The Safe Sex Zone

Nation Observes STD Awareness Month

2009-04-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

This month of April the nation observes STD Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced recently.

The annual observance aims to raise public awareness on STDs - how it impacts the lives of Americans and why it is important to practice safe sex to prevent these diseases from spreading.

CDC cites the following key facts:

• There are about 19 million new cases of STDs each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24.

• STDs costs the country an estimated at $15.3 billion annually in direct medical costs.

• Chlamydia remains the most commonly reported infectious disease in the U.S. with 2.8 million new infections each year.

• Young females 15 – 19 years of age have the highest chlamydia rate.

• Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in the U.S. with about 700,000 new cases each year.

• Racial disparities in gonorrhea cases are high: nineteen times higher among African Americans than among whites; three times higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives than among whites; twice as high among Hispanics than among whites.

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Abstinence, being faithful and the correct and consistent use of condoms are the only ways to prevent the spread of STDs. The Condom Zone offers the top condom brands at great prices. Discreet shipping guaranteed.

One in Five College Students has STD

2009-03-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

According to the Health Services at Columbia University, 20 to 25 percent of college students are carriers of or have been infected with an STD. That's one in five college students.

In fact, nearly 65 percent of all STD cases occur among people younger than 25. Isn't that enough reason to practice safe sex?

If you are sexually active, have several partners, and do not practice safe sex, there's a good chance of you getting an STD. If you have any of the common STD symptoms it is best for you to see a professional and have yourself checked.

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Abstinence, being faithful and the correct and consistent use of condoms are the only ways to prevent the spread of STDs. The Condom Zone offers the top condom brands at great prices. Discreet shipping guaranteed.

Newfound Benefits of Circumcision

2009-03-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Male circumcision is a hotly contested topic. Though it continues to be a popular procedure, there are those who argue against its supposed benefits saying it is an unnecessary procedure and that it is a form of genital mutilation.

From the viewpoint of STD/HIV prevention, male circumcision has some value as it has already shown to reduce the incidence of HIV infection in men. The World Health Organization even endorses the procedure for HIV Prevention.

A recent study found that circumcision also reduces transmission of both herpes simplex virus Type 2 and human papilloma virus.

This is a significant finding considering that at least 45 million people in the United States ages 12 and older have had herpes and that about 20 million have HPV.

Herpes, or H.S.V.-2, is an incurable infection that can cause recurrent painful genital lesions. HPV also has no treatment or cure but a vaccine is available for females.

The study, which was conducted on 3,000 Ugandan men, showed that those who had circumcision had a 25 percent reduced risk of infection from herpes and 35 percent reduced risk of infection from HPV.

While the study was conducted in Africa, the authors believe the findings are applicable in the US where.

You can read the source of this post here.

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The Condom Zone offers top condom brands at great prices. Discreet shipping guaranteed.

Global Crisis Spikes Condom Sales

2009-03-02T03:23:00.000-08:00

Economics has taught us that in times of recession, many products suffer in sales as people tend to save money because of decrease in income, pending unemployment, or, general lack of confidence on the economy.

Amidst the economic downturn, there is a product that has performed well sales-wise. Sales of condoms are reported to be on the rise not only in the U.S. but in many parts of the globe as well.

A USA Today report notes that condom sales in the U.S. registered a 5 percent increase in last quarter of 2008 and 6 percent increase in January compared to the same month last year.

In the UK, 2,142,857 packs of condoms were sold during Valentine's Day despite the recession according to The Sun.

In India a condoms manufacturer, HLL Lifecare reports “In the first 10 months of this fiscal, from April 2008 to January 2009, we have sold 65 million condoms in the commercial segment, as against the corresponding period in 2007-08 when the sales were 54.2 million” according to the Economic Times.

This unusual trend is attributed to several factors:

1) With unemployment rates at high levels many couples have more time for one another;
2) Couples also tend to stay at home during these times to avoid unnecessary expenses; and
2) Couples just want to enjoy sex while avoiding the anxiety of having another child to raise.

