Not true! Women can request the HPV test at any time following exposure and the test is capable of detecting the virus, even if it hasn't had time to invade cells. The test is looking for the virus itself, not cancer, warts, or lesions - so it will indicate the presence of HPV regardless of whose cells (yours or a recent partner's) were grabbed in the sample. The test is also super sensitive, meaning that it'll detect a relatively small number of HPV virions, in chemical terms. The test is so sensitive, in fact, that if you test negative for HPV, your chance of developing a high grade lesion on your cervix in the next three years is close to zero!
And guys and gals, if you think there's a chance you were exposed to HPV, that should be all the warning you need. Please don't ever represent that you're free of the virus if there's a chance that you're not.
This is Post #7 in the series, Debunking HPV Myths. For other parts of the series, click here.
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