It’s Not Too Late to Get the HPV Vaccine

When the HPV vaccine came out in 2006, it was recommended for use in girls and women ages 9–26. Later, boys and men of the same age were added to the list. This was great news because the vaccine helps prevent the strains of human papillomavirus that are most likely to cause cancer.  

Here’s more good news: If you didn’t get vaccinated when you were younger, you may still be able to get protected.  

What Is HPV?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. There are many different strains of the virus. Most of the time, people who are infected with HPV don’t have any symptoms, meaning it’s difficult to know if you have it. Some types of HPV cause genital warts. Others increase your risk for developing anal, cervical and throat cancer.

HPV Vaccine Schedule

HPV vaccines work best when you’re vaccinated before you’re exposed to the virus, which is why it’s routinely given to kids. But adults can still benefit from protection if they didn’t get the vaccine when they were younger.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HPV vaccination on this schedule:

• Routine vaccination: Age 11 or 12, although it’s possible to get it as young as age 9.
• Catch-up vaccination: Age 13 to 26. The vaccination is recommended for people in this age range if they weren’t vaccinated when they were younger.
• Shared clinical decision-making: People age 27 to 45 should talk to their healthcare providers about whether they might benefit from vaccination.

The vaccine is given in either two or three doses, depending on how old you are when you get it.

• People who start before age 15 should get two doses that are six to 12 months apart.
• People who are 15 to 26 or who are immunocompromised should get three doses, with a second dose one to two months after the first, and a third dose six months after the first.  

HPV Vaccine Side Effects

HPV vaccines are safe; there haven’t been any serious adverse effects linked to the HPV vaccine. They’re also effective at protecting against the types of cancers caused by HPV infections. These benefits far outweigh any risks.

• The most common side effect is pain, redness or swelling at the injection site. These reactions may be stronger with second or third doses.
• Fainting can be a side effect of any medical procedure, including vaccinations. To reduce the risk of fainting and being hurt in a fall, people should be sitting or lying down when they get vaccinated and stay in that position for 15 minutes afterward.  
• People have reported fever, nausea, dizziness, malaise and muscle pain after receiving the vaccine, but people who received placebo injections reported these side effects just as often.

You shouldn’t get the vaccine if:

• You’ve had a severe allergic reaction to a component of the vaccine or to a previous dose of the HPV vaccine.
• You have hypersensitivity to yeast.
• You’re pregnant

You can be vaccinated if you have a minor illness, like a cold or diarrhea, but you should wait until you get better if you are moderately or severely sick.