Thus, this proves the motto "Sex Sells" rings true even during these hard times.

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The One Touch Condom from Japan

2009-02-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Japanese love technology and, just like everyone else, they love sex; safe sex, that is.

An obvious combination of both technology and sex brought this amazing innovation. You just gotta watch it to believe:

Here's hoping this kind of condom reaches US stores soon. In the meantime, great condoms are available at great prices at The Condom Zone.

Great Durex Performa Ads

2009-02-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

Here's the next set of great Durex Performa pictures harvested from the web. Enjoy!

Promising Anti-HIV Drug Bevirimat Gets New Owner

2009-01-23T00:41:00.000-08:00

Bevirimat, a promising drug against HIV, was recently acquired by Myriad Pharmaceuticals from Panacos Pharmaceuticals of Watertown, MA. Under the terms of sale, Myriad acquires the rights to develop and eventually sell the drug, while Panacos receives a $7 million payment.

Bevirimat is an anti-HIV drug derived from a betulinic acid-like compound, first isolated from Syzygium claviflorum, a Chinese herb. It is believed to inhibit HIV by a novel mechanism, so-called maturation inhibition. (From Wikipedia).

According to a press release from Panacos:

"Bevirimat (PA-457) is a maturation inhibitor, the first in this new class of HIV drugs under development. Bevirimat is designed to have potent activity against a broad range of HIV strains, and studies have shown bevirimat is a potent inhibitor of HIV isolates that are resistant to currently approved drugs. Panacos has completed 15 clinical studies with bevirimat in nearly 650 patients and healthy volunteers, showing significant reductions in viral load in HIV-infected patients and a promising safety profile. It is currently in Phase 2b clinical studies. Panacos previously determined the optimal dose range of bevirimat and identified patient response predictors to bevirimat, which now have been confirmed in multiple laboratory analyses and a prospective study. Panacos has recently developed a tablet formulation of bevirimat that demonstrates bioavailability and pharmacokinetics comparable to that of the previous solution formulation."

Panacos has this cool movie on how Bevirimat works. Takes awhile to load, though.

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Prevention is always better than cure. Always practice Safe Sex, its cheaper that way.

New Target in Treating HIV

2009-01-22T01:17:00.000-08:00

Researchers over at the Indiana University School of Medicine believe there is a new target in the war against the HIV virus.

An HIV protein known as NEF has been known to help develop the HIV virus into a full blown AIDS case. Until recently, there is no known way to fight NEF as such, it has never been a target for drug treatment in HIV patients.

Researchers at Indiana University, however, discovered that a variant of another protein, this one involved in HIV pathogenesis has shown itself to be capable of suppressing the production of the NEF protein.

Researchers hoped that a drug affecting Nef could complement existing therapies to provide protection against the virus.

The current treatment for HIV/AIDS is highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART)- a combination of drugs that target two HIV enzymes - reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease (PR) or RT or PR inhibitors.

The source of this article is found here.

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Prevention is always better than cure. Always practice Safe Sex, its cheaper that way.

Must See! Super Cool Durex Ad

2009-01-17T01:45:00.000-08:00

Check out this really cool condom ad by Durex:

They even threw in some Outtakes! Check them out!

Outtake 1:

Outtake 2:

Outtake 3:

TOP CONDOM BRANDS IN THE US

2008-12-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

A total of $241.6 million worth of condoms were sold in drugstores, supermarkets and discount stores in 2006 according to Information Resources Inc. This total excludes Wal-Mart Stores and online outlets.

Drugstores' sales alone accounted to $163.4 million the breakdown of which is reflected in the above chart.

Trojan condoms lead the way in drugstore sales with a whopping 70 percent of the market, followed by Durex condoms at a distant 17 percent share. Lifestyles cornered 10 percent of the market and Inspiral and Kimono condoms trailed with each recording less than 1 percent share. The other brands round up the market with a near 2 percent share (these brands include Okamoto, Pleasure Plus, One Condoms, etc.)

