Do you HAVE to get the HPV vaccine and does it hurt?

Hey, the good news is that you don't have to get a HPV vaccine if you decided that you didn't want to, however, the BETTER news is that you can prevent quite a few complications in the future by taking this preventative step. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is now the most commonly sexually transmitted infection and can be passed on even when a person is having no symptoms or signs. The vaccine can prevent you from getting this nasty little virus which could cause things like genital warts to worst things like cancer. Although it may take many many years for a person to develop these symptoms, there is no need to if we can prevent it. One way that I have found helpful when going to get a vaccine is to not look at the vaccine when I get to the doctor's office, look away when he is cleaning my arm, and count down from 20. Easy breezy. The most you may feel is a slight pressure or pinch that lasts for a second or two. If your arm feels a little sore the next day, you can take a Tylenol and it should feel better rather quickly. The vaccine is given on the muscle on the upper arm and it is a 3 dose series. You will get one vaccine at the first visit and then the doctor will set another appointment for the second and then a last for the third. This is usually accomplished within a 6 months period. I hope all goes well and best of luck.

You don't have to receive any vaccine but you would be MUCH better off getting vaccines. The HPV vaccines will protect you from the HPV virus, which can cause many different kinds of cancers. HPV is a virus that doesn't show any signs, so you cannot tell if someone is a carrier. The shot goes into your upper arm muscle. One way I like to try to get over my fears is to try to think about how it will be a good thing for me to do. If I convince myself I need to be brave because I will be better off and safer, then I feel braver. You could take a pain reliever that doesn't have aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) after getting the vaccine to help with the pain. I hope this helps!

I personally don't do vaccines, I'd rather have my own immune system figuring it out. My experience with vaccines are that I likely tend to get more sick with them. I get at least 1 soar throat or cold once a year.

Scared of needles? What about cancer?

I haven't ever heard of anyone dying from a needle.

Now, CANCER...