Starting from the age of 21 or within 3 years of engaging in sexual activity, a woman should receive yearly pap smears. The result will show if you have abnormal cells.
Abnormal Pap Smear
Abnormal cells are referred to as dysplasia and are the result of an infection. Dysplasia is a pre-cancerous condition. Women panic when they hear that their pap smear detected abnormal cells. Keep in mind that abnormal cells do not indicate that you have cancer.
Signs
Signs indicating abnormal cells are: herpes, human papilloma virus (HPV), inflammation, trichomoniasis and dysplasia.
Testing
When a pap smear shows abnormal cells, further testing is done to pinpoint the source. Your health official will check for infection, herpes, yeast infection, trichomoniasis or HPV.
More Causes
Abnormal cells can also be the result of douching, recent sexual activity or vaginal creams. If you have an abnormal pap smear, it is advisable to retest a few months later.
Treatment
If your pap smear repeatedly results in abnormal cells, your physician may suggest the following: Colposcopy--via a speculum, a sample of the abnormal area is taken for diagnosis; Cryosurgery--this involves freezing the abnormal cells; or LEEP--in which a loop-shaped tool is used to remove the affected cells.
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