On this page
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Partly. There is no treatment for the virus itself; results, warts and vaccine advice can be handled by video, while screening, colposcopy and treatment of abnormal cells are in person.
- Very common: most people get some type of HPV in their life. It usually causes no symptoms and is cleared by the body within 2 years.
- Two kinds: low-risk types cause genital warts; 12 high-risk types can cause cell changes that may lead to cancer of the cervix and other cancers.
- Prevention: the HPV vaccine protects against the types that cause most genital warts and cervical cancers, and cervical screening finds changes early.
- Emergency: call 112 for heavy vaginal bleeding, severe pain low in the tummy with a high temperature, or collapse.
Do not book a video appointment if you have heavy vaginal bleeding, severe pain low in your tummy with a high temperature, or you feel faint or collapse: call 112 or go to an emergency department. Unusual vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause, needs an examination in person.
Can an online doctor help with HPV?
Partly. There is no treatment for the HPV infection itself, and the body usually clears it within 2 years. What a doctor by video can do is explain an HPV-positive screening result and what happens next, treat genital warts, advise on the vaccine and on lowering your risk, and check symptoms such as unusual bleeding that need an examination. Cervical screening, colposcopy, treatment of abnormal cells and the vaccine itself are in person.
How an online consultation helps with HPV
- Your result explained: What HPV positive or negative means, why you may be invited back in 1 year, and what a colposcopy is.
- Warts treated: Genital warts, caused by low-risk HPV, can be treated with a prescription when it suits you.
- Vaccine advice: Whether the vaccine is likely to help you, and how to arrange it.
- Warning signs checked: Which symptoms need an examination, and how soon.
What the doctor checks in an online HPV consultation
The doctor asks about the symptoms that need an examination first, then about your results. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause, changes to your discharge, pain during sex, or pain in your lower back or pelvis.
- Your screening: your last results, letters about HPV or cell changes, and any colposcopy or treatment.
- Lumps: painless growths or lumps around the vagina, penis or anus, which can be genital warts.
- Vaccination: whether and when you had the HPV vaccine.
- Your health: smoking, HIV or another cause of a weakened immune system, pregnancy, and your medicines.
Have your result letter to hand. If you need an examination, colposcopy or screening, the doctor tells you why and where.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name of a very common group of viruses: there are more than 100 types, and most people get some type of HPV in their life. Most never know, because HPV usually causes no symptoms, and the body usually clears it within 2 years. Sometimes it stays longer. What matters is the type:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Low-risk HPV | High-risk HPV | |
|---|---|---|
| What it can cause | Genital warts and anal warts | Cell changes that can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, penis, vulva or vagina, and some head and neck cancers |
| Symptoms | Painless growths or lumps around the vagina, penis or anus | Usually none |
| How it is found | By looking at the warts | HPV testing as part of cervical screening |
| What helps | Treatment for warts, online or in person | Screening, colposcopy and treatment of abnormal cells, in person |
There are 12 high-risk types. Having one does not mean you will get cancer: it usually clears, and cervical cancer usually takes 15 to 20 years to develop after an HPV infection, which is why regular screening works so well.
How do you get HPV? Is HPV an STI?
HPV is passed on through skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, vaginal, anal or oral sex, and sharing sex toys. You do not need to have penetrative sex to get it. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide.
- Can a man give a woman HPV? Yes, and a woman can give it to a man or to another woman: any genital skin contact can pass it on.
- Do condoms prevent HPV? They help, but they do not cover all the skin around the genitals, so they do not give full protection.
- Is HPV herpes? No. HPV and the herpes simplex virus are different viruses. HPV usually causes no symptoms, or painless warts; genital herpes has its own page: genital herpes.
- Is HPV contagious for life? Usually not: most infections are cleared within 2 years, although some last longer.
What does an HPV-positive result mean?
HPV testing is part of cervical screening, which is offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64. The sample is tested for high-risk HPV first; if HPV is found, it is checked for abnormal cells. There is no blood test for HPV. This is what each result means:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Your result | What it means | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| HPV negative | No high-risk HPV found; most people have this result | Screening again in 5 years |
| HPV positive, no abnormal cells | High-risk HPV, but the cells look normal | Screening again in 1 year, and 1 year later if HPV is still there; a colposcopy if it is still there after 2 years |
| HPV positive with abnormal cells | High-risk HPV and some cell changes | A colposcopy, a closer look at the cervix, and treatment if needed |
Does HPV positive mean cancer?
