What are STDs?

Sexually transmitted diseases (or STDs for short) are a name for a group of infections and diseases that people spread from person to person. They are called sexually transmitted because you normally contract them from an infected person during some type of sexual contact or activity. STDs affect both boys and girls, and are more common with teenagers because of the lack of safe sex (i.e. using a condom). All STDs come with side effects and health problems. If left untreated some STDs can leave you infertile (no babies later in life for you) and even death (in the case of HIV/AIDS).

• chlamydia
• gonorrhea
• genital herpes
• genital warts
• syphilis
• HIV

Protection against STDs

The biggest myth about sexually transmitted diseases is that you have to have sexual intercourse to catch one, now those of us in the know (or those who have been unfortunate to catch one) will know that certain STDs are spread through simple body contact, like for example if you touched your girlfriend intimately and she had an infection and then you go and touch your own private areas later on without washing your hands then the chances are you too will catch the infection.

STDs can spread when they come into contact with the tiniest of cuts or sores, this makes both oral and anal sex potential places to pick up an STD.

The other main reason that sexually transmitted diseases can spread so easily is because you cant tell if someone has one just by looking, on the outside everything could look a ok, however who knows what is lurking beneath the skin. Another thing to remember is that not all STDs come with noticeable side-effects so there is also a good chance that someone could be infected and not even realise it.

If you want to be protected against STDs the simplest form of protection (although not 100% protective) is to wear a LATEX condom as this acts as a barrier between the two layers of skin, it is also a pretty good contraceptive

The last thing to remember is that the more people that you have sex with the greater chance you have of contracting and/or passing on an STD!

Treating sexually transmitted diseases

Like most diseases STDs are easiest to treat when they are at an early stage, the longer they are left untreated, the harder they are to treat. Also by not treating STDs at an early stage you are also putting your own health in danger.

It is advised that you have regular check-ups, either at your local doctors or at a near by sexual health clinic. This helps to treat and prevent potential STDs and also check that everything is as it should be.

There are some not STD problems that happen to both boys and girls, even if they have never had sex before, but if in doubt get it checked out as I’m sure that your sexual partner would not be too happy if you gave them an STD as a present.