Hormones 2016

Genital warts
Because HPV is spread by skin-to-skin contact, it is possible for the skin
around your genital area not covered by the condom to become infected.
But condoms remain the safest option. If you have oral sex, cover the penis
with a condom. A dental dam, which is a latex or polyurethane (plastic)
square, can be used to cover the anal area or female genitals.
See also Condoms.
Dental dams are usually only available at sexual health and genitourinary
medicine (GUM) clinics, although your local pharmacist may be able to
order some for you.
Avoid sharing sex toys. However, if you do share them, wash them or cover
them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.
Following these measures will also help protect you from getting a number
of other STI’s, such as HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
HPV vaccines
HPV vaccines are currently not available for free outside of the The UKwide
National Health Service (NHS) vaccination schedule. In the UK, HPV
vaccines are offered to all girls in school year 8 aged 12 to 13 years.
Since September 2012, the vaccine Gardasil has been used and can help
protect against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause around 90% of genital
warts.
It also protects against types 16 and 18, which are linked to more than 70%
of cases of cervical cancer in the UK.
Before September 2012, a different vaccine called Cervarix was used to
protect against HPV types 16 and 18.
HPV vaccines cannot protect against all types of HPV. If you are a woman
and have received HPV vaccinations, you should still attend cervical
screening (smear tests) as the vaccines do not guarantee that you will not
develop cervical cancer in the future.
HPV vaccines are designed to try to help protect you from developing
certain types of HPV infection. They are likely to be of most benefit before
you have had sexual contact. It is not clear if there would be any benefit in
receiving HPV vaccination if you -
• are a man,
• are a woman too old to have been included in the NHS vaccination
schedule,
• have already had sex (NHS, 2014e).
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