What is the HPV vaccine?

 

hpv vaccine in colchester

 

Have you had your HPV vaccine in Colchester yet?

 

Here at Colchester Travel Clinic, we believe in ensuring that you are protected wherever you go. That’s why we are more than just travel vaccinations – we also provide women’s health services and treatments, such as the HPV vaccine in Colchester.

   

   

What is HPV?

 

HPV stands for Human Papilloma virus, which describes a collective of common viruses that affect the skin. There are over 100 HPV viruses, most of which do not cause long-term harm. Further information can be found in the above World Health Organisation video.

 

How is HPV spread?

 

According to the NHS, many types of HPV affect the genital area, mouth or throat. These are very common and easy to contract; you do not need to have had penetrative sex to contract them. HPV does not display any symptoms, so you may be unaware that you have it.

 
It can be caught from:
 

– Vaginal, oral or anal sex

– Sharing sex toys

– Any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area

 

However, it is important to note that you do not have to have sexual intercourse, or contact, with copious amounts of people; you can contract HPV the first time you are sexually active. Moreover, you can even have it if you have not been sexually active, or changed partners, for many years.

 

What are the risks of HPV?

 

You can have HPV without it causing problems for a number of years. However, HPV can cause conditions such as genital warts, as well as abnormal cell changes that can sometimes become cancer. The types of cancer linked to high-risk HPV include:

 

– Anal cancer

– Cervical cancer

– Cancer of the penis

– Vulval cancer

– Vaginal cancer

– Certain types of head and neck cancer

   

HPV vaccine in Colchester

 

How can you protect yourself against HPV?

 

There is no treatment for HPV; it is not possible to fully protect yourself against it. Condoms can help in terms of offering protection. However, they do not cover all of your genital area and the skin surrounding it; therefore, they do not offer full protection.

Therefore, it is recommended that you have a HPV vaccine such as ours. Even though it does not offer protection from all types of HPV, it protects against the variants that cause the most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts.

   

hpv vaccine in colchester

 

Our HPV vaccine in Colchester

 

If you are not considered to be eligible for the NHS HPV vaccine, we offer a private HPV vaccine in store. Our HPV vaccination is a course of two or three injections (depending on your age); it is administered in your upper arm. Your jabs need to be at least 6 months apart, and you must have all of the doses for it to be fully effective. We are able to offer the HPV vaccine at a very competitive price, to offer you the protection you need. Further information can be found on our HPV vaccine page.

 

Contact us to book in for your HPV vaccine today!?

 

We also offer a range of travel vaccinations and travel-related services to suit your needs; you can book in with our pharmacists using the booking calendar below.