That Itch You Can’t Scratch

Let’s talk about making love, afternoon delight, belly bumping, bumping uglies, doing the wild thing, getting down, or getting laid (aka sex). It goes by many names, but regardless of what you call it, the overall process is still the same.

Whether you’re a college student in the U.S. or a 40-year-old businessman in Japan, unsafe sex comes with the same risks no matter where you are. Although the risks that come with unsafe sex are numerous, let’s cover one of the most common ways of exposing yourself and your partner to these risks: unprotected sex.

Many of us are unfortunately choosing not to use protection, with over 50 percent of men and women in the U.S. reporting that they in fact never use condoms while having sex. That’s why we’re here to tell you about the biggest reasons why you should never hesitate to use protection.

But is it really that bad? 

It’s the topic of many jokes, but for those people who have ever had an STD, they will be the first to tell you that it isn’t funny. STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases), can give you incredibly uncomfortable and life-altering symptoms that include genital itching, painful urination, and genital discharge, among others. Some of these symptoms are treatable and curable – others, not so much. Some STDs are yours for life once you get them.

With the slight increase in the use of protection such as condoms over the past few years, you might think that sex is getting safer, but recent research suggests it’s actually getting more dangerous. With 2.3 million cases of STDs being diagnosed in the U.S. last year, the number of total cases is at an all-time high. Despite this spike in STD cases, many people are still not getting checked, especially young people. Less than 10 percent of teenagers have ever been tested, which means that when a teenager does contract the disease, there’s a very low chance it’ll be caught early and instead could spread to others.

A recent advancement in the fight against STDs has been pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP), which comes in pill form and is meant to help prevent the contraction of HIV. While it has been fairly successful at this point, boasting a 92 percent effectiveness rate when used properly, it still doesn’t provide full protection. Would you go into battle with only half a suit of armor or only half of a bullet-proof vest? No, probably not. So why would you have sex without protection? By taking preventative measures like using a condom or utilizing the additional help of PrEP, you are significantly lowering your chances of contracting an STD.

Get Help

Many people who contract a sexual disease, aren’t even aware of it. Give yourself some peace of mind by getting tested today and always remember, safety first.