The HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) protects against the HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58. Types 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts. Genital warts are benign growths which occur in the genital area. They are not dangerous but they need to be treated, and you can also pass them onto other sexual partners.

Once you have been infected, you may remain contagious for life and the warts can recur at any point in life, especially if your immune system is weakened. Types 16 and 18 (and others) are the primary cause of cervical cancer in women and they are also associated with cancers of the vagina, throat, penis and anus.

HPV is an extremely common infection and over three quarters of sexually active women contract it at some point in their lives.

Almost everyone can have the HPV vaccine. It is not suitable for pregnant women but it is suitable for breastfeeding women. We do not provide the vaccine to men and women over the age of 45.

You cannot have the vaccine if you are allergic to any of the ingredients:

It is licensed for use in children from the age of 9.

HPV is transmitted during sexual contact. The infection often clears by itself due to your body’s immune response. In some cases, however, the infection persists and remains unnoticed. In these cases, it could lead to cancerous lesions. HPV is the most common cause of cervical cancer and infection with certain types of HPV greatly increases your risk of getting cervical cancer.

The use of condoms reduces your risk of contracting HPV. However, condoms are not 100% effective at preventing HPV infection as the virus can be present on the skin in the entire genital area.