STIs: myths busted

You may have heard of STIs, but can you distinguish between STI facts and myths? We've got you covered. Here are some common myths about STIs we have busted. 

Myth: It’s easy to tell if someone has an STI

Fact: Not every STI causes clear signs and symptoms. You cannot tell, by looking at someone, whether they have an STI or not. Take HPV, for example, a virus that can cause genital warts and even cervical cancer. Almost all sexually active people will get it at some point in their lives, but there are no tests and rarely ever any symptoms.

Myth: Using two condoms is safer and lowers the risk of getting an STI

Fact: Using two condoms at once actually increases the risk of them slipping or breaking, which means less protection. Stick to just one condom. For anal sex, use extra lube.

Myth: STIs happen to other people, not me. Besides, you can’t get an STI the first time you have sex. Fact: Anyone engaging in certain sexual activities with someone who has an STI can contract an STI, whether it’s the first time or the hundredth.

Myth: You can’t get an STI from oral sex

Fact: Yes, you can. Any form of intimacy, whether it’s vaginal, anal, oral or just genital skin-to-skin contact, can give you an STI. So always be safe when you get intimate with someone: use condoms or dental dams.

Myth: All STIs are easy to treat

Fact: Unfortunately, that’s not the case. While some, like chlamydia, are indeed easily treatable, there is no cure for others, like HIV.

Myth: You can’t get the same STI more than once

Fact: Yes you can. Unfortunately having a certain STI doesn’t make you immune to it in the future. After the infection has been cured, you are vulnerable to it once again. That is why you should stop having sex with your partner(s) while you are getting treated for an STI. If you infect your partner, then he or she can pass the infection back to you as soon as you are cured. 

Myth: Condoms protect against all STIs

Fact: This might come as a shock, but condoms can’t prevent the transmission of all STIs. Some of them, like HPV and herpes, can be found anywhere around your genitals. And a condom won’t cover these areas, leaving you at risk of infection.

That’s not an excuse to drop the condom though! 

Myth: I’ve only ever had one partner, so I can’t have an STI

Fact: Unfortunately, even if you’ve only had one partner, you can get an STI. If both of you have never had any kind of sexual contact before, the risk is low. But, some infections (like HPV) are very common, and can be transmitted through skin contact alone. So there is a risk of infection, even if you’ve only ever had one partner.

Myth: You can’t have two STIs at once

Fact: Yes, you can. In fact, having an STI might make it even easier to get another one. If you have genital warts, for example, HIV can enter the body more easily. And chlamydia and gonorrhea appear together so often, that if you have one of them, the doctor is bound to test you for the other.

Myth: If he pulls out before he comes, I can’t get infected. 

Fact: Pre-cum—drops of fluid that the penis discharges during arousal—can contain HIV, other STIs, or even sperm. It’s best to use a condom as soon as the penis is erect.

Myth: Lesbians don’t get STIs. 

Fact: All women who engage in certain sexual activities are at risk for STIs, though the risk is less for women who have sex only with other women. Some STIs can be transmitted between women by genital-to-genital or oral-to-genital contact that involves the exchange of vaginal fluids or by sharing sex toys, and some can be transmitted by skin-to-skin contact.

Myth: After sex, you can prevent STIs by douching, washing your genitals, or urinating.

Fact: Douching can actually push germs farther into your reproductive tract rather than wash them out, and can also alter your vaginal pH, which is normally protectively low. Even washing your genitals is ineffective in protecting against developing an STI after exposure.

Myth: You can’t get an STI from anal sex.

Fact: Reality: Think you’re removing the risk by only having anal sex? Think again. The viruses and bacteria that cause sexually transmitted diseases don’t just go for the genitals. They can be spread through imperceptible cuts in the anus, as well. Some STIs, like genital warts and herpes, can be contracted from skin-to-skin contact alone, if you are exposed to an infected area.

MYTH: Condoms are only for heterosexual sex.

FACT: Condoms can be used by anyone.

MYTH: Someone who has condoms is having sex.

FACT: Just because someone has condoms, it doesn’t mean they are having sex. It means they are taking control of their health.

MYTH: The first step in putting on a condom is to check the expiration date.

FACT: The first step in putting on a condom is to get consent! Someone has to have permission, or consent, to have sex with someone else

MYTH: If I am on birth control, I don’t need to use a condom.

FACT: Other methods of birth control like pills, rings, IUDs, and the implant do not protect against STIs, they only protect against pregnancy. So it is safe and smart to use condoms every time you have sex!

The bottom line is that condoms are important to use EVERY TIME you have sex to prevent against pregnancy AND STIs! It is also smart to have them on hand even if you’re not having sex.

Have you heard any more myths? Share them below, on the comment section or our discussion board and get an answer ASAP!