Exploring the benefits and purpose of a dental dam Dental dams may not be trending across social media but could this lesser-known barrier method be a good option for you? What is a dental dam? A dental dam is a thin, stretchy piece of latex or polyurethane that can be […]
If you’ve been diagnosed with a sexually transmissible infection (STI), you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed, worried or unsure about what’s next. It might seem scary but getting an STI is not the end of the world. In fact, 4 million people in Australia will get an STI at […]
Have you ever been having sex and noticed that things were getting a bit…dry? It happens to the best of us and there’s a super easy solution. ENTER: lube. Honestly, lube does not get the love and attention it deserves. Not only can lube make sex feel more comfortable, but […]
Exploring the benefits and purpose of a dental dam Dental dams may not be trending across social media but could this lesser-known barrier method be a good option for you? What is a dental dam? A dental dam is a thin, stretchy piece of latex or polyurethane that can be […]
If you’ve been diagnosed with a sexually transmissible infection (STI), you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed, worried or unsure about what’s next. It might seem scary but getting an STI is not the end of the world. In fact, 4 million people in Australia will get an STI at […]
Have you ever been having sex and noticed that things were getting a bit…dry? It happens to the best of us and there’s a super easy solution. ENTER: lube. Honestly, lube does not get the love and attention it deserves. Not only can lube make sex feel more comfortable, but […]
Home › Forums › Nurse Nettie › How can I avoid getting herpes?
Tagged: MensHealth, STIs, WomensHealth
I’ve heard herpes is really common and most people will get it in their lifetime. I really don’t want to get it. What do I have to do (or not do)?
🙂 Hi @walk_on_walls! this is a really good question. The reality is that it’s not possible to 100% avoid herpes. Kissing or having sex with someone you like is really healthy so we don’t want to stop that! There are many ways to reduce the risk…these include not having sex if there are any sores or broken skin on the penis, testes, vagina or bum as well as not kissing or having oral sex if there are signs of cold sores on the lips. Using condoms or dental dams (for oral sex) does help a lot too. If a person has symptoms of herpes, they also can take antiviral medication which may reduce the risk of passing it on by 50%.
You’re right in that herpes is common. The good news is that herpes may never be a physical health issue for most people.
Thanks for the info. I guess if I get it I’ll just to deal with it.
What do you mean ‘it may never be a physical health issue for most people’?
These are great questions @walk_on_walls! Usually people who have herpes infection don’t have symptoms. In fact 7 out of 10 of people have HSV 1 & 1 in 8 have HSV 2 infection- it’s really common, however only a few people develop symptoms of cold sores around the mouth or symptoms on the genitals. Does this make sense?..sometimes herpes can be complicated to understand….
So even if I get it, there’s a good chance I won’t have any symptoms? That doesn’t sound so bad.
That’s right! Remember too, if you do happen to get symptoms it’s usually pretty easy to manage them.
Thanks for the advice 🙂