Sexually Transmitted Infections

Dear Dr. Myrtle, I am interested in becoming sexually intimate with someone, and I am having a hard time finding out more about sexually transmitted diseases. Can you give me some information about things I should be thinking about? Sometimes I talk people who are unclear about the potential for sexually transmitted infections. Trying to...

Dear Dr. Myrtle Can you tell me what things are sexually transmitted? I’m not sure what to be worrying about. Although I don’t think you should spend a lot of time worrying, here is my comprehensive list of sexually transmissible infections. It’s pretty inclusive, although I’m sure there are infections that I didn&rsquo...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, I’ve infected someone with an STI. Should I inform an ex-partner who gave me unprotected oral sex once? There was a definite mixing of secretions. Is there anything that this former partner could do now that would help? I think that it’s important to tell your ex-partner that you found out that you have a Sexually...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, I just found out that an ex-girlfriend of mine has HPV. She had a wart two years before we started dating and never told me (I’m not a happy camper right now). From what I’ve read about the passing of the virus, I have every reason to believe I’m infected, because I’ve had unprotected sex and oral sex...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, My husband and I often use condoms. However, we are having trouble with leakage. When he ejaculates, the fluid runs out the bottom of the condom at the base of his penis. Even if he pulls out the instant he is done, there is often some of his fluid on my vaginal lips. We haven’t tried every brand of condom out there, so I...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, I have recently found bumps on my genital area, which I got checked out. Just by the look of it, the doctor said it’s genital warts. I wasn’t sure if this was correct, but I looked for pictures of genital warts on the Internet and found some that look like my current bumps. If I do have genital warts, I accept that...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, Does a "hand job" pose any risk of STI transmission? It seems harmless. This is common in massage places and in casual sex these days. Sorry, but the "hand-to-penis connection" is a easy way to get some undesirable infections. Three scenarios: Imagine that you have little tears in your skin from washing...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, Some common questions about HPV. I thought that two women couldn’t give each other STI’s, and now an old partner (from five years ago) is telling me she got HPV from me. I think I have genital warts on my penis, and although they were frozen off once, I don’t think they’ve ever gone away. Are they...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, Why do I need to use barriers? I’m a lesbian! So you’re a lesbian. Do you think that lesbians don’t transmit infections to each other? Humans transmit infections back and forth regardless of gender. Eighty percent of lesbians have at one time in their lives been intimate with men. Serial monogamy (being in...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, Why aren’t porn stars wearing condoms? Does that present a risk to the actors? If not, do you know why it doesn’t? Porn stars aren't wearing condoms because a portion of visual erotica viewers wants to see them without condoms. Actors are often paid more if they are willing to perform without protection, giving them...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, My partner and I are fine with wearing condoms, but I get a painful, red rash right at the opening of my vagina after we use them. I’m thinking that I’m allergic to latex condoms. What should I do? First, a word about latex allergies: Latex allergies are more common now than they were even ten years ago, because...

Dear Dr. Myrtle, I recently found out that I had an STI, and I had it treated with antibiotics. However, I own a couple of sex toys that I used while I was infected. I know that you say not to share sex toys with partners, so I’m wondering: if I can infect someone else with my sex toy, can’t I also reinfect myself with my toys? Do I...

Dr. Myrtle, What are the real STD risks, if any, for a man if a woman performs oral sex on him without a condom? What can he catch from her that she might not know she has, even if she doesn’t have obvious sores, or she lies about knowing.... NEXT: Is there anything she could pass to him and neither of them know.....that he could then pass to...

Is it safe to use any lubricant with a polyurethane condom? The Trojan packaging says not to use anything, but I really need something else to feel comfortable using them.   Short Answer Although you need to be careful which type of lubricant you pick, there are a few lubricants that have been cleared in FDA testing for use with...