HPV

Does smoking affect clearing HPV?

Told at my colposcopy appointment to stop smoking. Assumed it was general advice attached to any hospital visit.

evening_ferry 4 months ago

NoteMember experience, not medical advice. Symptoms overlap between infections and only a test can tell them apart.

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open_window 4 months ago

It was specific advice rather than general. Smoking is consistently associated with reduced clearance of HPV and with higher risk of progression to high grade cervical changes.

It is one of the few modifiable factors in this whole area, which is why they mention it.

apple_crate 4 months ago

It comes up for genital warts recurrence too. Same underlying idea, that smoking affects the local immune response in that tissue.

wool_coat 4 months ago

Ask for a referral to a stopping service at the same appointment if you want to act on it. It is much more effective than being told and left to it, and they are used to being asked.

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