How to Get Rid of HPV: How the Virus Clears and Which Treatments Help
Medically reviewed by Mr Amer Raza MBBS MRCOG, Consultant Gynaecologist, Ovara Health (GMC 5205372) | Last reviewed: 17 July 2026
Key Facts: There is no medication that removes HPV from the body. In around 90% of people the immune system clears or suppresses the virus naturally within 2 years. Treatment focuses on the problems HPV can cause, such as genital warts and abnormal cervical cells, not the virus itself. Vaccination, regular screening and not smoking are the most effective steps you can take.
If you have just been told you are HPV positive, the first question is almost always the same: how do I get rid of it? The honest answer is that you cannot take a tablet or have a procedure that removes HPV from your body. What actually clears the virus is your own immune system, and in most people it does exactly that within 1 to 2 years. This guide explains how HPV clearance works, what can genuinely support it, how the effects of HPV are treated and when you should see a doctor.
Quick Answer: You cannot get rid of HPV with medication because no drug kills the virus directly. Around 90% of HPV infections are cleared by the immune system within 2 years. You can support clearance by not smoking, keeping generally healthy and attending every screening appointment so any cell changes are caught and treated early. Warts and abnormal cervical cells caused by HPV can be treated very effectively.
What is HPV and why does it matter?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name for a very common group of more than 100 related viruses that infect the skin and the moist membranes lining parts of the body, including the cervix, vagina, mouth and throat. Most sexually active adults will have HPV at some point in their lives, and the majority never know, because the infection usually causes no symptoms at all.
HPV types are grouped by the problems they can cause:
- Low-risk types, such as HPV 6 and 11, can cause genital warts. They do not cause cancer.
- High-risk types, such as HPV 16 and 18, can cause abnormal cell changes. Left unmonitored over many years, these changes can develop into cervical cancer and, less commonly, other cancers. HPV 16 and 18 together account for around 70% of cervical cancers worldwide.
Having a high-risk HPV type does not mean you will develop cancer. It means your cervical screening will be followed a little more closely so that any cell changes are found and treated long before they could become anything serious. This is exactly what the screening programme is designed to do.
Can you get rid of HPV?
Not with medication, no. There is currently no antiviral drug, antibiotic, cream or supplement that eliminates HPV from the body. Any product claiming to cure HPV quickly should be treated with real caution, because no such treatment exists.
What does get rid of HPV is your immune system. In most people the immune response recognises the virus and suppresses it to undetectable levels, at which point it can no longer cause cell changes or be passed on in any meaningful way. Research suggests around half of new HPV infections are cleared within 6 months, and roughly 90% are cleared or suppressed within 2 years.
In a smaller group of people the infection persists beyond 2 years. Persistent high-risk HPV is the group that screening watches most carefully, because long-term infection is what gives abnormal cells time to develop. Even then, the changes are slow, usually taking many years, which is why regular screening is so effective at preventing cervical cancer.
How does the body get rid of HPV?
When HPV infects the cells of the cervix or skin, the immune system gradually learns to recognise infected cells and clears them, in the same way it deals with many other viruses. Because HPV lives inside skin cells and produces very little inflammation, this process is slower than with a cold or flu virus, which is why clearance is measured in months and years rather than days.
Once the virus is suppressed, some strains may remain dormant at very low levels rather than being eliminated completely. For the vast majority of people this dormant virus causes no health problems and does not show up on screening tests. Occasionally it can reactivate later in life, for example if the immune system is weakened, which is one reason screening continues through your 40s, 50s and early 60s.
How to get rid of HPV naturally
Nothing forces HPV out of the body faster, but there is good evidence that certain factors affect how well your immune system suppresses the virus:
- Stop smoking. This is the single most important change. Smoking is strongly linked with persistent HPV infection and with abnormal cervical cells progressing rather than resolving. Chemicals from tobacco concentrate in cervical mucus and weaken the local immune response.
- Attend every screening and follow-up appointment. Screening does not clear the virus, but it means any cell changes are found at the earliest, most treatable stage.
