14 Silent HPV Symptoms

2. Common Warts

Common warts are small, rough bumps that form on your skin from certain types of human papillomavirus, or HPV. They often appear on your hands, fingers, or around your nails. You may notice a hard surface with tiny black dots, which are small clotted blood vessels.

HPV spreads through direct contact with the virus. You can get it by touching a wart or by touching surfaces that carry the virus. Once the virus reaches your skin, it can easily enter through small cuts, scrapes, or areas where the skin is broken.

Habits like biting your nails or picking at hangnails can create small openings in the skin, making it easier for HPV to enter. Sharing personal items such as towels, nail tools, razors, washcloths, or sports equipment can also increase your exposure to the virus.

Although common warts are harmless, they can be bothersome or embarrassing. Over time, your immune system can clear them naturally, but this may take months or even years.

3. Plantar Warts

Certain types of HPV infect the skin on the bottom of your feet, causing plantar warts. The virus enters through tiny cuts, cracks, or softened areas of skin. These warts are not dangerous, but they can feel uncomfortable or painful when you stand or walk.

You might notice rough, thickened skin that looks like a callus. Sometimes a small black dot appears in the center. This is a clotted blood vessel, not dirt. Plantar warts may appear alone or in clusters, which are sometimes called mosaic warts.

Plantar warts spread through direct skin contact or indirect contact with surfaces like pool decks or communal showers. Moist, soft skin makes it easier for the virus to spread. You may get the infection if you walk barefoot in public areas or share shoes.

Treatment varies depending on how deep or painful the wart is. Treatment options are available to help remove these warts, such as over-the-counter medications, freezing techniques, or professional procedures. It’s important to keep the area clean and avoid picking at the warts to prevent spreading the virus.

4. Lesions on the Upper Respiratory Tract

HPV can affect the tissues in your throat or airway. These growths, known as respiratory tract papillomas, appear as small wart-like lesions that may develop in areas such as the voice box, windpipe, or even deeper in the lungs. They often start without obvious symptoms, which is why they can go unnoticed for a long time.

You might notice subtle changes such as a hoarse or weak voice, a feeling of something stuck in your throat, or persistent coughing. In more advanced cases, breathing may become difficult if the lesions begin to block parts of the airway. Children can also develop these growths after being exposed during birth, and this condition tends to repeat or come back even after treatment.

Doctors usually identify these lesions through a visual exam or with imaging tools that look inside the throat. In most cases, treatment involves removing the growths to make breathing easier or to improve the voice quality.

5. Sores on the Mouth or Tongue

You might notice small sores or patches in your mouth or on your tongue that do not heal within a few weeks. These can appear as red, white, or discolored spots. Many mouth sores come from irritation or injury. Some may relate to an HPV infection, especially if they keep coming back or have unusual borders, or feel different from normal ulcers.

HPV can infect the tissues inside your mouth and throat, and in some cases the virus remains active for years without obvious signs. If sores linger, grow in size, or cause pain, they could point to ongoing irritation linked to oral HPV.

Watch for other changes around the same time, such as lumps near your tonsils, a rough patch on your tongue, or mild pain when swallowing. These issues may develop slowly and are often painless at first. Though not all sores require concern, persistent ones deserve medical attention.

6. Issues with Sexual Activity

HPV can quietly affect your sexual health even when no symptoms are visible. You may not notice any signs right away, but the virus can still spread during sexual contact. Both men and women can carry and pass it to partners without knowing they have it.

You can get HPV through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It spreads through direct skin contact rather than body fluids. Because condoms do not always cover infected areas, they lower but do not completely remove the risk of infection. Some people with HPV may notice discomfort during sex. This may include itching, burning, or mild pain, especially if genital warts are present. These symptoms can cause anxiety or make sexual activity feel uncomfortable or stressful.

Emotional concerns may also arise. Concerns about spreading HPV, talking about it with a partner, or its effects on fertility and pregnancy can lead to stress during intimacy.

7. Flat Warts

Flat warts often appear as smooth, slightly raised spots on your skin. They are usually small, with a flat top and can be tan, pink, yellow, or light brown. You might see them grouped together, forming patches on your face, neck, hands, or legs. These warts tend to blend in with your skin, making them easy to overlook at first.

Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infect the top layer of your skin and cause flat warts. The virus enters through tiny cuts or scratches, leading to slow, painless growths that can persist for months. Because they do not typically cause discomfort, many people do not realize they have them.

Younger people and those who shave regularly may notice them more often, since shaving can spread the virus to nearby areas. Their subtle, smooth appearance also makes them harder to detect.

8. Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer starts in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. It often develops slowly over time after certain types of HPV infect the cervical cells and cause gradual changes. If these changes are not detected and treated, they can eventually become cancer.