No. Most HPV infections clear on their own, and abnormal cells are not cancer. Screening exists to find changes years before they could become cancer, when they are easy to treat. The vaccine does not replace screening, so keep going when you are invited.
Can men get HPV?
Yes. Men get HPV and usually clear it, but it can cause genital and anal warts and, less often, cancers of the penis, anus, and head and neck. Because HPV testing is part of cervical screening and there is no blood test, men are not routinely tested. A doctor can check warts or other changes, and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men can be vaccinated up to the age of 45 at some sexual health and HIV clinics.
How long does HPV last in men?
As in women, the body usually clears HPV within 2 years, though it sometimes stays longer.
Is HPV curable, and how do you get rid of it?
There is no treatment for the HPV infection itself, but in most people the immune system clears it within 2 years. What can be treated are its effects: genital warts, and cell changes in the cervix. Two things help your body clear it and lower the risk of problems:
- Not smoking: being a non-smoker, or stopping smoking, reduces the chance of a long-lasting HPV infection.
- Going to screening: cell changes found early are easy to treat.
Products sold to ‘clear HPV’ are not a treatment for the infection. People living with HIV are more likely to have HPV, and the WHO advises cervical screening every 3 years from the age of 25 for women living with HIV.
The HPV vaccine: who can have it?
The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that cause most genital warts and cervical cancers, but not all types. Three vaccines are available in Europe, and routine vaccination of girls and boys usually takes place between the ages of 9 and 14, before they become sexually active.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Who | Usual doses | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Children aged 12 to 13 | 1 dose | Offered at school |
| Missed it at school, under 25 | 1 dose | Girls, and boys born after 1 September 2006, until their 25th birthday |
| Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, up to 45 | 2 doses if 25 or over, 6 months to 2 years apart | Through sexual health and HIV clinics |
| People with a weakened immune system | 3 doses over 12 months | Including some people with HIV |
Side effects are usually mild and short-lived, such as a sore arm, headache or tiredness. Vaccinated women still need cervical screening. If you are outside these groups, the doctor can tell you whether the vaccine is likely to help you and how to arrange it.
HPV and cancer: the key figures
Cervical cancer is the cancer most often caused by HPV, and it is largely preventable with vaccination and screening. These are the WHO’s worldwide figures:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| New cancers caused by HPV in 2019 | 620,000 in women and 70,000 in men |
| Share of HPV-related cancers in women that are cervical | Over 90% |
| New cervical cancer cases in 2022 | About 660,000, with around 350,000 deaths |
| Time from HPV infection to cervical cancer | Usually 15 to 20 years |
What might the doctor recommend for HPV?
What happens next depends on your result, your symptoms and your history. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| HPV positive, no abnormal cells | An explanation, and screening again in 1 year | Yes | For the repeat screening |
| HPV positive with abnormal cells | A colposcopy | Partly | For the colposcopy and any treatment |
| Painless lumps around the genitals or anus | Assessment and treatment for genital warts | Yes | If they are inside the vagina or anus, or in pregnancy |
| Questions about the vaccine | Advice on whether it would help and how to arrange it | Yes | For the vaccine itself |
| Bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause | An examination | Only to assess | Promptly, in person |
| A partner with HPV or warts | Advice on risk, screening and the vaccine | Yes | Not usually needed |
An HPV-positive result and not sure what it means? A doctor can explain it in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment and prevention options for HPV
What you can do yourself
- Go to cervical screening when you are invited, including after the vaccine.
- Stop smoking if you smoke.
- Use condoms: they lower the risk, though they do not cover all the skin.
- Check whether you are eligible for the vaccine.
- See a doctor about unusual bleeding, changes in discharge, pain during sex, or new lumps or sores.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. There is no medicine for the HPV infection itself. For genital warts, the doctor may prescribe a treatment you apply at home when it suits you; cell changes found at screening are treated in person after a colposcopy. The vaccine is given in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Supplements or products sold to clear HPV. Skipping screening because you have had the vaccine, or because you feel well. Waiting with unusual bleeding.