- Look after your general health. A balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep and managing stress all support normal immune function.
- Manage conditions that affect immunity. If you take immunosuppressant medication or have a condition that weakens the immune system, tell the clinician looking after your cervical health, as your follow-up may be tailored differently.
Be sceptical of supplements marketed as HPV cures. None has been shown in good-quality trials to clear the virus, and relying on them instead of screening is genuinely risky.
Is there a treatment for HPV itself?
No treatment targets the virus directly, so care focuses on managing what HPV does rather than the infection itself. In practice that means three things: monitoring, treating visible warts if they appear and treating abnormal cervical cells if screening finds them. Which of these applies to you depends entirely on your test results, which is why HPV care is always individual.
HPV assessment and wart treatment in Chelsea →
How are abnormal cervical cells treated?
If a smear test shows high-risk HPV together with cell changes, the next step is usually a colposcopy and biopsy. This is a closer examination of the cervix using a magnifying instrument, with a small tissue sample taken if any area looks abnormal. It confirms exactly what the cells are doing and whether treatment is needed.
Mild changes are often simply monitored, because the majority resolve on their own once the immune system suppresses the virus. More significant changes are removed, most commonly with LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformation zone), a short outpatient procedure done under local anaesthetic. Removing the abnormal cells does not remove the virus, but it removes the tissue the virus was changing, and follow-up testing then confirms the treatment worked.
How do you get rid of warts during pregnancy?
Genital warts sometimes grow or appear for the first time during pregnancy, because natural changes in immunity and hormones can make the virus more active. Management is more conservative than usual. Many warts are simply monitored, since they often shrink or disappear after the birth, and some standard wart treatments are not suitable in pregnancy. If treatment is needed for comfort, options such as cryotherapy can be used safely under specialist supervision. Warts very rarely affect the birth itself, and your obstetric team will advise if anything needs to be planned differently.
How can you prevent HPV?
Prevention rests on three things:
- Vaccination. The HPV vaccine gives strong protection against the highest-risk types, including 16 and 18, and the types that cause most genital warts. In the UK it is offered to all children aged 12 to 13, and it can still be worthwhile for adults, particularly before or early in their sexually active lives. The vaccine prevents new infections; it does not treat an existing one, though it can protect you against types you have not yet met.
- Screening. Cervical screening now tests for HPV first, which is why so many women are told they are HPV positive. Attending every invitation is the most reliable protection against cervical cancer, whatever your vaccination status.
- Safer sex. Condoms reduce transmission but cannot prevent it completely, because HPV spreads through skin-to-skin contact in areas a condom does not cover.
Is HPV contagious?
Yes. HPV spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, most commonly during sex, and transmission can happen even when there are no symptoms or visible signs at all. This is worth holding on to for a very practical reason: an HPV positive result says nothing about recent behaviour, yours or a partner’s. The virus can remain dormant for years before a test picks it up, so a positive result in a long-term relationship is common and entirely expected. Once your immune system has suppressed the virus, the risk of passing it on falls away.
When should you see a doctor about HPV?
Most HPV needs no appointment at all beyond routine screening. You should be seen if:
- Your screening result shows high-risk HPV with cell changes, or persistent HPV over successive tests
- You notice genital warts, lumps or skin changes you want assessed or treated
- You have bleeding between periods, after sex or after the menopause, whatever your screening history
- You are overdue for screening or want an HPV test outside the NHS programme
HPV positive result, visible warts or bleeding you cannot explain? You do not need a GP referral to be seen at Ovara Health. Call us on 0207 751 4488 or get in touch for a prompt private assessment in Chelsea with a consultant gynaecologist.
HPV testing and treatment at Ovara Health, Chelsea
At Ovara Health you are seen directly by a consultant gynaecologist, not a nurse-led triage service, and no GP referral is needed. We provide private HPV testing and cervical screening, colposcopy for abnormal results as well as assessment and treatment of genital warts, all at our clinic on Fulham Road in Chelsea. Results are explained to you properly, with a clear plan for what happens next, led by Mr Amer Raza, Consultant Gynaecologist.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get rid of HPV completely?
