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5 myths about getting HIV, busted
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most recently discovered viruses in the world, and we’ve learned a lot about it in the last 30 years. In that time, we’ve developed treatments that allow people with HIV to live long and healthy lives . Unfortunately, back when the virus was still new and misunderstood, […]
How can I tell if I have HPV?
While some HPV types cause genital warts—raised flesh-colored bumps around your vagina, penis, or anus—many types, including the most dangerous strains , don’t have any external symptoms. The only way to tell if you have one of these strains is to get tested. Note that they don’t have the HPV test for guys, only for […]
How can I tell if I have an STI?
Usually, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are asymptomatic , which means that you can’t tell. Some people with HPV will get warts and some people with Herpes will get sores on their genitals, but many won’t. Other STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV can be even harder to detect. The only way to know for […]
Sigh: The most common STIs are getting even more common
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released their annual report card for the country’s sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The good news is that pelvic inflammatory disease (a.k.a. PID) seems to be on a steady decline. The bad news is that some of the most common STIs—chlamydia and gonorrhea—seem to be on […]
How can I tell if I have herpes?
Herpes can lay dormant (sort of like it’s in hibernation) for years without causing any noticeable symptoms . Because of this, many people don’t know they have it and may have trouble figuring out how or when they got it. When symptoms do occur, they often appear as small blisters on or around the genitals. […]
Can certain STIs make you infertile?
Yes, chlamydia and gonorrhea, if untreated, can cause pelvic inflammatory disease , a.k.a. PID. PID can cause scarring in the tubes that connect the ovaries and uterus and make it more difficult for an egg to travel in the right direction. Luckily, chlamydia and gonorrhea can be easily tested for and treated with antibiotics. One […]
5 myths about living with HIV, busted
Today in the U.S., about 1.2 million people are living with HIV . Just like other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is no way to tell if someone is living with HIV just by looking at them. And just like other STIs, there are plenty of other myths about what it means to live with […]
Safe travels : Birth control when you’re abroad
Soon my boyfriend and I will be headed to Europe for a few blissful weeks of travel. Being a bit type-A, I’m already working my way through my pre-trip checklist (renew passport, buy European outlet convertors). I breathed a little sigh of relief when I got to “birth control.” My new IUD will be effective […]
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 […]
