Why To Practice Safer Sex?

Q: Why should I practice safer sex?

A: There are 1,000,000 new curable STDs contracted every day of the year, globally. This is but one of the a hundred and one reasons why you should practice safer sex—at least in the interest of preserving yourself, your partner and any future children you may have. Safer sex equals a healthier, happier and longer life and sex life for all parties involved. Why go through living with a sexually transmitted disease when you can easily take some precautions to avoid contracting an STD in most cases. Please note that many of the viral and bacterial sexually transmitted infections are much more common and easier to catch than HIV/AIDS. Use common sense and be strict with using protection and your chances of contracting an STD will be far less than the average.

Precautions for greater sexual safety: Penetrative vaginal sex—Apply a well fitting condom that does not contain spermicide before engaging in any genital contact, especially if the woman is not using additional, reliable birth control. New studies show that using a condom that does not contain spermicide is less likely to result in the exchange of HIV between partners as spermicide, such as Nonoxynol-9, can aggravate or create microscopic tears in body tissues leaving you more susceptible to contracting HIV or AIDS. Also, there are sufficient live sperm/germs at the tip of an erection to cause pregnancy or infection without penetration or ejaculation.

Penetrative anal sex - Use a non-spermicidally lubricated condom with extra water based or silicone lubricant at all times--an extra strong condom is less important than sufficient lubrication. If they are not properly lubricated condoms are more likely to burst during anal sex. Never go from the anus to the vagina without changing the condom as this can lead to severe bacterial infections and even Hepatitis. If there's no spare condom available you may go from vaginal to anal sex but never the reverse.

Oral sex - it's safer to use an oral dam/barrier protector when giving cunnilingus (going down on a woman) and a flavored condom over a penis if giving fellatio (a blow job). The incidence of orally transmitted sexual infections is increasing, such as with oral sexually transmitted gonorrhoea that is on the rise in the world over.

Foreplay - any cuts, sores or other skin lesions on fingers should be covered with waterproof plaster or latex gloves worn, particularly during a menstrual period or if anal foreplay is involved. If latex gloves are not available a non-spermicidally lubricated condom over one or two fingers would be safer than bare fingers. If no protection is used, hands must be washed after anal foreplay if vaginal foreplay is involved later.

Sex toys - If shared, the same level of protection as penetrative sex should be employed, and they should be washed thoroughly with warm water and mild soap between partners so that bacteria and other sexually transmitted diseases are not transfered between partners. The easiest solution is to use a different condom on the sex toy for each partner and a different condom on the sex toy for each orifice the sex toy is used to stimulate.

Whips, chains and other articles used for S/M(sado-masochistic) fetish foreplay should be kept for personal use particularly if any blood or blood stained body fluids are drawn during use.

Masturbation - if alone, with unshared items, there is no risk of additional infection, unless one has an infection in one part of the body and accidentally inoculates another part due to poor hygiene techniques - for example, genital gonorrhoea or chlamydia spread to the eye by an infected vector such as an unwashed finger. If masturbation is with a partner the guidelines for foreplay apply.