There seems to be a stigma around STDs as if once you contract one, your life changes for the worst. However, statistically speaking, it’s all an illusion. It’s all a “big nothing,” you might say, considering that a huge part of the population, dating and married, have an STD or will have one in their lifetime.
According to a CDC report, 20% of the U.S. population, or one in five people, have an STD or STI on any given day. Over $16 billion is spent every year on healthcare-related STD costs.
On a worldwide basis, the problem is even more common. The World Health Organization says 374 million new STD infections every year. Almost 130 million will contract chlamydia, 82 million will contract gonorrhea (82 million), just over 7 million will contract syphilis, and 156 million will contract trichomoniasis (156 million).
Almost 500 million people already live with genital HSV (herpes), and 300 million women, including black women, have an HPV infection. STDs are not that unusual for many people in the U.S. and worldwide. Almost 300 million people have chronic hepatitis B
Do Condoms Prevent STDs?
Condoms effectively prevent STDs as genital-to-genital contact poses the highest risk of transmission. However, transmission can also occur during oral or anal sex, which is why dental dams are recommended to reduce the risk.
Even when using a condom, there remains a chance of transmission if it breaks or if it is used improperly and falls off. It is important not to remove the condom at any time after arousal. The man should not allow the erection to decrease and then become aroused again, as this could result in minimal contact between semen and vaginal fluid.
Can You Get an STD from Skin-to-Skin Contact?
Some confusion exists about ways to transmit STIs or STDs. The clear answer is that exposure to an infected person’s genital fluids or direct contact with infected skin spreads STDs. This means that certain lovemaking acts can lead to infection, even in the absence of genital-to-genital contact.
Oral and genital herpes can spread via contagious sores, regardless of where they appear on the body. This means you can even get oral herpes without sexual contacts, such as casual kissing on the cheek or lips.
HPV, or Human Papillomavirus, spreads through genital warts. Getting vaccinated for HPV can prevent infections from occurring. Syphilis, as well as Molluscum Contagiosum, a skin disease transmitted during sex, can spread through mouth sores or genital sores.
According to Very Well Health, casual contact with another person can occasionally lead to STD transmission, but rarely. Unprotected sex or using a condom that doesn’t cover the penis is the most common reason for STD transmission.
Furthermore, it’s important to remember that using a condom that covers your genitals does not guarantee complete protection. If your partner is infected and their genital fluids come into contact with your skin, skin-to-skin infections can occur.
In the case of cloth-to-skin transmission, like with a towel or passing from person to clothing and then to person, the cases are exceptionally rare for a positive accidental transmission. It’s just more common that you will catch an STD through sexual contact.
Using a Dating App for STD Dating
While there are dating apps/sites like Positive Singles and MPWH, there are also mainstream apps that offer STD filtering. Some interracial dating apps let you state your STD status and your preferred partner’s condition. This is a smart option since it avoids an awkward conversation later on.
New apps do need modern solutions to old dating problems. Today’s dating apps are all about giving you the customized dating experience you want, rather than sorting through all the guys/girls you DON’T want. That’s why everyone’s dating online in 2022, rather than relying on old dating strategies.
Know the Facts About STDs in Men
In the end, remember that a person’s STD health has nothing to do with their character or personality. People do get STDs by accident, sometimes, even if they are not promiscuous. Most infections can be cured or treated so that the condition is hardly noticeable.
Even in dangerous STDs like HIV, contracting the disease is not a death sentence. You can still have sex with a person using a condom. You can also live a full and healthy life by taking your health seriously (eating right and working out) and going to the doctor for treatment.
The truth is there is nothing so terrible about getting an STD. The only bad news is failing to get tested regularly, neglecting vaccination, and delaying treatment for infections as soon as possible.
Read more: How-To Guide: HIV DATING SITE Essentials For Beginners
