When will HPV symptoms appear after sexual intercourse?

HPV infection is a type of venereal disease that is susceptible to transmission through unsafe sex, especially sex with multiple partners without using a condom. Even though the HPV virus can go away on its own, there is still a chance that symptoms will continue to develop and cause serious complications. So, how long does it take for HPV symptoms to appear after sex?

Men and women are both at risk of contracting HPV infection

Maybe you have thought that HPV infection can only affect women.

The HPV virus is indeed a major risk factor for cervical cancer, a type of cancer that can be fatal in women, citing the Mayo Clinic.

Complications of HPV infection in women can also cause vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer.

But in fact, the CDC confirms that men and women alike can get HPV infection and the risk of complications, such as genital warts and cancer.

Both men and women are equally at risk of developing oral cancer, throat cancer, and anal cancer due to HPV infection.

Even in men, HPV infection can also lead to penile cancer.

People who have weak immune systems tend to be more susceptible to infection with the HPV virus, regardless of gender.

When did HPV symptoms begin to appear after sex?

Many people don't know they are infected human papillomavirus (HPV).

This is because HPV disease generally does not cause symptoms until the virus has actually developed and spread in the body.

Most cases of sexually transmitted diseases usually start showing symptoms within a period of time 2-3 weeks after the virus first enters the body.

Even so, this time span is a benchmark average for all types of sexually transmitted diseases.

So, for the length of time the symptoms of HPV appear themselves are not always the same for each person.

Most people who are infected with HPV are generally just starting to notice the appearance of genital warts 1–20 months after initial infection.

Genital warts are indeed one of the characteristics of HPV infection that is most likely to appear and be obvious the first time.

Meanwhile, the HPV virus which is at a higher risk will usually develop into cancer within 10-20 years.

What are the symptoms of HPV infection to look out for?

If you have a good immune system, HPV infection will not cause any symptoms.

The virus can go away on its own within 1-2 years.

However, some types of the HPV virus can enter a dormant phase, aka "fall asleep" in your body for several years.

This means, the virus can still multiply at any time in the body without you knowing it, even without causing any symptoms.

Therefore, many people who are sexually active, but do not realize that there is a HPV virus in their bodies.

The reason is, not all HPV infections will show symptoms within a certain time.

If your immune system is not working optimally or there are other determinants of health factors, HPV symptoms may appear.

That is the importance of undergoing screening tests or examinations to determine whether you are really infected with HPV or not.

Depending on the type of HPV virus that infects your body, you may experience different signs and symptoms of HPV:

1. Symptoms of warts due to HPV

Some types of the HPV virus have low risk properties and will only cause warts on certain parts of your body.

However, depending on the severity, these warts still require further medical treatment to prevent complications.

The following are the types of warts that can arise due to HPV infection:

Genital warts

Genital warts usually appear as small bumps that resemble cabbage.

In women, warts can appear on the vulva, vagina, skin area around the anus, to the cervix.

Whereas in men, the skin of the penis, testicles (testes), and around the anus are some of the places where genital warts are most commonly seen as a symptom of HPV.

Common warts

Apart from the genitals, warts can also appear on other parts of the body, such as the hands, fingers, heels, to the face.

However, the appearance of genital warts is not always a sure sign of HPV infection.

If you find warts that suddenly grow on any part of the body, you should consult a doctor to find out the cause and treatment.

2. Symptoms of cancer due to HPV

If genital warts are usually caused by the low-risk HPV virus, it's a different story with cancer.

There are also HPV viruses with high risk characteristics that are often the culprit behind various types of cancer, especially cervical cancer.

However, the duration it takes for the HPV virus to develop into cancer may be longer than with warts.

In the case of cervical cancer, usually the HPV virus takes about 10-20 years to develop.

The following are the types of cancer caused by HPV infection and the signs that you can recognize:

Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is an abnormal growth of tissue that occurs in the cervix.

Symptoms of cervical cancer that need to be aware of are unpleasant-smelling discharge as well as vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain during sex.

Vulvar cancer

HPV infection can also cause vulvar cancer, which is the area of skin that is outside the vagina.

The symptoms of vulvar cancer due to the HPV virus are usually in the form of an itchy feeling that doesn't go away, vaginal bleeding, and an unusual lump in the vaginal area.