Does HPV always show up on Pap smear?

In fact, many women with HPV will never have an abnormal pap smear. That being said, routine screening with your provider is the only way to follow any changes to the cervix that could lead to cervical cancer.

Can HPV show up years later?

HPV can be passed even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms. Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. You also can develop symptoms years after you have sex with someone who is infected.

How long does it take for HPV to cause abnormal cervical cells?

HPV-related cancers often take years to develop after getting an HPV infection. Cervical cancer usually develops over 10 or more years. There can be a long interval between being infected with HPV, the development of abnormal cells on the cervix and the development of cervical cancer.

What do I do if I have high risk HPV?

What’s the treatment for high-risk HPV

Colposcopy — a procedure to look more closely at the cervix to see if there are precancerous cells.
Cryotherapy — a treatment to freeze and remove precancerous cells from the cervix.

Can the body clear high-risk HPV?

High-risk HPV types Infection with HPV is very common. In most people, the body is able to clear the infection on its own. But sometimes, the infection doesn’t go away. Chronic, or long-lasting infection, especially when it’s caused by certain high-risk HPV types, can cause cancer over time.

Can high-risk HPV go away?

Some HPV (human papillomavirus) infections can go away on their own. In most people, the body’s immune system fights HPV infections and clears them from the body. Sometimes HPV infections can last longer. A longer infection with a “high-risk” HPV type can turn into cancer.

How often does high-risk HPV go away?

For 90 percent of women with HPV, the condition will clear up on its own within two years. Only a small number of women who have one of the HPV strains that cause cervical cancer will ever actually develop the disease.