There is no treatment that removes HPV from the body, but in around 90% of people the immune system clears or suppresses the virus within 2 years. Once suppressed, it usually causes no further problems, though some strains can remain dormant at very low levels.
How long does it take to get rid of HPV?
Around half of new HPV infections are cleared within 6 months and roughly 90% within 2 years. If HPV persists beyond 2 years, screening follow-up continues so that any cell changes are caught early. Persistence is not a diagnosis, it simply means closer monitoring.
Can HPV be cured with medication?
No. There is no antiviral drug, cream, antibiotic or supplement that kills HPV. Medication and procedures treat what HPV causes, such as warts or abnormal cervical cells, not the virus itself. Claims of quick HPV cures should not be trusted.
Does HPV go away on its own?
In most cases, yes. The immune system suppresses the infection naturally, usually within 1 to 2 years, without any treatment. This is why a first HPV positive result with no cell changes is normally managed by simply repeating the screening test in 12 months.
How can I boost my immune system to clear HPV?
The change with the strongest evidence is stopping smoking, which is clearly linked to persistent HPV and progression of cell changes. Beyond that, a balanced diet, regular exercise, good sleep and managing stress support normal immune function. No supplement has been shown to clear HPV.
What happens if HPV does not go away?
Persistent high-risk HPV means your screening is followed more closely, usually with annual tests or a colposcopy if cell changes appear. Cell changes develop slowly over years, so persistent infection that is properly monitored very rarely leads to cancer.
Is HPV contagious for life?
No. HPV is most transmissible while the infection is active. Once your immune system suppresses the virus, the risk of passing it on falls away. A dormant infection at undetectable levels is not considered meaningfully infectious.
Can you still have sex if you have HPV?
Yes. HPV is so common that most sexually active adults will have it at some point, and current partners have usually already been exposed. Condoms reduce transmission to new partners but do not eliminate it. There is no requirement to abstain, though visible warts are best treated.
Does having HPV mean I will get cervical cancer?
No. The large majority of HPV infections never cause cancer. Cancer risk comes from persistent high-risk HPV causing cell changes that go unmonitored for years. Attending screening and any follow-up appointments effectively removes that risk by catching changes early.
Can men get rid of HPV?
Men clear HPV the same way women do, through the immune response, usually within 2 years. There is no routine HPV screening test for men in the UK, so prevention rests on vaccination. Warts in men are treated the same way as in women.
Should I get the HPV vaccine if I already have HPV?
Possibly. The vaccine cannot treat an existing infection, but it protects against high-risk types you have not yet been exposed to. Whether it is worthwhile depends on your age and circumstances, and is worth discussing at a consultation.
Why did my smear test suddenly show HPV in a long-term relationship?
HPV can lie dormant for many years and then become detectable again, for example when immunity dips. A new positive result does not indicate recent infection or anything about a partner’s behaviour. It is one of the most common and most misunderstood screening outcomes.
How do I get tested for HPV?
In the UK, HPV testing is done on the sample taken at cervical screening. If you are overdue, not eligible or would rather not wait, a private screening appointment provides the same HPV test with results explained by a consultant.
How much does private HPV testing cost at Ovara Health?
A new consultation is £300 and a cervical swab is £118. A combined consultation and ultrasound scan is £475 if imaging is also needed. Current pricing is confirmed when you book.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- NHS: Cervical Screening
- Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust: HPV Information
- World Health Organization: HPV and Cancer
This article is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not a substitute for assessment by a qualified clinician.
Private HPV care in Chelsea, London
At Ovara Health you can book HPV testing, cervical screening, colposcopy and wart treatment without a GP referral. Same-week appointments are usually available, results are explained to you by a consultant gynaecologist, and most major insurers are accepted alongside clear self-pay pricing.
Book Online
Call Us: 0207 751 4488
Request a Callback
Written by Kerry Archer. Medically reviewed by Mr Amer Raza MBBS MRCOG, Consultant Gynaecologist (GMC 5205372). Last reviewed: 17 July 2026.