Are You Smart About Safe Sex?



Your Results:
You're a Safe Sex Smarty-Pants!
Good for you! You keep your health protected just by knowing the facts. When it comes to sex, you know there's no room to take chances. Continue to learn and grow as a sexual being by staying on top of the latest news. Here's a brief refresher of your sex-smarts:

You can't always tell if a partner has an STD by looking at his or her genitals, since only some are detectable (genital herpes and genital warts) and others are not always (chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and HPV). You should ask your partner, but to really be on the safe side, request that you both get tested.

Other than abstinence, condoms offer the best form of protection against STDs, but are not 100% effective. Aside from the risk of a condom breaking, some STDs, like herpes and warts, are not always covered by a condom.

Cold sores are a form of herpes, caused by a virus just like the one that causes genital herpes. The virus remains in the immune system and can never be cured, though outbreaks may be somewhat controlled. Cold sores are contagious and can be spread even when there's not a visible sore.

Not only can you get pregnant if you have sex on your period (sperm can survive in your body for up to one week), you're more susceptible to infections because of changes to the genitals during menstruation.

Not all OB-GYNs automatically do STD testing, so speak up. You also have an annual check-up regularly, even if you haven't had sex in a while, since some STDs, like HPV, can lay dormant for a while before they produce symptoms.

Oral sex is just as risky as intercourse where STDs are concerned. Use a condom or a dental dam to act as a barrier to skin-to-skin contact and protect against the exchange of fluids.

Using whipped cream and hot fudge on your genitals can cause yeast infections in some women. Massage oils can deteriorate the latex on a condom, increasing the risk of it breaking.

A healthy relationship begins with healthy communication about sex. Don't wait until you're already sexually active with a new partner to ask about STDs. Talk to him or her beforehand and ask that you both get tested before you get busy.

Always use a condom with a new partner, no matter how unenjoyable it is for either of you. Any genital-to-genital contact can put you at risk for an STD, so keep it on until you're both finished being physical.

Antibiotics can cure chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis if caught early enough. Unfortunately, chronic STDs like HIV, HPV, hepatitis B, and oral and genital herpes remain in the immune system indefinitely or forever.