vaccines are administered within a six month period by a doctor.

A lot of women have asked if they will feel weak or ill after getting an HPV shot just like when they get a flu shot. A doctor will tell you that it’s not supposed to happen, although some have said their arm hurt or they couldn’t raise their arm in the days following the shot.

HPV vaccines are not intended to treat existing cervical cancer and other HPV-caused diseases. Getting vaccinated will help prevent cervical cancer, but it can not treat cervical cancer, so it is still recommended for women to have their yearly Pap Smear test.

Ultimately, shelling out a couple of thousand pesos to prevent HPV and cervical cancer is still a small amount when compared to the cost of having and treating cancer-not to mention the emotional impact on you, your family, and friends. So go out there and help protect yourself. It might just be your best investment to date.