The Internet is the first place we look for information on sexual health, and we also tend to believe whatever is found there. Some genuine health sites give us the correct information while some other sites give us information that’s outdated or myths stated as facts. To reconfirm some young teens go to their friends who are as clueless as they are, and so get lost along the way. The right place or person to look for such information is your doctor.
Here we have some of the common myths about safe sex.
Plastic wrap or a baggie is a perfect substitute for a condom – False. Plastic wrap or a baggie is no substitute for a condom at anytime. There are tiny holes in the wraps that are invisible to the naked eyes. These tiny holes are enough for the sperm to pass through. Baggies don’t zip closed enough to prevent sperm from passing into the vagina. Neither of these items are effective tools against preventing STDs or HIV. Although some people use these during oral sex, they still aren’t effective as a preventive method against HIV and STDs.
Homosexual women are safe from STDs and HIV – It is absolutely wrong. Women having sex with women are also at an equal risk of getting STDs although the risk of contracting HIV is lower than heterosexual sex or men who have sex with men. Some also think that if a woman has no sexual contact with any man she is not at risk, but that’s not true. It is important for everyone to practice safe sex.
It is all right to have sex in a pool or hot tub because the chlorine kills everything – Chlorine is a disinfectant and works only on the germs that live on objects. It isn’t an antibiotic or an antiviral medicine that can kill the bacteria or the viruses that cause STDs and HIV. It isn’t even a spermicidal that kills sperm. Also, if you wear a latex condom in a hot tub, it will break. So, that means you have no protection against HIV or STD or contraception.
If you don’t see any symptoms of an STD, it means you don’t have any sexual disease – It’s a misconception that if you don’t see the symptoms, the infection doesn’t exist. Some of the STDs don’t have any symptoms, while some who are infected might have the infection in its primary stage, which has no symptoms. Remember that merely by looking you cannot say if a person has any STD or not. There’s no risk in having oral sex. It’s 100 percent safe – No, oral sex also puts you at an equal risk of getting STDs and HIV. Not only that, it’s also a risk factor for sexually transmitted throat cancer. It’s important to practice safe sex methods even while having oral sex. It’s also important to use barriers such as dental dams, gloves or condoms even on sex toys.
You won’t get pregnant the first time you have sex – Some women wrongly believe that it’s impossible to get pregnant the first time a woman has sex with someone. Even on your first time you’re at an equal risk of getting pregnant. Getting pregnant has to do with where you are in your menstrual cycle. If I take a “morning after” pill it will cause abortion – A morning-after pill is not the same as an abortion pill. It only prevents you from getting pregnant after having unprotected or unplanned sex. Most of the pills only work if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse. So, if you’re already pregnant it wouldn’t make any difference. You’re still pregnant.
Sitting on a toilet seat can transmit STDs – It isn’t possible to have STDs after you sit on a toilet seat. The bacteria or the viruses that cause STDs cannot survive outside the body for too long. They cannot even be present in the urine, so the chance of contracting an STD from someone who is infected and has just used the bathroom is almost negligible.
It’s healthy to douche the vagina – Many women think so, but it’s not exactly true. Douching can do more harm than good. The vagina has some natural bacteria that help it remain clean and healthy; douching disturbs the balance. It can lead to infections in the vagina, fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries. It also doesn’t prevent the transmission of STDs or pregnancy. Douching right after intercourse actually makes it easier for a woman to get pregnant by pushing the semen up into the vagina and cervix.
I just missed one contraceptive pill, so it doesn’t matter – Missing even a single pill actually does matter. The contraceptive pills are meant to be taken at the same time each day and if you have gone past the time it’s considered as missed. If you are late in taking the pill you should take it as soon as possible or else you might end up getting pregnant. You can use alternative contraceptive methods for at least seven days after you have missed your pill to prevent any unplanned pregnancy.
Here we have some of the common myths about safe sex.
Plastic wrap or a baggie is a perfect substitute for a condom – False. Plastic wrap or a baggie is no substitute for a condom at anytime. There are tiny holes in the wraps that are invisible to the naked eyes. These tiny holes are enough for the sperm to pass through. Baggies don’t zip closed enough to prevent sperm from passing into the vagina. Neither of these items are effective tools against preventing STDs or HIV. Although some people use these during oral sex, they still aren’t effective as a preventive method against HIV and STDs.
Homosexual women are safe from STDs and HIV – It is absolutely wrong. Women having sex with women are also at an equal risk of getting STDs although the risk of contracting HIV is lower than heterosexual sex or men who have sex with men. Some also think that if a woman has no sexual contact with any man she is not at risk, but that’s not true. It is important for everyone to practice safe sex.
It is all right to have sex in a pool or hot tub because the chlorine kills everything – Chlorine is a disinfectant and works only on the germs that live on objects. It isn’t an antibiotic or an antiviral medicine that can kill the bacteria or the viruses that cause STDs and HIV. It isn’t even a spermicidal that kills sperm. Also, if you wear a latex condom in a hot tub, it will break. So, that means you have no protection against HIV or STD or contraception.
If you don’t see any symptoms of an STD, it means you don’t have any sexual disease – It’s a misconception that if you don’t see the symptoms, the infection doesn’t exist. Some of the STDs don’t have any symptoms, while some who are infected might have the infection in its primary stage, which has no symptoms. Remember that merely by looking you cannot say if a person has any STD or not. There’s no risk in having oral sex. It’s 100 percent safe – No, oral sex also puts you at an equal risk of getting STDs and HIV. Not only that, it’s also a risk factor for sexually transmitted throat cancer. It’s important to practice safe sex methods even while having oral sex. It’s also important to use barriers such as dental dams, gloves or condoms even on sex toys.
You won’t get pregnant the first time you have sex – Some women wrongly believe that it’s impossible to get pregnant the first time a woman has sex with someone. Even on your first time you’re at an equal risk of getting pregnant. Getting pregnant has to do with where you are in your menstrual cycle. If I take a “morning after” pill it will cause abortion – A morning-after pill is not the same as an abortion pill. It only prevents you from getting pregnant after having unprotected or unplanned sex. Most of the pills only work if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse. So, if you’re already pregnant it wouldn’t make any difference. You’re still pregnant.
Sitting on a toilet seat can transmit STDs – It isn’t possible to have STDs after you sit on a toilet seat. The bacteria or the viruses that cause STDs cannot survive outside the body for too long. They cannot even be present in the urine, so the chance of contracting an STD from someone who is infected and has just used the bathroom is almost negligible.
It’s healthy to douche the vagina – Many women think so, but it’s not exactly true. Douching can do more harm than good. The vagina has some natural bacteria that help it remain clean and healthy; douching disturbs the balance. It can lead to infections in the vagina, fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries. It also doesn’t prevent the transmission of STDs or pregnancy. Douching right after intercourse actually makes it easier for a woman to get pregnant by pushing the semen up into the vagina and cervix.
I just missed one contraceptive pill, so it doesn’t matter – Missing even a single pill actually does matter. The contraceptive pills are meant to be taken at the same time each day and if you have gone past the time it’s considered as missed. If you are late in taking the pill you should take it as soon as possible or else you might end up getting pregnant. You can use alternative contraceptive methods for at least seven days after you have missed your pill to prevent any unplanned pregnancy.
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