No products in the cart.
How to get tested (and treated) for STIs without leaving your house
No one likes getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). You have to talk about your sex life with a stranger. (Or, worse, the same health care provider your mom goes to.) You have to make time for, schedule, and go to an appointment. Then you have to have swabs and/or blood taken, neither of […]
Just diagnosed with an STI? Here’s how to stop freaking out
A lot of people are really scared of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They’re the bogeyman of the bedroom; the sneaky bugs that are just waiting to get you every time you have sex. And that fear makes total sense! If people do get sex ed in school in the United States (and that’s not guaranteed […]
When something’s up down there
Maybe it starts with a little itch, a whiff of something unusual, or a new color or consistency to your vaginal discharge. Maybe you notice a bump, or maybe it burns when you pee. And suddenly you get that sinking feeling, you know the one. The one that says “get thee to a doctor.” Much […]
Guy’s guide to sexually transmitted infections
Guy Nottadadi is on an epic mission to help his buddy end date night on a high note. But don’t worry, along the way he’ll find time to tell us all about testing for and preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). original post
Gone Viral: 6 things you should know about herpes
Genital herpes is one of the most feared and misunderstood sexually transmitted infections (STIs, a.k.a. STDs). Here are 6 things you probably didn’t know about this virus (but should) in honor of STD Awareness Month . 1. You’re having sex on the tip of an enormous iceberg. You might ask a prospective sex partner whether […]
BTW, you should get tested: How to tell someone you have an STI
Sex is awesome—sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are not. Unfortunately, STIs (a.k.a. STDs) are pretty common , so it’s a good idea to get tested regularly. But what do you do if the test reveals that you have an STI? Step 1: Get on top of your health, Step 2: Share the (uncomfortable) news If you’ve […]
Getting tested for herpes can be a pain… in the finger
About 1 in 6 adults in the U.S. has the herpes virus, and about 776,000 more get it each year. How can you be sure you’re not one of them? Get tested. Getting tested, old school The old-school options for herpes testing are swab tests and blood tests . They each have pros and cons. […]
My BFF has genital herpes
On the morning of my 26th birthday I went to work thinking about seeing my friends at the bar later. My best friend Abby* had just returned from visiting another friend out of state and I couldn’t wait to see her and hear what they had gotten up to together. I knew I wouldn’t be […]
Can you get an STD from oral sex?
While you can’t get pregnant from oral sex , you can get a sexually transmitted infection (STI, a.k.a. STD). The risk of getting an STI from oral sex is a little different from the risk of vaginal sex, so let’s go over the details. First, the basic biology STIs are bacteria or viruses that rely […]
Comprehensive safer sex part 1: It’s personal
Part of a three-part series originally published to Tumblr on April 18, 2013. At 30 years old and after 14 years of living with an STI—genital herpes—I’ve had my fair share of experiences with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). At 16, when I contracted herpes, I had been armed with the ever-familiar fear-based sex ed, in […]
