There is no FDA-approved HPV test for men, and no routine screening is recommended for the general male population. Unlike women, who can be screened for HPV through cervical swabs starting at age 30, men currently have no equivalent test. This isn’t an oversight. The biology of male skin makes HPV detection far less reliable, and the CDC does not recommend HPV testing for men outside of specific high-risk situations.
That doesn’t mean HPV goes completely undetected in men. Depending on your symptoms and risk factors, there are several ways a doctor can identify HPV-related problems, even without a dedicated screening test.
Why There’s No Standard HPV Test for Men
HPV testing in women works by swabbing cells from the cervix, which has a large area of thin, non-keratinized tissue where the virus is easy to detect. The male genital tract has far less of this type of tissue, which means swabs pick up less viral DNA and produce less reliable results. Cytology exams (analyzing cells under a microscope) also perform poorly on male samples. The virus can be present on the penis, scrotum, or anal area, but collecting a sample that accurately reflects infection status is technically difficult.
Because of this, no HPV test for men has been approved by the FDA, and no test has been approved for detecting the virus anywhere other than the cervix. The CDC’s position is straightforward: there is no test to determine a person’s “HPV status,” and HPV tests are not recommended for screening men.
How Genital Warts Are Diagnosed
The most common way HPV is identified in men is through a visual exam when warts appear. Genital warts show up on the penis, scrotum, or around the anus. They can look like small cauliflower-like bumps, flat spots, or tiny stemlike projections. They rarely cause pain but may itch or feel tender.
A doctor typically diagnoses warts by looking at them. No HPV test is needed or recommended for this, because testing wouldn’t change the treatment plan. If the warts look unusual (pigmented, bleeding, ulcerated, or fixed to deeper tissue), the doctor may take a biopsy to rule out precancerous changes. Biopsy is also more likely if you’re immunocompromised, if warts don’t respond to treatment, or if the condition gets worse during treatment. For warts around the anus, the doctor may also examine the anal canal using a digital exam or anoscopy.
Anal Cancer Screening for High-Risk Men
While routine HPV testing doesn’t exist for men, anal cancer screening is recommended for specific groups with elevated risk. Anal cancer is rare in the general population, but certain men face rates high enough to justify regular screening with anal cytology (sometimes called an anal Pap smear) or high-risk HPV testing.
The highest-risk group is men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV, who face anal cancer rates above 70 per 100,000 person-years. Guidelines recommend they begin screening at age 35. Men who have sex with women and are living with HIV have rates above 40 per 100,000 and are recommended to start screening at age 45. MSM without HIV also qualify for screening starting at age 45, with incidence rates above 18 per 100,000.
Other men who may qualify include solid organ transplant recipients (ten or more years after transplant) and those with certain immunosuppressive conditions like Crohn’s disease, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis. Men age 45 and older with a history of perianal warts also fall into a screening-eligible category.
The screening itself involves anal cytology, where cells are swabbed from the anal canal and examined for abnormalities. If results come back abnormal, the next step is high-resolution anoscopy, a procedure where a specialist examines the anal lining under magnification. Not all clinics have the capacity for this follow-up, so screening is typically offered only where referral pathways exist.
HPV-Related Throat Cancer Has No Screening Test
HPV-related throat cancer (oropharyngeal cancer) is a growing concern for men. Oral HPV is nearly four times more common in men than women: about 11.5% of men carry some form of oral HPV, compared to 3.3% of women. High-risk oral HPV strains, the type linked to cancer, are found in about 6.8% of men.
Despite these numbers, there is no approved screening test to detect HPV in the throat. Research into blood-based tests for early detection is ongoing, but nothing is available for clinical use. The practical implication is that HPV-related throat cancers are usually caught when symptoms appear, such as a persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, a lump in the neck, or ear pain on one side. Regular dental exams can also help, since dentists often check for unusual lesions in the mouth and throat.
How Common HPV Is in Men
HPV is remarkably common. Between 2013 and 2014, about 45% of men aged 18 to 59 had a genital HPV infection, and 25% carried a high-risk strain, the type associated with cancer. Most of these infections cause no symptoms and clear on their own within one to two years. The virus can persist silently for years, which is part of why testing is so complicated: a positive result at one point may not mean much clinically, and a negative result doesn’t guarantee you’re clear.
Vaccination Is the Primary Prevention Tool
Because testing options are limited, vaccination is the most effective way for men to protect themselves. The CDC recommends HPV vaccination for boys at age 11 or 12, with the series available as early as age 9. Men who weren’t vaccinated as children can receive catch-up vaccination through age 26. For those between 27 and 45, vaccination is available with a three-dose series, though the benefit decreases with age since most people have already been exposed to HPV by that point.
If you started vaccination before age 15, you need only two doses. Starting at 15 or older requires three doses spread over six months. The vaccine protects against the HPV strains responsible for most genital warts and HPV-related cancers, including anal and throat cancers.
What You Can Actually Do
If you’re concerned about HPV, the practical steps are straightforward. Check yourself regularly for any new bumps or growths on the penis, scrotum, or around the anus, and see a doctor if something appears. If you fall into a high-risk group for anal cancer, ask your doctor about anal cytology screening. If you’re under 45 and haven’t been vaccinated, the vaccine is still an option. And if you notice persistent symptoms in your throat, like a lump, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing that doesn’t resolve, get it evaluated, since there’s no way to screen for oral HPV before symptoms develop.