Advantages And Disadvantages Of Condoms
Some advantages of using condoms:
- When used correctly and consistently, they are a reliable method of preventing pregnancy and protecting both partners from STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.
- You only need to use them when you have sex they do not need advance preparation and are suitable for unplanned sex.
- In most cases, there are no medical side effects from using condoms.
- They are easy to get hold of and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavours.
Some disadvantages include:
- Some couples find that using condoms interrupts sex to get around this, try to make using a condom part of foreplay.
- Condoms are very strong but may split or tear if not used properly. If this happens to you, practise putting them on so you get used to using them.
- Some people may be allergic to latex, plastic or spermicides, but you can get condoms that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction.
- When using a condom, you have to pull out after you have ejaculated and before your penis goes soft, holding the condom firmly in place.
How Can I Tell If I Have An Sti
Get tested! Often, STIs have no obvious symptoms. This means itâs not possible to tell if someone else has an STI or not, and often the person with the STI doesnât know eitherâbut they can still pass the infection to someone else. The only way to know is to get tested. This is why itâs important to have safer sex, if you want to prevent STIs being passed on.
Pubic Lice And Scabies
What is it?
Pubic lice are also known as “crabs” because the lice resemble tiny crabs. They’re usually found around the genitals in the pubic hair. You can get pubic lice from having close contact with someone who has it. Lice can be clear to darker brown in colour. They live by feeding on human blood and lay their eggs at the base of the pubic hair. Their eggs are called nits and can stay alive for up to 10 days.
Scabies are tiny bugs or mites that burrow below the surface of the skin and lay eggs. They’re not visible to the naked eye.
How do you get it?
Pubic lice and scabies are passed on from one person to another through sexual and non-sexual contact. An example of non-sexual contact is sharing towels or sheets with a person who has pubic lice or scabies. Pubic lice and scabies can live on objects such as clothing, towels, bedding and mattresses for 1 to 2 days if they fall off their host.
How can you tell if you have it?
If you have pubic lice or scabies, you will feel itchy and may have a rash. For pubic lice, you might see tiny light brown insects or oval, whitish eggs on the hair. Bites can cause a rash or small bluish spots on your skin. For scabies, itching occurs mainly at night and a rash may appear between your fingers, on your wrists, abdomen, ankles, on the bend of your elbows or around your genitals.
How do you get tested?
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How is it treated?
Because lice and scabies can live on clothing, towels, bedding and mattresses, you need to:
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Can All Stis Be Cured By Antibiotics
No. Many STIs can be cured if caught in the early stages, and the treatment may be as simple as being prescribed a course of antibiotics. But medicine cannot cure all STIs, so prevention through safer sex is the best option. For example, there is no cure for genital herpes. Antiviral medications can be used to prevent or shorten herpes outbreaks, but the disease cannot be eliminated from your body . There is also no cure for HIV, but there are antiretroviral medications that reduce the amount of virus present in the blood. This therapy slows down the progression of the disease and works to also reduce the chance of transmitting the disease to any future partners .
What Should I Expect During My Appointment
The health care provider will ask you many questions about your sexual activity. They may ask you to undress from the waist down and will give you a drape to cover yourself. They may do some or all of the following:
- Ask for a urine sample.
- Take a blood sample.
- Use a cotton swab to take samples from the throat, cervix, anus, and/or urethra .
- Check the external parts of your genitals including testicles and penis for lumps or pain.
- Use a speculum to look at the inside of the vagina and at the cervix .
- If you’re 21 or older, they may do cervical cancer screening, including a Pap test, to check for changes in the cells of the cervix.
- Do a bimanual exam .
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Follow Up With Your Doctor As Directed:
Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
Are Stis Something To Be Ashamed Of
No. STIs are illnesses, just like the common cold or the flu. STIs are passed on by unprotected sexual contact with someone who has an infection. Getting an STI has nothing to do with cleanliness or grooming, and getting an STI test is not a reflection on your behaviorâitâs a responsible health choice. Get tested regularly, and donât forget to talk to your partners about STIs and safer sex. We wrote a guide about how to do that.
If youâre looking for more information, check out our mythbusting articles about condoms and about how pregnancy happens.
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What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia
Antibiotics will cure the infection. You may get a one-time dose of the antibiotics, or you may need to take medicine every day for 7 days. Antibiotics cannot repair any permanent damage that the disease has caused.
