Can Laser Hair removal transfer HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) ? We asked CDC and this was their answer

Alot of social media posts recently spread rumours about HPV transmission through the use of laser hair removal machines in laser clinics.

We have emailed CDC to inquire about accuracy of those rumours, and we are sharing with you in this article, their clear reply:

Greetings,

Thank you for your inquiry to CDC-INFO.

Your request for information was forwarded to CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion Public Inquiries Team. We hope you find their reply helpful.

Thank you for the inquiry. We have not heard about any instances of HPV transmission related to hair removal laser machines. We have seen reports of possible HPV transition related to medical devices that contact skin and mucous membranes (e.g. speculums, endoscopes, transvaginal ultrasounds) and were not properly reprocessed.

There has been some research indicating that HPV can stay on medical devices even after disinfection Assessing nonsexual transmission of the human papillomavirus (HPV): Do our current cleaning methods work? Laser hair removal usually does not involve the laser touching the skin and we recommend that all equipment used for medical purposes be cleaned according to manufacturer’s instructions for use. EPA has a list of Selected EPA-Registered Disinfectants use to kill and inactivate certain pathogens.

Thank you again for contacting us. We hope the information provided is helpful to you.

Sincerely,

Lynn

CDC-INFO Correspondence Team

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