Read the rest of the article here: Top Condom Brands in the US Market.

Sex Joke of the Century: the Virginity Pledge

2008-12-29T21:59:00.000-08:00

A promise is meant to be broken.

A study has revealed that teenagers who made Virginity Pledges are just as likely to engage in premarital sex as other teens.

The study, conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, compared two groups of teenagers: those made the Pledge in 1996 and those who did not. Results indicate that 53 percent of the Pledge group admitted breaking that promise by engaging in pre-marital sex, compared with 57 percent of the group who did not make the pledge.

The study also revealed that 54 percent of the Pledge group who had engage in pre-marital sex DID NOT use any birth control method most of the time. The non-Pledge group reportedly had 48 percent among them not using some form of birth control when having pre-marital sex. The study also noted a significant difference in condom use between the two groups: with only 24 percent of those who had taken a pledge said they always used a condom, compared with about 34 percent of those who had not.

Virginity pledges form part of abstinence-only sex education programs. Participating teens are usually required to make an oath to abstain from sex before marriage and are given a "purity ring" to symbolize that oath.

The study only confirms that abstinence-only sex ed programs are not effective. Teens need to know the whole gamut of safe sex to make healthy decisions - decisions that they are most likely to make on their own.

Second $100 Article Writing Contest

2008-12-21T03:38:00.000-08:00

The Condom Zone is launching its second $100 article writing contest. This is an entry-free contest - you don't have to pay to join. This contest, which will run from December 16, 2008 to April 1, 2009, will be open to US residents. Theme of the contest is safe sex and related topics.

For more details go The Condom Zone's 2nd Article Writing Contest.

For the winners of the first contest, click here: Winners of the First Article Writing Contest.

New HIV Study Reveals: Even Women with Healthy Genital Lining Are at Risk

2008-12-21T00:33:00.000-08:00

A new research has debunked a long-held belief that the normal lining of the vaginal tract was an effective barrier to HIV during sexual intercourse.

Conducted by the Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, the study reveals that HIV can penetrate healthy vaginal walls through areas where the vaginal tract sheds its skin cells. A scarier revelation: HIV can do this in "just four hours."

Read the rest of the article here.

The head of the research team, Dr. Thomas Hope, expressed elation in this milestone in the fight against the spread of the HIV virus. At the same time, he expressed concern for the need for new prevention strategies or therapeutics to block HIV and prevent it from entering a woman's genital skin.

Until such new strategies are found, Dr. Hope agrees that the best way to prevent HIV is through the use of condoms. Dr. Hope confirms "condoms are 100 percent effective in blocking HIV."

Now that's another strong reason and purpose to practice safe sex and use condoms. What is there for us to lose? Condoms are cheap, easy to use and they be bought online, discreetly. Trojan Condoms, Durex Condoms, Lifestyles Condoms and Kimono condoms are among the top brands in the market today. And you can get them online discreetly at The Condom Zone.

WORLD AIDS DAY

2008-12-01T04:52:00.000-08:00

Today, Dec. 1, 2008, marks the 20th time the world has commemorated the annual World AIDS Day. Initiated by the World Health Organization, World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.

Consider these startling facts:

As of 2007, a total of 33.2 million people have HIV.

2.5 million of these cases are children.

In 2007 alone, there were 2.5 million new HIV cases.

Around half of those with HIV get infected before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

In the US, it costs on the average $618,900 to treat HIV.

These facts remind us that HIV has not gone away, and that there are still many things that need to be done.

How should you celebrate World AIDS Day then? Have a check-up. Practice Safe Sex. Use condoms. If you're embarrassed to buy them from your local convenience store, buy condoms online. Help fight AIDS and HIV. Do your share.

