HPV/genital warts - lifelong condition or disappears in time?

[ivybridget]

Online searches seem to suggest that the immune system naturally gets rid of the virus that causes genital warts (hpv?) over the course of 10-20 years. I was surprised as I'd thought once someone had the virus, it would be with them for life.

Could anyone shed any light on this?

I got a couple when I was 22, they went away within about a year or two, after treatment, but one came back in my mid 30s. In the same area. Probably resurfaced due to hormonal changes from what I was told.

I'm still not clear whether your immune system can actually fully remove the HPV virus from the body, or whether your immune system just kind of eventually overcomes the virus and keeps it at bay, but it still hangs around.

Thank you! 😊