Category: STIs
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HIV PrEP: Truvada
Of all the sexually transmitted infections out there, HIV is the biggest concern for most people. That’s why in the US the FDA’s approval of a drug to help prevent HIV infection was greeted with such relief. Several other countries have also approved Truvada to help prevent the spread of HIV. Truvada is the first…
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Safe Sex Vs Safer Sex
I don’t know about the rest of the world, but in the US over the past ten years or so, it has become common to speak of “safer sex” instead of “safe sex.” The idea, apparently, is that sex is never 100% safe, no matter how careful you are there is always the risk of…
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Fluid Bonding and Safe Sex
Fluid bonding is a common term in polyamory safe sex discussions. Fluid bonding commonly means having sex without a condom or other barrier method. The idea being that your fluids are mingling and joining together. In hierarchical poly relationships, fluid bonding it usually reserved for the primary couple or group. In egalitarian or solo poly…
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What Do You Want to Learn About STIs and Safe Sex?
I’m going to pick up and finally finish my extremely drawn out blog series on safe sex and STIs. Last spring I finally finished a run down of various STIs and their symptoms, causes, treatments, etc. Now I want to go back to that series and talk a bit about options when you or someone…
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Trichomoniasis (Trich)
Trichomoniasis (trich) is a parasitic infection of the genital area. It has only minor (and often no) symptoms, and can only be diagnosed with a blood test or other bodily fluid sampling. While trich itself is a relatively benign infection, it has some serious complications. Prevention: Trich is transmitted through PiV intercourse and (more rarely) vaginal-to-vaginal…
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STIs: Syphilis
For centuries syphilis was the bogey-man of Europe (and probably other parts of the world—but I can only speak of Europe for a certainty). In fact, it would not in anyway be an exaggeration to call syphilis the HIV of 15th century Europe. Today, syphilis is far less of a threat. The development of effective…
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STI: Scabies
Scabies is the common name for a parasitic infection, specifically this parasite: These microscopic invaders not only make a meal of dead skin, like most mites, they actually burrow into human skin to create little dens for laying eggs. Picture a field for of rabbit burrows. Now picture that field is your skin and the…
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STI: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
(Edit: Sorry for the late post! This was supposed to go up yesterday but didn’t due to a technical glitch.) Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the cervix, uterus, Fallopian tubes and/or ovaries. PID is not a specific sexually transmitted infection, it is more like the common cold or pneumonia—a disease that can be…
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Molluscum (Molluscum Contagiosum)
You probably haven’t heard of this one before. I never had, and I think I may have it. Molluscum is a virus that affects the skin, creating tiny nodules where ever it colonizes. It has no real side effects, and as far as I know is not tested for in any regular STD screening (It…
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STD/STI: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
HPV isn’t in the news as much as it was a few years ago when the vaccine first came out. But it is still one of the STD/STIs that most people are familiar with. It is also one that I think people make way to much fuss about. According the CDC “…almost every sexually-active person…