Boys Need the HPV Vaccine Too! The HPV Vaccine is Smart and Safe for Everyone!

by Amy Lang

Do you know who gives most women and girls HPV? The answer is men and boys! Yep, you heard it here. Make sure your boy has started his HPV vaccine regime by age 12 at the latest and completes the series of three shots. He needs to be vaccinated before he starts engaging in sexual activity to protect himself from oral, anal and penile cancers and to protect his female partners from cancer as well.

If this hasn’t convinced you, just make sure your child is well informed so he can decide for himself, later, if he wants to get it. And by well informed, I mean by giving him youth-friendly resources that are from credible resources. You should also know that in California, his medical care provider can vaccinate him without your permission if your son decides he wants it.

HPV is one of the most communicable STIs out there. There are many types of HPV- some types cause genital warts and cancer. Nearly every adult who’s had more than one or two partners has had it. Because there is no test to find out a person’s ‘HPV status’ your son won’t know if he has it or if his partner has it – unless of course he or his partner develops visible genital warts or if his female partner has an abnormal Pap test.

This is one of many, many reasons it’s important for your kids to know about condoms. What they are, where to get them (having them in your home and available would be great!) and how to use them. There should be no excuses about not having one when they need one. If you think this will encourage your child to have sex, it won’t. It will just help them be safer when they do have sex down the road. They are going to have sex whether or not you have condoms available. Sorry to break the news to you - but they will, someday, do the deed. And it’s better for everyone if they do it safely.

HOWEVER, while using condoms each and every time a person has sex will lower that person’s chances of getting HPV, HPV can infect areas not covered by a condom. So your son (or daughter’s) best protection really is getting the HPV vaccine series before they are sexually active.