Across the border in my home country of Canada, rates of STDs have rapidly been increasing since 2000. Syphilis cases have increased 10 times over, while chlamydia rates have increased 66 percent. Public-health experts are saying that this can partially be attributed to the popularity of online dating.

The problem is that people get to know each other in advance, so by the time they meet there are already increased levels of intimacy. Because of this felt intimacy, people are less likely to have a conversation about safe sex. Add this to the decrease in condom use among female college students, and it’s definitely something we should be talking about.

Public health agency statistics indicate that the more the HIV epidemic appears to become a thing of the past, the less people focus on a message of safe sex. There are, of course, other factors than just online dating, but the response should be the same. Communicate with your partners, practice safe sex, and get tested. Read More »

I met him my first night of college. Although not the fairytale every girl imagines, we hit it off in the basement of a fraternity house. It was a passionate, whirlwind love affair that lasted about a month. Long story short, we don’t speak any more. I took it as a learning experience about relationships and the healing process was not easy.

It was an early morning over winter break when I got the call from my gynecologist. I was expecting the phone call and was prepared for her to tell me that I was perfectly normal and she’ll see me in a year for a checkup. She was reading through the list of diseases saying they all came back negative, until she said, “But, your HPV test came back positive. You have what’s called high risk HPV.” I couldn’t think of anything other than getting out of hearing range of everybody in the house. So, I ran into the kitchen and asked, “What do I do now?” She seemed so calm about the whole situation and just insisted that I make sure to come back in three months for a follow-up appointment, and to call her if I had any questions. Read More »

The battle for comprehensive sexual education in New York City is finally over, as for the first time in over twenty years public middle and high school students will be required to take sex-ed classes. The Bloomberg administration has decided it’s time to implement new initiatives in an attempt to improve the lives of the city’s black and Latino teenagers. City statistics show these groups are more at risk than their white counterparts for unplanned pregnancies and contracting sexually-transmitted diseases. Read More »

The best kind of a vagina is a happy vagina. That said, vaginas are very sensitive. And when something goes wrong, it’s hard to not feel self-conscious, or dirty, or just really unnerved. More than likely, if your vagina is a bit off, it’s due to an infection of some sort.

So we won’t beat around the bush and sugarcoat it — here are the five most common vaginal afflictions.

1. Yeast Infections

Causes: When new yeast is introduced into the vaginal area (like, say, whipped cream/chocolate during sex) or there is an imbalance of bad bacteria to good bacteria (after antibiotic usage).
Symptoms: Thick, white discharge that is similar in consistency to cottage cheese, itching, burning, vaginal soreness, pain during intercourse
Treatment: Antifungal medication, taken orally or via vaginal tablets or suppositories. There are prescription and over the counter options (like Monistat and Mycelex)
Prevention: Yeast overgrows when there’s a buildup of moisture, so wear breathable cotton undies. Avoid douches and scented pads/tampons (seriously, a vagina is a vagina. It’s not supposed to smell like roses.) Eating plain yogurt with active cultures has also been linked to avoiding yeast infections.

Read More »

It’s pretty much expected that if I even so much as hint at casual sex, I will receive comments informing me that STDs exist and are deadly, and insinuate that I am a completely irresponsible person who is basically asking you to contract a herpes/gonorrhea/syphillis hybrid disease thing that will ruin your life forever…that’s only a mild exaggeration. The possibility of contracting an STD is a legitimate concern, I would never deny that.  But there is a bit of an undercurrent of shaming that is present when responses to articles seeking to promote healthy mental attitudes towards sex choose to focus on the risk of STDs.  I’m sure we’re all aware of the shame and stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases and infections. I mean, you’d have no qualms sharing that you missed class the other day because you had a cold and wanted to get it checked out. But how comfortable would you be sharing that you skipped class the other day to pick up antibiotics for your chlamydia infection? Exactly. Read More »

Got a health question? Don’t trust those “Doctors” at the University Health Center? Are you scared of Web M.D. because it always tells you you’re gonna die? Ask a real doctor, like our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin. She’s here every Thursday to answer whatever you throw at her – like post-sex soreness – so ask away. Leave your question in the comments or send it over to us. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I found out that I have HPV. So, having sex with my boyfriend, does that mean he has HPV too? And if either of us perform oral sex – can the warts then be transferred to our mouths? Will this lead to cancer? On the paper I got back from the doctor it said to come back in 12 months for another pap smear; will it get worse by then? I’m nervous.

