Are you a student living in Manchester? The HPV vaccination will give you protection against a sexually transmitted infection that causes certain cancers.
Read our advice on HPV and how to get the HPV vaccine. South Manchester Travel Clinic is Manchester’s premier vaccination Centre.
We offer the HPV Vaccine course at excellent prices
Price list can be found here
Human Papilloma Virus aka HPV is a group of very common viruses that affect the skin. There are over 100 HPV viruses and most do not cause any problems for people. Some types of HPV cause minor conditions such as verrucas which most of us have probably had when we were kids.
However, a few strains of HPV are considered “high risk” and pose a more serious health risk. These strains of HPV can cause skin lesions in the mouth and genitals which may lead to developing cancer.
HPV is associated with a number of cancers including:
— Cervical cancer
— Throat cancer
— Mouth cancer
— Penile cancer
Both men and women are at risk of HPV-related cancers.
Ordinary skin warts are the most common symptom of HPV you’re likely to experience. However, most people with HPV won’t have any symptoms. The HPV types that cause warts and verrucas don’t cause cancer. You won’t know if you have a cancer-causing type of HPV.
HPV is easily transmitted such as getting a verruca by walking barefoot at a swimming pool. There are around 40 types of HPV that affect the genital area. These types of HPV are spread through any type of sexual contact. You can catch HPV even if you haven’t had penetrative sex.
You may not be able to completely protect yourself against catching HPV. But you can lower your risk by:
— Using a condom during sex
— Having the HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine helps protect against the high-risk, cancer-causing strains of HPV.
In England, the HPV vaccine used is called Gardasil and protects against the high-risk strains HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18. The HPV vaccine is administered in two or three doses, depending on your age.
At South Manchester Travel Clinic, we use the HPV-9 (Gardisil-9) vaccine.
A high-risk HPV infection can cause cell abnormalities which may lead to cancer. The most common cancer caused by an HPV infection is cervical cancer.
In the UK, cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35. Cervical cancers are caused by an HPV infection so having the HPV vaccine is an effective method to protect yourself against cervical cancer.
It’s important for men’s health too. The HPV vaccine will reduce the risk for developing other HPV-related cancers such as penile cancer.
Just because you’ve had your HPV vaccination, doesn’t mean women should stop having the smear test. The HPV vaccine won’t protect against all cervical cancers: the vaccine is effective for around 80% of cervical cancers. So, it’s still important for women to have regular cervical screening.
If you’re not eligible for the HPV vaccination on the NHS, you may be able to receive the vaccine privately. South Manchester Travel Clinic offers the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine is a course of two or three (depending on your age) injections given in the upper arm. The injections need to be at least six months apart and all doses must be given for the vaccination to be effective.
Yes, HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STI). Most sexually active people will have HPV at some point. People who have HPV probably won’t have any symptoms, however, so they don’t know they have it.
No, the HPV vaccination cannot protect against other STIs such as Chlamydia. You will still need to use protection against catching other STIs.
There is no treatment for HPV. However, most HPV infections clear from your body within two years. There are treatments for the conditions that HPV may cause, however.
There are 2 HPV vaccination programmes in England. One is for people aged 12 to 13 years. One is for men who have sex with men (MSM) up to 45 years of age.
After the age of 15, three doses of the vaccine are required.
At South Manchester Travel Clinic, we offer the three-dose vaccination course for a total cost of £405 (£135 per dose plus discount).
No, the HPV vaccine doesn’t prevent verrucas. Verrucas are caused by different types of HPV that the vaccine prevents against. Back to the salicylic acid treatments for you.
Heald Green Pharmacy and South Manchester Travel Clinic is an established pharmacy dedicated to providing high-quality healthcare. Our range of private and NHS services are provided in discrete consultation rooms by our highly-trained staff.
