Scarleteen

So I recently entered a relationship. Yay! Things are progressing well. I am also receiving the shots for Gardasil(very important). I got the first one a few weeks ago. I know I cannot have sex until they are done because that would make the vaccine ineffective. I recently read that open-mouthed kissing may transfer HPV. Is this true? I would hate not being able to even kiss in different ways for 5 more months.

Hi Sappho,

Just so you know, having sex before you finish all three shots won't make the vaccine ineffective, it just means you won't yet be fully protected by it. Using condoms reduces (although it doesn't entirely eliminate) the risk of HPV transmission, and we certainly recommend that you use them even after you're done with the vaccines. But choosing to have sex before you've had all three won't impact your eventual protection from them. Does that make sense?

I found an article from the CDC stating that studies have been inconclusive as to whether HPV can be spread through kissing: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpva ... cancer.htm It's certainly not how it is most often spread. It's fine if you want to keep kissing your partner before you're done with all vaccines.

Thank you! I didn't know that sex before the vaccine is done won't make it void if you use barriers. I understand. I was skeptical about HPV and kissing though. I was very confused when I read that after reading how it was spread through sex here on Scarleteen( I got almost all my sex ed through Scarleteen).