Here are seven key things we want everyone to know about HPV: 1- It's very common, 80% of people will get it in their lifetime, usually the immune system clears the infection, on rare occasions it can linger and develop into cancer 2- There are a wider range of cancers caused by HPV, not just cervical cancer- anal, some head and neck cancers, penile, vulval and vaginal cancer 3- If you've had the HPV vaccine and you have a cervix, you still need to go for cervical screening (there are other strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer that aren't covered by the vaccine and no vaccine is 100% effective) 4- Condoms offer some, but not full protection of HPV- as HPV transfers by skin-to-skin sexual contact, and some skin will still be touching 5- Having HPV doesn't mean you have done something wrong, that you are dirty, or that your long-term partner has cheated on you. There are no symptoms of HPV and it can take months, years or even decades to turn into abnormal cells or cancer, so you can't tell when you caught it or who from. You can also get HPV from one having just sexual experience (and without having had penetrative sex) 6- Men, boys and people with penises can't get tested for HPV. Currently on the NHS the only way to test for HPV is through cervical screening 7- Get to know the symptoms to look out for the cancers relating to HPV, like abnormal bleeding, and go and get symptoms checked regardless of vaccine or cervical screening status You can find out more about HPV, the cancers it can cause and their symptoms by downloading our 'HPV has no gender guide' on the link in our bio or at eveappeal.org.uk/hpv. If you have any questions or concerns about HPV you can contact our Ask Eve nurse service on [email protected] or 0808 802 0019. #HPV #EveAppeal #TheEveAppeal