Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
How Long Does HPV Infection Of Genital Skin Remain In The System?
Question: I heard that Genital warts, stays in your system once you get the virus. But I was thinking: If the virus infects the epithelial cells of the genital skin; What if(hypothetically) all the epithelial skin of the genitals is removed, then the virus will not have a host to infect and multiply and it will be eliminated from the body. Right?
Brief Answer:
Body's own immunity takes care of Hpv infection in majority
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
Though Hpv infection of genital skin can last for weeks or months but body's own immunity ultimately gets rid of the Hpv virus over a period of time so that most of the infected individuals are free of Hpv infection after 1-2 years of infection.
It is practically not possible to remove the epidermal layer from all of the genitals. It would traumatic too.
Regards
Body's own immunity takes care of Hpv infection in majority
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
Though Hpv infection of genital skin can last for weeks or months but body's own immunity ultimately gets rid of the Hpv virus over a period of time so that most of the infected individuals are free of Hpv infection after 1-2 years of infection.
It is practically not possible to remove the epidermal layer from all of the genitals. It would traumatic too.
Regards
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