In the early stages, these cell changes usually occur without any noticeable symptoms. As the disease progresses, symptoms may begin to appear. Common signs include bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, and unusual vaginal discharge. Some people may also experience pelvic pain or pain during sex. These symptoms can seem mild, but they should not be ignored.

Screening helps find early changes before they turn into cancer. You might have a Pap test, HPV test, or both. The Pap test looks for abnormal cells in the cervix, while the HPV test looks for the virus that causes most cervical cancers.

9. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) happens when bacteria spread from your vagina or cervix into your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. It is most often caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. When these bacteria move upward, they cause inflammation and infection in the upper reproductive organs.

You might not notice any symptoms at first. Many people with PID have only mild or vague signs such as lower belly pain, abnormal discharge, pain during sex, or irregular bleeding. Because these symptoms can be easy to overlook, some people live with PID for a long time before receiving a diagnosis.

Health care providers diagnose PID through a physical exam, medical history, and lab tests. Treatment usually involves antibiotics to clear the infection and prevent long-term damage. Without treatment, PID can scar the fallopian tubes and lead to chronic pain, ectopic pregnancy, or difficulty getting pregnant in the future.

10. Cancer Risk in Men and Women

You may not notice any signs of HPV infection, but persistent high-risk types can raise your risk of cancer over time. These infections can stay in the body for years before changes appear in tissue or cells. Both men and women can develop cancers linked to HPV even without symptoms.

In women, long-lasting HPV infection can lead to cell changes in the cervix that may become cervical cancer if not found early. Pap or HPV screening helps find these changes before cancer develops. HPV can also affect the vagina and vulva, though these cancers are less common.

Men face a higher risk of oropharyngeal cancer, which occurs in the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils. HPV can also cause penile and anal cancers. These cancers are rare but still serious, especially when infections remain undetected or untreated.

11. HPV Risk Factors

You are more likely to get HPV through close skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. The virus spreads through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, even when the infected person has no visible signs. Because HPV often causes no symptoms, many people pass it to partners without realizing it.

Your risk increases if you begin sexual activity at a younger age or have multiple sexual partners over time. Each new partner raises the chances of being exposed to a different HPV strain. You can also get HPV from a partner with only one previous relationship if that partner carries the virus.

Smoking reduces immune function and makes it harder for your body to fight HPV. A weakened immune system from illness, stress, or medical treatments also increases the likelihood of persistent infection. Men who are not circumcised may face a slightly higher chance of acquiring some HPV types.

12. HPV Causes

Human papillomavirus (HPV) spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact, usually during sexual activity. You can get it from vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. Even without visible symptoms, an infected person can still pass HPV to others.

HPV belongs to a group of more than 200 related viruses, and about 40 of these infect the genital and throat areas. Some types are low-risk and may lead to warts, while high-risk types can cause abnormal cell changes that may develop into cancer over time.

You may also spread HPV through close contact with infected skin or shared objects that touch infected areas, though this is uncommon. In rare cases, a mother with HPV can pass the virus to her baby during childbirth, leading to a condition that causes growths in the infant’s airways.

13. HPV Complications

HPV can lead to several health problems if your body does not clear the infection. Most infections go away on their own, but some types of the virus stay in the body and cause changes in cells. These changes can appear in different parts of the body depending on where the virus entered.

When HPV remains active, it can cause genital warts. These are small growths or bumps that develop on the genital area, anus, or nearby skin. They can be raised, flat, or shaped like cauliflower. While these warts are not cancerous, they can cause itching or mild pain.

Some types of HPV are high-risk because they can lead to precancerous lesions. These are abnormal cells that may develop into cancer if not found and treated early. Common cancers linked to persistent high-risk HPV include cervical, anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar, and certain throat cancers.

HPV can also cause health issues for newborns during childbirth. In rare cases, a baby exposed to the virus can develop respiratory papillomatosis, which causes wart-like growths in the airways and can lead to breathing problems.

14. HPV Prevention

You can take several steps to lower your risk of getting human papillomavirus (HPV). Vaccination protects against the types of HPV that cause most cancers and genital warts. The vaccine works best when you get it before any sexual contact, usually at age 11 or 12, but you can get it as early as 9 years old.

If you are older and not vaccinated yet, you can still get the vaccine up to age 26. In some cases, adults between 27 and 45 may also consider getting vaccinated after talking with a healthcare provider. You receive the vaccine in two or three doses depending on your age and health condition.

Using condoms correctly every time you have sex also reduces your risk. However, condoms do not cover all areas where HPV spreads, so they do not completely prevent infection. Limiting the number of sexual partners and having open conversations about sexual health further reduce your chances of exposure.

Regular health screenings, like Pap and HPV tests, find early changes that could lead to cancer. Even if you have received the vaccine, continue these tests as recommended. Avoiding tobacco products also helps your body fight infections and lowers the risk of HPV-related diseases.