So now I'm confuddled about HPV.

It says that in most women it goes away in a few years. Well, it's been 4 years at least since I was sexually active. Perhaps since I didn't have a GP for so long and I wasn't getting regular paps done, this is the reason why they're finding this now?

Does it remain until the procedure is completed to remove the affected areas? Or would those areas perhaps disappear on their own? Or are some strains of this a lifelong event?