You’ve probably seen the commercials for Gardasil (One Less), the HPV vaccine for young girls, and if you have a daughter you have probably wondered if this is right for her. Well, I am here to give you the facts as someone who has been vaccinated and lived to tell the tale.

HPV is short for Human Papillomavirus, one of the most common viruses in our population today. HPV is interesting because it can cause anything from plantar warts to genital warts to cervical cancer. There are a multitude of HPV strains out and about, and almost 50 % of people in the United States will have a at least one strain of HPV at some point in their lives, and there are not many ways to stop it.

There is one way to prevent a small slice of the HPV strains. This is a vaccine currently marketed as Gardasil. The Gardasil vaccine is administered in three injections over a period of six months. While it is a relatively new vaccine, it can protect women from 70% of genital warts and 30% of cervical cancer causing HPV strains. They are recommended for tween girls (to assure they are vaccinated before sexual activity). The downside to these wonder injections? They are painful.

As I said in the beginning, I have recently completed my own course of these vaccines. I will not lie to you, they were painful. The injections are two-part, the first part being the needle prick, and the second the actual injection of the vaccine. The injections give you an odd feeling, sort of a combination of lightheadedness and a cold sweat. The first injection is by far the worst though. Once you survive that first injection, the two that follow are much easier. The last shot even had a smaller syringe I believe, and it simple (though I still was lightheaded). The vaccines have been known to cause fainting, especially in younger girls, so ask before the injection what you or your daughter should do in case the injection makes her lightheaded. Always have a contingency plan in place and make sure that you do not leave her unattended right after the shot.

While I wholeheartedly support this vaccine, and would undergo the entire process again if need be, there are some issues that I should address. There are many people out there who are worried that by giving their young daughter this vaccine to prevent a STD is condoning reckless abandon in sexual affairs. Parents, please take note that giving them this vaccine is not a free pass to sexual irresponsibility. Giving your daughter this vaccine is giving her a leg up against cancer. How would you feel if you got a call from your daughter when she is thirty and you hear that she has be diagnosed with a cancer you could have helped prevent? Take this time to talk with your daughter about sexual relationships and responsibility. It takes three doctors visits to be fully vaccinated, that is three golden opportunities to talk with your daughter.