Would You Swipe Left or Right?
Onondaga County has the highest rate of chlamydia infections, excluding NYC, in all of New York State. Sort of makes you take pause, right? The state’s average is a rate of 614.4, while Onondaga County alone has a rate of 691.5. Why is our rate so much higher than the rest of the state? Well, if we had the answer to that then we certainly would be screaming it from the rooftops. While even though we may not have the answer, we do have some information that could help people practice safer sex options.
April is Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Awareness Month and we want to share some facts that you may not have known. For starters, what is with switching from saying STDs to STIs?! Many people use them interchangeably, but they are different. All start out as a STI, while only some progress to a STD. For example, when someone contracts chlamydia, they do not have a disease; they have an infection…BUT if the infection goes untreated, it can progress into Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). Now they have an STD. Same thing when we are talking about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)- someone has an infection of the viral strain but not a disease. If that strain of HPV develops into cervical cancer, they now have a disease as a result of an infection. See what we are getting at here? Good- glad we cleared that up!
Alright so now that we know what a STI is, how can you get one? If you are engaging in any sexual activity (oral, vaginal, and/or anal sex), then you are at risk of getting a STI. Even if you are using a condom, internal or external, you are still at risk of getting a STI. But how?! An external condom is only covering the shaft of the penis, leaving the testicles exposed to STIs that are spread skin-to-skin such as Herpes, HPV, and Syphilis. It is the same with an internal condom, it is only covering part of the labia if used during vaginal sex and only the anus if used during anal sex. There is also the issue of, what if the condom breaks? Therefore, the only way to be 100% sure way that you won’t get a STI is abstinence, refraining from any sexual activity. So if you choose to be sexually active, know the steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting a STI!
As we are all aware, it is a scary and unprecedented time in the world right now during the coronavirus pandemic. The current guidelines are to shelter-in-place and only go out when necessary, practicing social distancing by keeping 6 feet between you and other people, and washing your hands regularly. Not much room for hooking up outside of who you may be self-isolating with, am I right? Well this is the perfect time to talk about what happens before sex!
Dating and hook-up apps are one of the most popular ways to meet someone you may have never had the opportunity to otherwise. So we thought it would be fun to look up the profiles of some infamous STIs. Not everyone seems to be honest in their bios when it comes to apps, but these ones seem to keep it real. So tell us, would you swipe left or right??
Chlamydia
Age: 113, Bacteria, cured with antibiotics
Bio: Names Chlamydia, I enjoy things like unprotected sex and not getting tested-- I’ve been around for a while and recently I have been making my way around more than ever- shout out to the 315!
I can cause discharge from the vagina or penis, as well as some itching or discomfort/pain in the pelvic area…BUT, most of you won’t have any of these symptoms! I like to be stealthy. “I ain’t here for a long time, I’m here for a good time”
Human Papilloma Virus
Age: 113, Virus, treated with antiviral meds
Bio: Call me HPV. I am superrrr common- 2/3 of the sexually active population has me because I’m passed through skin-to-skin contact. I come in 100+ strains, but only 40 (ish) are considered “high-risk”, meaning that those strains could cause either genital warts or some types of cancers. You can test for me with a pap exam, and through a visual exam of the genitals. If someone has cancerous cells, they should get routine screenings! If someone has genital warts, they can have them removed at Family Planning Service, or just let them be- they typically go away after a few years, and aren’t harmful. There is also a vaccine to protect against 9 of the high-risk strains (ask your provider today)!
Herpes
Age: 2,000 (ish), Virus, treated with antiviral meds
Bio: I am one of those sneaky STIs, because I can be hanging around, shedding my virus before you even have an outbreak of genital herpes! I have a twin that causes oral herpes (their name is cold sores). We typically prefer to hang out at our own places, but sometimes we switch places and cross-infect other areas through skin-to-skin contact. If you have me, you may get outbreaks of painful, pus-filled sores. You can’t get rid of me, but you can treat me with medications and medicated creams!
Pubic Lice
Age: 10,000, Parasite, cured with antibiotic cream
Bio: Call me Crabs! I’ve been around a longggggg time- don’t I look good for my age? I am very similar to the lice found on people’s heads; except I prefer to live in the pubic region. You’ll definitely know when I am around because your genitals will be very itchy, and possibly appear gray in color with small dots.
I bet you think that if you just shave the area and take a hot shower, you’ll be rid of me, right? Wrong! I can burrow down into the hair follicle, so if you want to get rid of me, you’ll need to use a medicated cream on the affected area to kill off all the lice and eggs, and wash all of our clothes and bedding in hot water/dry on high heat for 1-2 weeks. I guess you could call me a stage-5 clinger.
Have you looked at all the profiles? Hopefully you chose to swipe left on all of them. Even though you may not want to get a STI, it can happen. Here are some ways that you can protect yourself:
Communicate with your partner(s) about the number of partners you have / had, if you’ve ever had a STI and when you were last tested.
Knowing the proper way to wear a condom, use a dental dam and the important role that lubrication can play (TIP: it reduces friction and prevents the condom from breaking)
GET TESTED! As some of the STIs told you, the most common symptom is no symptom at all. So while you may feel completely fine, you could still have a STI. You can get tested easily at Family Planning Syracuse. Some results are instant while others take about 1-2 days.
Get treated. If you have a STI, get treated. Make sure you follow all instructions given to you by your provider when being treated.
If you have any questions about STI’s or want to get tested, you can call or text Family Planning Syracuse at (315) 325-2010