I have started a new relationship. My partner and I are not vaccinated. While I understand and appreciate that HPV is like the common cold, everyone has or has had it, I also recognize that not everyone has had the strains that generate GWs. With that said, can you help me gauge the level of risk that I pose to my partner with respect to transmitting the HPV GW strain, specifically? I am not concerned about other strains that do not generate symptoms. I have abstained from sex for over 12 months. But it is unclear to me if I can, in good conscience, have intercourse without the fear of passing along this virus, which I appreciate is benign yet highly stigmatized. 

Put in other words, if I were dating your sister, would you advise her to pass on me due to my past experience with GW?

Thank you so much for your time and help. 

Following successful treatment for HPV, if there is no evidence of recurrence, there is little chance of transmission of infection.  Typically when warts recur, they do so within 6 months of treatment so it's unlikely that your warts will reappear. In this situation, I would not worry about passing your infection on to a new partner who, if she is already sexually active, is more likely than not to already have HPV, just as you have.

Two additional comments:

1.  Are you confident that the lesions you had treated in 2023 were warts?  The pubic region is an unusual location for warts, most of which occur in men on the penis.  The treatments you had were non-specific, and work for a number of other processes which cause genital lesions including molluscum and folliculitis.

2.  Given your concerns about HPV, I'm not sure why you have not been vaccinated.  Vaccination is recommended, covered by most health insurance, and highly effective without side effects.  Just wondering!   EWH

Admittedly, I had initially self treated with salicylic acid and burned myself quite badly. I had taken pictures prior to treating and the dermatologist that I visited said that she believed it was HPV but, given the inflammation, could not say with absolute certainty (when seeing me in person). Similarly, the lesion in question, which I am calling recurrence, was quite small and the dermatologist said, “it may or may not be HPV. But let’s just hit it with the cryo.”

In terms of region, I’m calling this pubic area, about 0.5 inches above the base of my penis. Does this seem odd location wise?

It does sound like if this were HPV, given the time that has passed without a “lesion” (8-9 months), I should have a high confidence level that the virus has been cleared or diminished to a level that would not likely pass to others..?

Additionally, with all due respect, I recognize that almost all sexually active adults will have HPV. I am only concerned about passing along the strain with warts. 

Finally, with respect to vaccination… i have heard a lot of issues around vaccine injuries specifically with the HPV vaccine, which does concern me. 

Thank you again. 

I'm not sure where you might have heard this but it's untrue.  The internet is full of misinformation regarding HPV and vaccines. These vaccines are remarkably safe, well tolerated, and effective.

One follow-up remaining.  EWH