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Love manicures? Well, be careful, as a simple cut on the nail can lead to human papillomavirus infection (HPV). Don’t believe us? Wait till you hear about Grace Garcia’s unfortunate story.
Garcia, a US-based woman, went for a simple manicure session in a new nail salon. The technician went a bit harsh with a cuticle that led to a blister in Garcia’s nail. The cut never healed properly, and later Garcia learned that she had developed a non-melanoma form of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, caused by human papillomavirus infection.
According to experts, the nail technician probably used the manicure tool on a previous person, which led to HPV - an infection that can be passed on between people through skin contact.
What is human papillomavirus infection?
Human papillomavirus is basically a viral infection that can occur through skin-to-skin contact. While there are more than 100 varieties of HPV, it's estimated that 40 are passed through sexual contact, thereby affecting the mouth, genitals, and throat.
It's important to note that a person with HPV can pass the disease to anyone, even when there're no signs or symptoms. Also, note that symptoms can develop years after having sex with someone who’s HPV positive.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human papillomavirus infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections among people.
Human papillomavirus infection symptoms
Often, HPV doesn’t cause any health problems or visible symptoms and the infection clears on its own in a few years. However, infections with a high risk of HPV may last longer and cause changes in the cells of the penis and cervix leading to cancer.
The only visible symptoms are the formation of warts, which includes common warts, genital warts, flat warts, and plantar warts. However, the kind of wart you get depends on what kind of HPV infection you have.
Warts are highly contagious, and a person can get them by coming in contact with someone else’s wart or even by touching the same objects.
Is HPV curable?
Well, there are no human papillomavirus infection treatments, as most cases of HPV go away on their own. However, your doctor might call you for repeated sessions to see if the infection persists.
Warts, meanwhile, can be treated with medications or ointments, including imiquimod, salicylic acid, or podofilox. If these don’t work, your doctor will then go for other wart-removing treatments, such as laser surgery, cryotherapy, or electrocautery.
Factors that increase risk of getting human papillomavirus infection:
Certain factors increase the chances of contracting HPV, including:
- damaged or bruised skin
- direct contact with someone’s wart
- age
- different sexual partners
- weak immune system
Precautions and safety
While you can’t ward off HPV infections completely, as there are no signs or symptoms, you can reduce your chances of getting the infection.
The best way to prevent human papillomavirus infection is to get vaccinated. The HPV vaccine is effective and safe and can protect against cancers caused by HPV. For women aged 21 to 65 years, getting screened for cervical cancer is important, as it can determine infections and risk of cancer. If you're sexually active, practice safe sex, and use condoms all the time.