To prevent spreading the disease to your partner, you should not have sex until the infection has cleared up. If you got a one-time dose of antibiotics, you should wait 7 days after taking the medicine to have sex again. If you have to take medicine every day for 7 days, you should not have sex again until you have finished taking all of the doses of your medicine.
It is common to get a repeat infection, so you should get tested again about three months after treatment.
Can You Wear Two Condoms At Once
Wondering if using two condoms is better than one for preventing unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections ? Most medical professionals say it is not worth the risk. Read on to learn all about double bagging and why it doesnt work, as well as other options to help keep your sex life fun and safe at the same time.
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Can You Get An Sti From Oral Sex
Yes. Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, syphilis, herpes, gonorrhea, HPV, trichomoniasis, and chlamydia, can all be passed on during oral sex . Infections can be passed from mouth to genitals, or vice versa. To protect yourself while giving or receiving oral sex on the vulva or anus , use a dam, or a condom cut lengthwise. For safer oral sex on a penis cover the penis with a condom.
Other Stds And Associated Conditions
- Consistent and correct use of latex condoms reduces the risk for many STDs that are transmitted by genital fluids .
- Consistent and correct use of latex condoms reduces the risk for genital ulcer diseases, such as genital herpes, syphilis, and chancroid, only when the infected area or site of potential exposure is protected.
- Consistent and correct use of latex condoms may reduce the risk for genital human papillomavirus infection and HPV-associated diseases .
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Mistake: You Dont Apply The Condom Correctly
The rolled edge of an external condom should be on the outside facing away from the penis. You’ll know if youre not putting it on correctly because the condom will resist unrolling down the penis as opposed to flawlessly unfurling itself. Don’t feel bad if you make this mistake! Even though it was easy to put a condom on a banana in sex-ed , that’s not necessarily true to life. “I have yet to find anyone who has a penis that looks like a banana,” says Dr. Levine.
That’s why paying close attention to any signs of struggle is key, whether you’re putting the condom on a penis or a sex toy. “People try to force it down when this happens,” says Dr. Levine. But a condom resisting is a sign something’s wrong, which means you should remove it and get a new one .
Of course, internal condoms have their own nuances. First, the CDC says to differentiate between the thick, inner ring with a closed end and the thin, outer ring. The thick ring gets placed inside the vagina and holds the condom in place. The thin ring stays outside of the body and surrounds the vaginal opening. During sex, its best to guide the penis or sex toy inside the condom opening so they dont slip between the condom and vaginal walls.
What Is The Treatment
Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. It is important to follow the treatment instructions carefully. If you were given pills, finish all of them. Sexual partners from the last 2 months need to be tested and treated. If you have not had a sexual partner in the last 2 months, then your last sexual partner will need to be tested and treated. It takes time for the infection to clear from the body, so it is important that you do not have any oral, vaginal or anal sex for 7 days after you and your partner start the antibiotic treatment.
If you or your partner do not finish the treatment, miss pills or have unprotected sex before you have finished all of the medication, there is a chance that the infection will stay in your body may pass back to you or your partner and cause health problems later. If this happens, talk with your health care provider who will help you to decide if you or your partners need more treatment.
Because re-infection is common, a follow-up test is recommended 6 months after treatment. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a follow-up test 3 to 4 weeks after completing treatment.
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Will My Birth Control Work If I Am Taking Antibiotics
There is very little evidence to show that antibiotics make hormonal forms of birth control not work very well. Examples of hormonal birth control include the pill, the patch, the ring or the shot. If you are being treated with antibiotics, it is important to keep using your birth control as you normally would. If you have concerns, use condoms until your next period comes after completing the antibiotics, or speak to your health care provider for more information.
Chances Of Getting An Std From Oral Sex
Oral sex involves using the mouth, tongue, or lips to sexually stimulate a partners vagina, anus, or penis. Oral sex is common among sexually active people of all genders and orientations.
Many STIs and other infections can be spread through oral sex. Sexual contact with a partner who has an STI can lead to an infection in the throat, mouth, rectum, or genitals.
The chances of getting an STD from oral sex depend on a variety of factors including:
- The specific type and severity of the STI
- The prevalence of STIs in the population
- The use of protection
In general, there are some key things to remember about oral sex and the risk for STIs. Its possible to contract certain STIs in the throat or mouth from giving oral sex to a partner if they have an anal/rectal or genital infection.