Unusual Ways of Promoting the Condom

2008-11-19T00:52:00.000-08:00

At the forefront of governments' and private organizations' efforts in promoting safe sex is the promotion of the use of condoms. Unfortunately, in many areas of the world, condoms are not that popular. This presents a challenge to many safe sex advocates - a challenge that pushes their creativity to the limit.

Okay, what do these things have in common: coffee, ring tone, trees, scare tactics, and an idea born out of a carwash? Give up? All are unusual ideas to promote the use of condoms in several parts of the world:

- In India, there's a ringtone that chimes "Condom, Condom."

- In Ethiopia, some condoms come coffee-flavored.

- In Western Australia, condoms are hung out under trees.

- In Argentina, a condom company resorted to scare tactics to stress the dangers of unprotected sex; and

- In Germany, a company found a way around ill-fitting rubbers - the spray-on condom.

Read the rest of the article here.

Video: Ancient History of Condoms

2008-11-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

Did you know?

- That in 3000 B.C., King Minos of the island of Crete used condoms made of fish bladder;
- That the ancient Egyptians used papyrus linen for their own brand of condoms; and,
- That the Samurais of old Japan used condoms made of leather, ouch!

These and other amazing facts are found in this video:

HIV Threatens St. Louis High School

2008-10-24T00:45:00.000-07:00

Local officials at St. Louis county in Missouri have expressed fears that as many as 50 students at a suburban high school were exposed to HIV.

A person was found infected with the virus last week and is said to have relayed the information to local health officials. The school being mentioned, the Normandy High School, has began conducting tests on its students.There is no word yet on the infected person, whether it was a student or teacher.

News link is found here.

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Tips to avoid HIV and other STDs are found here. For more safe sex FAQs and informative articles, go here.

When Getting an E-Card is not Welcome News

2008-10-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

E-Cards are digital incarnations of postcards or greeting cards. To greet someone a happy birthday you create an e-card on the web and you send it via the web. E-cards are flourishing on the web in the same rate as social networking sites.

Incredibly, someone even thought of using e-cards to anonymously notify sexual partners to get tested for STDs. Check out this interesting piece of news here.

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Learn more about STDs here.

For safe sex tips click here

Studies have proven that using condoms can prevent STDs. For a great selection of condoms at cheap prices, click here.

$100 Article Writing Contest

2008-10-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, we invite you to share your writing skills. Online article writing contest launched by The Condom Zone. Original entries on safe sex, sex education, HIV/AIDS, STDs and similar topics are welcome. Contest rules are found here:

$100 Article Writing Contest - The Condom Zone

Funny Art: How to Put on a condom

2008-10-04T04:58:00.000-07:00

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It is a fact: buying condoms online is much cheaper and ensures your privacy. Buy condoms here. Discreet shipping and safe transaction guaranteed.

The Case of the Missing 5,000 Condoms

2008-10-04T03:46:00.000-07:00

It seems to me condom-theft cases are on the rise. This blog earlier reported the case of wheelchair-bound condom thief. Now another rubber-robber case is on the news.

Last Sunday a condommobile used to promote HIV/AIDS awareness was reported missing.

On Wednesday, local authorities recovered the truck but found its precious cargo of 5,000 condoms missing along with other equipment.

Interesting part of this news: the thieves left around 800 HIV test kits and a 23-foot condom inflatable.

Mexico has some 200,000 people living with HIV.

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It is a fact: buying condoms online is much cheaper and ensures your privacy. Buy condoms here. Discreet shipping and safe transaction guaranteed.

Trojan Condom's Top Sexually Healthy Schools, 2008

2008-10-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Trojan Condoms recently released its 3rd Annual Sexual Health Report Card - a ranking of the country's colleges and universities based on availability of sexual health resources and information to their students.

