HPV Vaccination immunity after missing last dose

[anxiousleo27]

Hi, I am a gay male 25 years old. I have been given a hpv vaccination few years back. If I recall vividly, I was only given 2 shots. I skipped the 3rd shot. My question is I was having light fun with guys (normally frottage, kissing, licking). Am I still at risk of getting hpv cause I thought the antibodies in my body are gradually disappearing. Do I need to go for the vaccination again?

[auntiejessi]

There's a study done on girls who got 1, 2 or 3 doses, and they checked the efficacy at various stages - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4964672/

Obviously, it may not be exactly the same in men, but it's a good idea of how it might be for you. (A lot of it is about preventing cervical cancer, so it won't apply to you.) Essentially, 2 doses provided decent immunity.

As GR said, how long ago you got this matters.

https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-genital-warts/news/20110412/late-doses-of-hpv-vaccine-may-still-be-effective#1

But if it's been a really long time, you might want to start over. Talk to your doctor, or a Planned Parenthood or other sexual health clinic, and do it soon. There's a cut off of 26 years old that a lot of docs are really strict about adhering to.

[GuitarRox]

You are talking about the Gardisil9 vaccine?  You say you had that a few years back but how long ago?  If you were 15 or older, then you'd have needed a 3 shot series.  Did you get that?  If you were younger, then it is a two shot series.  Apparently it works very well and is considered long term.  It was introduced in 2006 and has yet to show any weakened ability to protect people.  Studies go through at least 10 years.  So if you had the full series of the vaccine, you should consider it fully effective for you.