No, it does not mean you should never have sex again. It does mean, however, that you should talk to any partners before engaging in risky sexual activities (oral sex, anal sex, penile-vaginal sex) about your HPV status and that you should always use condoms and other latex barriers if you do decide to have oral, anal, or penile-vaginal sex. Also, since some types of HPV can increase the risk of cervical cancer, girls and women with HPV should be extra sure to get regular pap smears (at least once a year).

Using latex barriers is something all sexually active people should be doing to protect themselves and their partners whether they know they have an STD or not. Usually it is telling someone you are dating that you have an STD that is the hardest part.

Living with an STD can be hard because sexuality is a topic that many people consider “off limits” or taboo. Nowadays, there are lots places (web sites, support groups, hotlines etc.) to go for information and support for people who have an STD. A lot of these places have information about the STD as well as support and advice for telling a partner and talking to people about it. A good place to start is by visiting the American Social Health Association web site at www.ashastd.org.

Sometimes when people find out they have an STD it feels like they are alone. But, the truth is that more than half of sexually active people will become infected with a viral STD at some point in their lives even though most of them do not know they are infected. The good thing is that you do know and so you can do something about it by learning the facts about HPV. Spending time exploring the different web sites, hotlines, and support groups can help you gain the support you need to realize you are not alone, that there are lots of people out there just like you!