HPV Support Group
Human papillomavirus is a diverse group of DNA-based viruses that infect the skin and mucous membranes of humans. More than 100 different human papillomavirus (HPV) types have been characterized. Some HPV types cause benign skin warts, or papillomas, for which the virus family is named. HPVs associated with the development of such "common warts" are transmitted...
There are vaccines that can help prevent high-risk strains of HPV, but there are hundreds of strains and the vaccines can't encompass them all. I myself had the Gardasil vaccine at 17/18 (series of three shots) and I still contracted a high risk strain (despite using condoms and only having had 2 sexual partners total at that point in my life). Point is, it's VERY common and nothing to be ashamed of.
Did your doctor tell you what grade the abnormality was? If it's low grade and you're healthy, your doctor may have you just wait another 6 months to 1 year and repeat the Pap to see if it clears. If it's moderate or higher, you will probably be referred for a colposcopy, where they snip tiny pieces of your cervix off and send it to a lab for testing (sounds worse than it really is, just causes some minor to moderate cramping).
Treatment for the abnormal cells can vary depending on the severity of the abnormality, but two common procedures are LEEP (where they use a heated electrocautery loop wire to remove the abnormal cervical cells) and a cold knife cone biopsy (where they remove a larger wedge from the cervix under anesthesia). The latter is what I had because I had severe cervical dysplasia, and it wasn't all that bad, getting my wisdom teeth extracted was worse!
In most cases, treatment is curative and most times won't come back. See what your doctor recommends. If you are not comfortable with the way your doctor is handling your diagnosis, or fails to provide you with answers to your questions, find another doctor. You deserve to be treated with respect and compassion, and this includes being given a full education of your diagnosis and treatment options.
Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out to me if you have further questions or just need support. <3