"The FDA recently approved a new test for HPV that tests specifically for the virus using technology that assesses the virus' DNA patterns. This test, called a ViraPap, can pinpoint an HPV infection more accurately than a Pap test. The Pap test can detect changes in the cervical tissue, but can't determine precisely what caused the change (hence diagnoses of "abnormal pap most likely HPV infection"). This new test can determine if a woman has been infected with either a high-risk (read, more risk for cancer) strain of the virus as opposed to a low-risk (read, just a pesky problem) strain. Definitely go to www.theHPVtest.com and check out their site. This information is CRITICAL because some of us who have been told we have 'HPV related changes' may, in fact, be virus-free." (from an email sent to me)

Okay, I'm going to assume that if you've clicked on this link, then you have received an abnormal pap smear or want info for a friend who has. Now, I don't know as much about dysplasia as I know about warts, but I am going to write down everything I can tell you. Please be aware that once again, this is my own opinion, backed up by a lot of reading. I'm no doctor or med student, so you might want to get a professional opinion as well. For interpreting the meaning of your particular pap test, and also to know exactly what that means for you, click here.

First of all, I'm going to start by saying that not all abnormal pap smears mean dysplasia. A pap smear can be abnormal simply if you have Chlamydia, for instance. It could be abnormal if you have Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, or PID. Both of these are completely curable. But if your doctor told you the word "dysplasia," then it means that you have cells on your cervix which are undergoing precancerous changes. Does this mean you have HPV? In most cases, yes. However, dysplasia can be caused by other things besides HPV. On some occasions, it is inheritable - if your mother and sisters have it, you may not have HPV. It can also be triggered by changes to the lining of the vagina and cervix, brought about by things like smoking or certain kinds of birth control. But the only way to tell if you have dysplasia caused by HPV or by something else is to request additional HPV testing of your pap by a doctor. If the HPV test comes back negative, then you should look into other causes. But 99% of the time, it is indeed caused by HPV.

Now if you have dysplasia, and you don't have a history of cervical cancer in your family, then it is extremely likely that you have HPV. Your doctor will probably perform a test on the abnormal cells to see if they have HPV present in them - and it will come up positive. Here's some information you need to know about this:

Having cervical dysplasia does NOT mean you have, or will get, cancer. It usually takes at least a few years for dysplasia to progress far enough to turn into cancer. Some things that will cause it to move faster are smoking, and if a woman is HIV-positive. Most women with HIV have problems with HPV as well, and they can get invasive cervical cancer faster than normal women - so if you have HIV, get treated. And if you are just now learning that you have an STD, then PLEASE, get tested for everything, including HIV. That way you will know for sure what's in your body. I know it's scary. But you need to know so you can treat it as quickly as possible. Most likely, the test will come out negative, and then you will be able to breathe freely again and not worry. Under normal circumstances, as long as you get the dysplasia treated, you should not have to worry about cancer.

Having dysplasia does NOT mean you will get warts. If you have dysplasia, you will NOT get warts, and if you have warts, you will NOT get dysplasia, providing you only have one type of HPV – unless you have type 16 dysplasia. Type 16, according to some research I have read, can cause “condyloma planum,” or flat warts, as well as dysplasia. However, these warts do not look like the normal genital warts caused by types 6 and 11. Note: If you are reading this and you have both warts and dysplasia, then it probably means you have 2 strains of HPV in your body.

However, having dysplasia DOES mean that you have an STD you can give to anyone you have sex with (if it is caused by HPV. If it is not caused by HPV, then you will not transmit it sexually). Straight men are not usually affected by dysplasia at all, since they do not have a cervix. Rarely, a man can get penile dysplasia, but this is not the norm. Gay men, however, can get anal dysplasia. Now what usually happens when a woman with dysplasia has sex with a man is, the HPV infects the man without ever showing symptoms. And if that man goes and has sex with another woman, then he will give it to her. Men are carriers of dysplasia just as much as warts - the only difference is that they can get the symptoms of the warts, and the dysplasia won't hurt them. This is why you need to tell all your partners that you have dysplasia, and tell them that they can transmit it.

If you have any further questions about dysplasia, I'd highly suggest you click on some of my links. Also, for a BUNCH of dysplasia sites that explain the stuff in detail, click here.