Same HPV test. Different way to collect the sample.
Teal uses the same Primary HPV test used in clinic. Difference is: one requires an in-person visit, the other ships to your door.
The cervical cancer screening experience hasn’t changed since its inception in the 1940s —that’s 80+ years, until now…
Pap smear introduced
Teal Wand FDA-Authorized for At-Home HPV testing
Four numbers that capture the difference.
Five specifics, side by side.
The differences between at-home and in-clinic screening, broken down clearly.
You collect the sample yourself using the Teal Wand.
A provider collects your sample using a speculum and brush or broom.
Wherever feels most comfortable for you. Most people opt for a familiar, private space in their home, such as their bathroom or bedroom. There could be an option to collect in-clinic.
Collected in a clinic or doctor's office. Typically, you will lay on an examination bed in a doctor's office and place your legs in stirrups.
From your vagina. You guide the Wand into your vagina, toward your cervix — stopping when you feel slight resistance.
Speculum exams collect a sample from your cervix, which is positioned at the upper end of your vagina.
Primary HPV testing is the recommended test for cervical cancer screening. When screening with Teal, your sample is tested on the same FDA-approved Primary HPV test as the doctor's office. It looks for the presence of high-risk HPV, which can lead to most cervical cancers. Primary HPV tests detect possible cervical cancer earliest, before cancer has developed. The test can detect cervical precancer that is caused by HPV, which is when abnormal cell changes take place, before cervical cancer develops.
Primary HPV testing is also the recommended test for cervical cancer screening in-clinic, however there are two additional tests a provider may conduct: a Pap smear or co-test. If a Primary HPV test, see note to the left. If a Pap smear (cytology), your cervical cells will be visually analyzed under a microscope for cell changes that may indicate cancer risk. In a co-test, your provider will be screening based on both the Pap smear and HPV test.
HPV tests are the most sensitive cervical cancer screening test. The Teal Wand detects cervical precancer 96% of the time, which is the same as clinician-collected samples.
A Pap smear alone has a lower sensitivity compared to HPV tests. It is only able to detect cell changes once they have happened — which could be a sign of cancer already being present. Co-tests (HPV + Pap) are highly sensitive because they perform a Primary HPV test and the Pap test, but it is inefficient to perform two tests on all women and can lead to more unnecessary follow-up tests.
Too many women are behind on screening —and it doesn't have to be this way.
Whether the hurdle is time, childcare, or the anxiety of a speculum exam, the barriers to screening are real. We designed the Teal Wand to honor these experiences, offering a screening process built on convenience, privacy, and ease.
20M+
U.S. women of screening age, are behind on their cervical cancer screening
98%
reported the screening process with Teal was painless
93%
of trial participants said it was easy or very easy to use
I was very happy with the service. The provider I saw was very personable and gave clear instructions. The kit was easy to use and results came quickly.
35 yrs old
Same screening. Done virtually.
With virtual support from a Teal Medical provider, you collect your sample at home and mail it to the lab to test on the same FDA-approved HPV test used in clinics.
Other things worth knowing
Yes. The Teal Wand is the first at-home self-collection device to be FDA-authorized for cervical cancer screening.
Primary HPV testing looks for the virus that causes nearly all cervical cancers and is the most sensitive, efficient screening test. It’s recommended by the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Primary HPV testing is the most sensitive and efficient cervical cancer screening test available today. It is recommended by the American Cancer Society, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Yes. Primary HPV testing enables self-collection, and Teal’s FDA-authorized Teal Wand lets you collect a sample comfortably at home without a speculum.
Primary HPV testing on a Teal Wand sample is highly sensitive, catching disease 96% of the time - the same as screening in a clinic.
No. A Pap smear looks for cell changes, while Primary HPV testing detects the virus that causes almost all cervical cancers.
A negative result means no high-risk HPV was detected, indicating a very low risk of HPV-related precancer or cancer developing within the screening interval.
With in-network insurance, the Teal Wand costs $99. Without insurance, cash pay pricing is $249. Both prices include everything: the Teal Wand kit, virtual provider visits, lab processing, results, and follow-up support. There are no additional fees, subscription requirements, or follow-up payments.
Enter your email on this page to complete the medical eligibility and order your kit.