Special situations
A weakened immune system or HIV
HPV is more common in people living with HIV, so screening is more frequent: the WHO advises every 3 years from the age of 25 for women living with HIV, and the vaccine is given as 3 doses. The HIV testing page covers testing.
Women who have sex with women
HPV passes through genital skin contact and shared sex toys, so cervical screening matters whatever the sex of your partners.
Pregnancy
Tell the doctor if you are pregnant: genital warts in pregnancy are treated in person.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When HPV is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: explaining screening results and next steps, genital warts that suit home treatment, vaccine advice, and advice on risk for you and your partners.
In-person care: cervical screening, colposcopy and treatment of abnormal cells, warts inside the vagina or anus, the vaccine itself, unusual bleeding, and any emergency sign.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- heavy vaginal bleeding
- severe pain low in the tummy with a high temperature
- fainting or collapse
Get medical advice the same day for:
- vaginal bleeding that is unusual for you, with pain or feeling unwell
- pain low in the tummy with a temperature or unusual discharge
Bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause, changes to your discharge, pain during sex, or pain in your lower back or pelvis need a doctor to check them promptly, even if they are mild.
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your result or symptoms: have your screening letter to hand, and mention any bleeding, lumps, your vaccination and whether you smoke.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s HPV? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Genital Warts can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about HPV
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus, a very common group of more than 100 viruses. Most people get some type in their life. It usually causes no symptoms and clears within 2 years, but some types cause warts and high-risk types can cause cancer.
What causes HPV, and how do you get it?
HPV is passed on through skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, vaginal, anal or oral sex, and shared sex toys. You do not need to have penetrative sex to get it.
Is HPV an STD?
Yes. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide, passed on through genital skin contact and sex. Most people clear it without ever knowing they had it.
What are the signs of HPV?
Usually there are none: most people with HPV never know they have it. Low-risk types can cause painless warts around the vagina, penis or anus. High-risk types cause no symptoms until cell changes are advanced, which is why screening matters.
Is HPV curable?
There is no treatment for the HPV infection itself, but the body usually clears it within 2 years. Warts and cell changes can be treated, and not smoking lowers the chance of a long-lasting infection.
Does HPV go away?
Usually, yes. Most HPV infections are cleared by the body within 2 years without causing any harm, though some high-risk infections last longer and can slowly change cells. Cervical screening checks whether high-risk HPV is still there, and a repeat test after a year shows whether it has gone.
Does HPV positive mean I have cancer?
No. It means high-risk HPV was found. Most infections clear, abnormal cells are not cancer, and cervical cancer usually takes 15 to 20 years to develop, so screening finds changes early.
What helps after an HPV-positive result?
A positive HPV test needs no treatment itself. Keep every screening and colposcopy appointment, because the check-up is what prevents cancer; stop smoking, which doubles the chance that HPV persists and progresses; use condoms, which lower the amount of virus passed between partners; have the HPV vaccine if you are under the age limit, since it protects against types you have not yet met; and tell current partners without blame, because HPV is so common that most adults have had it.
Can men get HPV?
Yes. Men usually clear it, but it can cause warts and, less often, cancers of the penis, anus, and head and neck. There is no routine HPV test for men.
Is it HPV, herpes or something else?
No. HPV and the herpes simplex virus are different viruses. HPV usually causes no symptoms, or painless warts, and it is usually cleared within 2 years.
Who can have the HPV vaccine?
Children are usually given the HPV vaccine between 9 and 14. In the UK, people who missed it can have it until their 25th birthday, and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men up to 45 at sexual health clinics.
Can an online doctor help with HPV?
Partly. A doctor can explain your HPV result, treat genital warts and advise on the vaccine by video. Screening, colposcopy and treatment of abnormal cells are in person.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV), NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 10 March 2026.
- Cervical screening: your results, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 26 June 2025.
- Human papillomavirus and cancer: fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 5 March 2024.
- Factsheet about human papillomavirus, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, updated February 2026.
- HPV vaccine, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 1 September 2023.
- Cervical cancer: symptoms, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 4 September 2024.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
Related conditions
Related reading from the Mobi Doctor blog
Speak to a doctor about HPV over video, usually within 15 minutes
Licensed doctors · open daily 7am–11pm CET · exact price before payment
See available times →