2008's top 10 sexually healthy schools according to Trojan Condoms are:

Stanford University
Columbia University
Cornell University
University of Iowa
University of Denver
University of Connecticut
West Virginia University
University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of Georgia
University of Wyoming

The Bottom 10 Least Sexually Healthy Schools are:

130. Marquette University

131. Utah Valley State College

132. Brigham Young University

133. University of Toledo

134. Baylor University

135. Louisiana Tech University

136. University of Notre Dame

137. Providence College

138. St. John’s University-New York

139. DePaul University

Ranking categories include, among others, HIV testing (on/off campous, at cost); STD testing (on/off campus, at cost); contraceptives (free or at cost); condoms (free or at cost); and, separate sexual awareness program.

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Trojan condoms consistently rank among the best condoms available in the market today and they lead the industry in promoting safe sex. For a price of $9.59 you can have a pack of 12 Trojan Condoms discreetly shipped to your address here.

Cleopatra and Catherine Tramell in HIV/AIDs Gala

2008-09-28T04:31:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote an article on the top celebrities who have had the HIV virus. Then, comes this piece of good news about celebrities gracing a fund raising event for HIV and AIDS research.

Nice to see Elizabeth Taylor get honored in this event which was hosted by Sharon Stone. Film buffs would remember Elizabeth Taylor sharing screen time with Rock Hudson (who tops my list of celebrities who had HIV) in the 1956 drama Giant.

Teenage Pregnancy Comparo: Jamie Lynn Spears vs. Bristol Palin

2008-09-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

Newswires are burning up about a Newsweek interview with Lynne Spears, mother to ultra celeb Britney and nearly-as-famous sis Jamie Lynn.

Most of us recall Jamie Lynn got pregnant at the tender age of 16. What has upset Mommy Spears is the unequal media portrayal between Jamie Lynn and Bristol Palin, the daughter of Republich vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin who is pregnant at 17.

Mommy Lynne laments how she and her daughter were crucified and how the Palins were "celebrated" for the teens' infanticipations. Many people would share her views, especially those who see thru Gov. Sarah's ironic stance on sex education. I think the difference also lies with political spin doctors - the Palins have them, the Spears - well, they have paparazzis...

Makes you wonder, what if Safe Sex got the same media mileage as both teens? Chances are the spin machine will be working on other things and the celebrity media will have full time focus on Britney. What do you think?

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Safe Sex FAQs

Bristol Palin and a Teen's Right to Safe Sex

2008-09-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

The case of Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, makes a strong argument for advocating Safe Sex among the youth.

A 17-year who has yet to reach the peak of her youth, Bristol is now thrust in an unfamiliar role of motherhood. We trust her family will support her along the way and help her carry the burden of responsibility.

The situation is ironic as Sarah Palin is known to oppose explicit sex education and openly supports abstinence-only-before-marriage campaigns in schools.

Bristol's pregnancy is among the roughly 750,000 teen pregnancies expected this year. This number should be a cause for concern for political leaders as it is an indicator of the magnitude of teens who are vulnerable to the dangers of unprotected sex. Unwanted teen pregnancies are not the only consequences as there is the danger of acquiring STDs like herpes and the dreaded HIV/AIDS virus.

750,000 unwanted pregnancies represents not only a burden to parents and the government it also represents a burden to society. A great portion of these cases could have been prevented if sex education is taught in schools and safe sex practices are taught to teens. Teens, after all, have a right to be informed. Right, Bristol?

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For more info on Safe Sex and condoms click here.

Classic Sex Education Videos from 50s, 60s, 70s

2008-09-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

From Youtube, here are sex education clips from the 50s, 60s, 70s:

1. From MATTEVIL: A collection of clips from 4 sex ed films from 50s and 60s:

2. From poster ubit387: A clip from the 70s with a rather raunchy title (Every Boy Gets Hard)

3. Another one from ubit397: The famous Ricky gets caught vidclip

Wheelchair-bound Thief Values Safe Sex

2008-09-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

Fresh from the web:

A robber in Dallas, TX was in the news today for holding up a convenience store and carting away a bunch of condoms and some energy drinks.

Yeah, you hear this kind of stuff once in a while. What makes this story a bit interesting - the thief was in a wheelchair, AND, he has done this before.

