Men\'s Health Singapore - June 2017

M

Men like to categorise things.
Even sexually transmitted
infections. There’s the
terrifying (HIV/AIDS), and then
there’s everything else, like
the infections that produce
a rash or a bruise to the ego
but typically disappear with
prompt treatment.
But human papillomavirus
(HPV) deserves its own
category. It’s different. For one
thing, it’s shockingly common.
You’ve probably had it at least
once, and you may even have
it right now. But perhaps the
scariest thing about HPV is the

TEXT

JULIE STEWART

PHOTO 123RF

ILLUSTRATIONS

REMIE GEOFFROI

HEALTH

CANCER-CAUSING HPV INFECTS 14

MILLION AMERICANS A YEAR. HERE’S

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

The STI You

Already Have

side effect it leaves behind: an

increased cancer risk.

More American men than

ever – 9,100 a year – are

developing throat, tongue and

tonsil cancers thanks to HPV,

and according to the latest

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention estimates, the rates

keep climbing. HPV can also

cause penile or anal cancer too

• two diseases on our list of the
  worst ever.
  How can you stay safe? It’s
  complicated. But we have some
  lifesaving advice.

CONSIDER TESTING

A woman can be tested for

HPV with her Pap smear, but

there’s no US Food and Drug

Administration-approved HPV

test for men. A study in Jama

Oncology suggests that nearly

half of men are infected.

The virus can be detected in

cells from the mouth, penis or

anus, but since collecting good

samples from those areas isn’t

easy, the results of these tests

are often inaccurate, says Eric

Buhi of the Center for Research

on Sexuality and Sexual Health

at San Diego State University.

“There’s just no perfect place to

test where cell changes occur

regularly, like with the cervix,” he

says. The rectum may be the

best spot, but these tests aren’t

routinely recommended.

Ask for a test if you have HIV,

which raises HPV risk. “The main

argument against screening has

been that it’s not cost-effective,

but growing evidence is starting

to suggest that it is,” says Eric.

SET UP BARRIERS

When you discuss STI testing

with your partner, ask about

HPV. If she has tested positive,

don’t assume she has had a huge

number of sex partners

or cheated. HPV infections

are quite common and can

show up on a test long after

the exposure.

When in doubt, use a condom.

It’s not a perfect solution, since

HPV is transmitted via skin-to-

skin contact and you’ll rub up

against plenty of flesh even with

a rubber on.

Still, condoms are helpful. In

fact, research published in The

Journal of Infectious Diseases

found that men with multiple sex

partners who always used a

condom had half the HPV risk of

those who never wrapped up.

If you’re single, then you’ve

already made condoms a no-big-

deal routine, right? But what

about giving oral sex? That’s

where the dental dam comes in.

You place this thin film of latex

or polyurethane over her vagina

before you get down to business.

It’s not weird; it’s smart.

In one study from the

University of Washington, only

a small percentage of men

used dental dams during oral

sex, but not one of them had oral

38 JUNE 2017 MENSHEALTH.COM.SG