Your colposcopy appointment

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Every colposcopy clinic will follow their local guidance about wearing PPE. PPE includes gloves, aprons, appropriate masks and, in some departments, visors. 

Jill and Jilly, who work in a colposcopy clinic and helped write this information, shared a photograph of themselves wearing PPE (below). They told us, “We’re here to support everyone who comes to colposcopy. We know it can be an anxious time for many women coming to the clinic, but we want to reassure you that it is safe to come. We know the masks and visors might be off-putting, but we’re the same people underneath and still smiling!”

If you live in England, the guidance says you must wear a face covering to your appointment. If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you may want to consider wearing one. However, if you can't wear a face covering for any reason, let your doctor or nurse know as they will support you to still attend your appointment. 

Health workers wearing PPE

What happens at a colposcopy appointment?

At the start of the appointment, your colposcopist will invite you into an examination room. They will explain why you have been invited and what will happen during the appointment. You can use this time to ask any questions and ask for anything that will make the examination better for you. We have some tips that, although written for cervical screening, might also be helpful for colposcopy.

Read our tips >

Your colposcopist will give you a private space to undress from the waist down and ask you to lie on an examination bed. Some colposcopy clinics have an extra screen next to the bed, in case you want to watch the examination. 

Like during cervical screening, your colposcopist will gently put a new, clean speculum into your vagina. A speculum is usually a plastic cylinder with a round end – sometimes a metal speculum is used. Your colposcopist will use  a microscope with a light at the end to have a detailed look at your cervix. This is called a colposcope. The microscope stays outside your body.

Someone having colposcopy

Liquid tests

Your colposcopist will usually put some liquid on your cervix. This helps show any areas where there are cell changes. 

Most colposcopists use a combination of acetic acid and Schiller’s iodine tests: 

• Acetic acid is a very weak acidic liquid. It is sometimes called dilute vinegar. The colposcopist will gently apply it to your cervix using a cotton wool ball or with a spray. It shows cell changes by turning them white.
• Schiller's iodine test uses an iodine solution. It stains normal cervical tissue dark brown. Cell changes may not stain, so the colposcopist can see them. 

Taking a biopsy

Your colposcopist may take a sample of tissue from your cervix. This is sometimes called a punch biopsy. 

A biopsy only takes a small sample of tissue, so most people don’t have local anaesthetic. If you would like local anaesthetic, ask your colposcopist. If you are very nervous or overwhelmed, talk to the hospital before your appointment about the possibility of having a general anaesthetic.

Your colposcopist will explain the biopsy before they take it. Some people find it uncomfortable, but it should not be painful. Remember, you are in control and if it hurts you can ask your colposcopist to stop. 

Your colposcopist will take between 1 to 3 biopsies to make sure they have enough tissue from different areas of the cervix. They send the sample of tissue to a laboratory for testing.

Read more about colposcopy results >

If you have treatment at your first colposcopy appointment

Sometimes, your colposcopist can tell that cell changes need treatment during your first colposcopy appointment. This is sometimes called 'see and treat'. Any treatment should be explained to you before it happens and only done with your consent. You can ask as many questions as you need to before and, if you need more time to process the thought of treatment, ask to have it done at another appointment.

The most common treatment is a large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). This removes a small area of the cervix where the cell changes are. You will have a local anaesthetic before LLETZ, which numbs the area being treated. 

Read more about treatment for cell changes >

At the end of your colposcopy appointment

After the examination, your colposcopist will check you feel okay and whether you have any questions. They should give you information about what to expect after your appointment, such as light bleeding (spotting). This may include contact numbers for the colposcopy clinic, in case you have any questions over the next few months. 

Sometimes, your colposcopist can tell you if they found anything straight away, but sometimes they need to confirm the result from your biopsy. They will also let you know when you will get your results.

Read about getting colposcopy results >

After your colposcopy appointment

You can leave the hospital as soon as you feel ready. You can go to work or do any other activities as usual, although you may prefer to rest.

Once you are home from your appointment, it is important to follow the government guidance about washing your hands and any face coverings.

How you might feel after colposcopy

If you had a biopsy, you may have:

• cramps, like period pains
• light bleeding (spotting) 
• brownish discharge. 

This can be worrying, but try to remember that these effects are common and often stop after 3 to 5 days. 

If you have light bleeding or discharge, wait until it stops before you:

• have sex
• swim 
• use tampons.  

If the bleeding continues for longer than a week or gets heavier, contact your colposcopist or hospital. You should also contact them if you are worried about anything else.

If you had treatment, you may have different effects. These are common, but can be worrying if you aren’t sure what to expect, so learning more about them can help. 

Read about treatment for cell changes >

We know colposcopy can be emotionally difficult too, so remember we are here to support you before and after.

Get support >

Colposcopy appointment FAQs

How we can help

Before and after your colposcopy appointment, you should get information from the hospital explaining what will happen. If you haven’t had any information, remember you can always contact the hospital and ask for some. We hope this page has helped answer some questions too. We have more information about:

• getting colposcopy results >
• cell changes (CIN and CGIN) >
• treating cell changes >

Remember, we are here to support you and our services are open if you want to talk through anything or simply have someone listen to your concerns on 0808 802 8000. 

Check our Helpline opening hours >

We also have a welcoming community in our online Forum, where you can get and give support. There are lots of conversations about colposcopy, so you can choose to read existing threads or post your own messages. 

Join our Forum >

If you have general questions about colposcopy, our Ask the Expert service may be able to help. Submit your question confidentially to our panel of experts and get a tailored reply. 

Use our Ask the Expert service >