I am so sorry to have a new member, but we welcome you! I agree with you that the colpo hurts like...well. I had to have my third so I asked my doc to do it while she had me out for another procedure last week. It is diagnostic and I have been confused about women coming in with pap results that say all of these levels. Paps are simply screening tools for women who need colpos and are at risk for cervical cancer. I guess they can kind of give an idea, though, because they always come back with the levels. There are two different methods, but the ones we hear more lately are ASCUS and CIN.
As for other things, HPV is the only *known* cause of cervical dysplasia. Other carcinogens definitely play a role and it is entirely possible to get dysplasia without HPV, but HPV is so prevalent that all doctors seem to assume that anyone with an abnormal pap has it. If you smoke, you are at a greater risk than the rest of us. If you have a poor diet or if you have a lot of stress and anxiety, your body can't fight it as well.
I hope this answers your questions. I know nothing can ease the pain until you get those abnormal paps again sometime in the future.
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Total abdominal hysterectomy at age 26 due to abnormal bleeding. Kept ovaries.
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Severe dysplasia...questions???? 
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