Things we’d rather *not* talk about …
… but need to anyway.
Whether you were taught to call them Sexually Transmitted Diseases or Sexually Transmitted Infections, you need to be aware of the fact that they’re still out there! Dating can be a dangerous playground mentally & emotionally, and especially physically! I am going to take some time to concentrate on the most common sexually transmitted infections for a bit in hopes of educating someone!
First on my list is a virus containing more than 100 different strains or types: the human papilomavirus, with more than 30 of these viruses transmitted sexually can infect the genital area of men and women including the skin of the penis, vulva (area outside the vagina), or anus, and the linings of the vagina, cervix, or rectum. The “high-risk” viruses may cause abnormal Pap smears, can lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus or penis. “Low-risk” can cause mild Pap smear abnormalities or genital warts. Scarily enough, 1/2 of the sexually active population (yes, 50%) acquire HPV in their lifetime. By the time women are 50, 80% will have acquired the virus. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year.
Read more about HPV including signs & symptoms, facts about men & HPV, vaccinations & cures, and outbreak reduction strategies.
STI’s, STD’s, genital warts, human papilomavirus, HPV, cervical cancer, sex
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