A: HPV can be a sneaky bastard. Unlike sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia, HPV can hang around, unexpressed and asymptomatic, then suddenly rear its ugly head with little warning. Chances are that your partner also has HPV. In fact, chances are good that your boyfriend gave it to you. But it’s possible you could have contracted it from a prior partner and that he doesn’t have it. No way to know for certain, so the best strategy is to behave as if he doesn’t have it, just to protect him.

It’s unclear to me whether you have warts already or whether your HPV just came up on a pap smear. If it’s just a pap smear, chances are good that you carry the type of HPV that causes abnormal paps and cervical cancer, but not genital warts. The good news about this for your partner is that these strains of HPV tend to cause nothing in guys (which is why guys are passing it around like candy. They don’t even know they have it). Read More »

As we all know from our high school sex ed classes–and some of you from experience– it’s a basic fact that some guys are circumcised, while others aren’t.  It’s been long debated whether or not it makes too much difference in terms of sensation for guys, and for girls, whether they prefer a circumcised or uncircumcised dude is simply a matter of personal preference (and some don’t care either way).

For years, circumcision was performed not only because of certain religious beliefs, but also the idea that circumcision was more hygienic and lowered health risks.  Then, in 1999, the American Medical Association claimed it was medically unnecessary.

However, this may not be as true as once believed.  A new study has found that male circumcision can actually lower guys’ risk of getting certain STDs.  The study states that circumcision lowers the risk of HPV (human papillomavirus) by 35 percent and herpes by 28 percent.  Furthermore, the study confirmed a previous study that said circumcision lowers AIDS risk by 60 percent. Read More »

After reading about one CollegeCandy writer’s scary STD experience, I realized that I had not been tested in over 4 years. Before I was having actual sex. It’s not like I never thought about it; it’s just that I never considered myself someone who needed to be tested. Doesn’t make much sense when I say it out loud, but in my head I kept thinking of my former, not sexually active, self, and never thought that I was at risk.

But last week I called my doctor and made an appointment. And every day for the past 7, I have picked up the phone to call my doctor back and cancel. What if I have something? What if I have something serious? What do I do? Do I call all of my previous partners? I mean, it’s been 4 years! Who knows where I got something from and who I passed it onto. And, as embarassing as this is to say, there is one partner in particular in there whose name I do not even know…

But I did not cancel. I acted like the adult that I am and I went to my gyno to get tested. Read More »

Whenever I tell someone I’m going on vacation, they don’t tell me to have a safe trip or take lots of pictures. No. Inevitably, they say the same thing every single time:  “Bring me back something good.” Of course they mean a souvenir. Love getting them, but hate giving them.

Well, this spring break I’m doing things a little different; I’m going to think outside the box and break the souvenir norm. Who said souvenirs had to be “fun” or “safe”?

Gone are the days of snow globes, useless thimbles, ugly t-shirts and fragile shot-glasses. Instead, I have come up with five ideas of what to bring back from those sunny spring break cities. Whether you need gifts for your friends or mementos for yourself, these ideas will keep the memory alive for years to come.

1. A new last name: Why not pull a Mariah and come back with a hyphenate? There’s a reason celebrity vacations splash the covers of tabloids, and that reason is scandal. Nothing spells gossip like spontaneous beach-side nuptials. Friends and commitment-phobes alike will enjoy this souvenir, just remember to get Britney’s annulment lawyer before you sign your new name on the dotted line. Read More »

Everyone loves an e-card. Yeah, they’re kind of cheesy, and they usually feature singing animals, but who the hell doesn’t want a singing polar bear wishing them a happy birthday?But not all e-cards bear good news. According to CNN.com, a website called inSpot.org has started producing e-cards that tell the recipients to get checked for STDs. So ladies, if you’re trying to figure out how to break it to the cutie you hooked up with last weekend (whose phone number you do not have, but email address you found while stalking him on Facebook), you can let him know via email that he left the party with more than empty condom wrappers.

Maybe the inSpot peeps will make a Facebook application next? Or maybe a Urine Cup you can send as a gift? That would make things so much easier.

[photo courtesy inSpot.org]