Its also possible to contract some STIs in the vagina, rectum, or anus while getting oral sex from a partner who has a throat or mouth infection. STIs arent limited to one area of the body, either, so an infection is possible in more than one region at the same time .
Its important to remember that if the other person has an STI, there is a chance of getting an STD from oral sex even if they arent showing any signs or symptoms of an active infection. In some cases, symptoms just dont present themselves. And since several STIs transmitted through oral sex can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated, regular STI testing is essential.
STIs that can be spread through oral sex are:
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‘i Can’t Wear A Condom I’m Allergic To Them’
Only a very small number of people are allergic to condoms, so don’t always trust someone who tells you that they are. An allergy isn’t a good excuse to have unprotected sex, as there are condoms that don’t cause allergies.
People who are allergic to condoms may react to:
- the latex condoms are made from
- the chemicals used to manufacture condoms
- the spermicide added to most condoms to increase their effectiveness as a contraceptive the spermicide is usually on the outside of the condom, so the person who reacts is not the person wearing it, but their partner
If you or your partner are allergic to condoms, you could try:
- non-latex condoms made from polyurethane or polyisoprene, which don’t cause allergic reactions
- using condoms that have no added spermicide
Remember: use a condom every time you have sex to protect against STIs. To protect against unintended pregnancy, you can use another form of contraception as well, such as long-acting reversible contraceptive methods:
‘i Don’t Want To Wear A Condom I Can’t Be Bothered’
You can get contraception at:
- most GP surgeries
- sexual health clinics
- some young people’s services
Your response to this should be: “If you can’t be bothered to use a condom, then I can’t be bothered to have sex with you.”
Using a condom is easier than having to visit a genitourinary medicine clinic to treat an STI, which may have unpleasant symptoms.
It’s easy to get into the habit of not using a condom and to think unprotected sex won’t give you an infection or result in pregnancy. But condoms don’t just cut the risk of pregnancy or infections: try a coloured condom for some fun, a textured condom for extra sensation, or a flavoured condom for oral sex.
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Do Condoms Protect Against All Stis
It depends. They are most effective against STIs which are transmitted through bodily fluids.
Consistent and correct use of latex condoms or internal condoms is associated with a significant reduction in STI contraction and transmission . If you have penis-in-vagina sex with a condom, you are 80% less likely to contract HIV, compared to sex without a condom .
Some STIs like herpes, human papillomavirus , or genital ulcer diseases like syphilis and chancroid, are spread via skin-to-skin contact. If a condom does not cover the infected area, then a condom cannot offer protection from these STIs. However, if the infections are limited to areas where the condom covers, then the risk of spreading these diseases will be reduced . Find out here about how to correctly put on a condom.
Mistake: You Use An Expired Condom
And while youre already looking at the package, you might as well check the condoms expiration date, too. The expiration date is there for a reason, says Dr. Dweck. Some condoms have spermicide or other ingredients that break down over time and dont work as well. If a condom has expired, you can assume it wont be as safe or effective as one that hasnt.
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Can I Prevent Pregnancy And Stis If I Wash My Genitals Immediately After Sex
No. Many people believe that douching is good hygiene, and prevents infection or pregnancy. Nearly half the women surveyed in one 2008â2010 US study had douched in the past month .
However, douching does not prevent pregnancy and can actually create a higher risk of STI infection . Douching alters the vaginal flora and increases the likelihood of developing bacterial vaginosis . Douching is associated with ectopic pregnancy, low birth weight, preterm labor and preterm birth, and an increased risk of cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, and endometritis .
How Do I Tell My Partner I Have An Sti
If you have an STI, it’s important that your sexual partner be tested as well to make sure the infection doesn’t spread further. There are many ways to tell your partner that they need to get tested for STI.
There are programs and tools to help you tell your partner anonymously that they need to get tested.
Contact your local public health department for more information.
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How Is Chlamydia Treated
Chlamydia can be easily treated with a short course of antibiotics. You may be able to take all the antibiotics in one day, or over a week, depending on the type of treatment you are prescribed.
Its important to not have sex until you and your current sexual partner/s have finished treatment. If youve had the one-day course of treatment, you should avoid having sex for seven days afterwards. Ask your healthcare professional when its safe to have sex again.
Remember that if youve been treated for chlamydia you are not immune and you can get infected again.