It could be a fetish for latex, but somehow I think he knows the value of using condoms. A rubber robber who practices Safe Sex.

Condom Lubricant as Acne Cure?

2008-09-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

Katz and Meyer wrote a paperback on the 101 ways of using a condom. Who knew that there are other uses?

The Cambodians, apparently, found use no. 102.

Our friends in Phnom Penh profess that the lubricant found in a locally-available rubber is an "excellent cure" for acne. One enthusiastic lady proclaims "After I used it for three days, all of my acne dried up and went away."

Another woman said, after trying different many kinds of medicine, she found an acne cure in the love sock's jelly. She's grateful to her factory worker friends for the advice.

A note though, the popular claim has yet to be confirmed by the condom's manufacturer.

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No non-sense, medically-tested and affordable condoms are found at The Condom Zone. Prices start at only $3.25.

Funny Condom Art

2008-08-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

Funny condom art from the web.

Always practice safe sex. Wear a condom. Checkout top quality, affordable and branded condoms at thecondomzone.com. Prices start at only $3.25.

Funny Durex Condom Ads

2008-08-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

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http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/health/sexual-health

HIV/AIDS FAQs

2008-08-30T01:48:00.000-07:00

What are HIV & AIDS?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Being HIV-positive or having HIV disease is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are diagnosed with HIV but may not get sick for many years. Once in a person’s system, HIV begins to attack the immune system and for many who are HIV-positive, over a period of time, they can become ill with a number of conditions.

AIDS is a technical term defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An HIV-positive person is diagnosed with AIDS when that person has developed certain opportunistic infections or other medical conditions such as a T-cell or CD4 (the most basic element of the immune system) count of less than 200. Only a physician can officially make the diagnosis that a person with HIV now has “AIDS”. Generally an AIDS diagnosis occurs many years after infection.

HIV is the virus, AIDS is the disease and “HIV disease” is the most appropriate way to describe the continuum of HIV to AIDS. It is important to note that an AIDS diagnosis does not mean that an individual will soon die. While severe illness can develop, there are many medications available to help treat these. With good medical care it is possible for a person to maintain good health even after an AIDS diagnosis.

What are STDs?

An STD is a contagious disease that can be transferred to another person through sexual intercourse or other sexual contact. Many of the organisms that cause sexually-transmitted diseases live on the penis, vagina, anus, mouth, and the skin of surrounding areas.

What are examples of STDs?

STDs include genital herpes, genital warts, HIV, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, and others.

How are HIV and STDs transferred?

Most of the diseases are transferred by direct contact with a sore on the genitals or mouth. However, some organisms can be transferred in body fluids without causing a visible sore. They
can be transferred to another person during oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse.

Some STDs can also be transferred by nonsexual contact with infected tissues or fluids, such as infected blood. For example, sharing needles when using IV (in the vein) drugs is a major cause of HIV and hepatitis B transmission. An STD can also be transmitted through contaminated blood transfusions and blood products, through the placenta from the mother to the fetus, and sometimes through breast-feeding.

What factors increase the chances of getting STDs?

Not knowing whether a partner has an STD or not

Having a partner with a past history of any STD

Having sex without a male or female condom

Using drugs or alcohol in a situation where sex might occur

If your partner is an IV drug user

Having anal intercourse

Drinking alcohol or using drugs increases the likelihood that you will participate in high-risk sex. In addition, some diseases can be transferred through the sharing of used needles or other drug paraphernalia.

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Practice safe sex. Wear a condom. Checkout top quality, affordable and branded condoms at thecondomzone.com. Prices start at only $3.25.

SAFE SEX FAQs

2008-08-30T00:46:00.000-07:00

What is Safe Sex?

Safe sex means taking precautions during sex that can keep you from getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), or from giving an STD to your partner.

What are STDs?

An STD is a contagious disease that can be transferred to another person through sexual intercourse or other sexual contact. Many of the organisms that cause sexually-transmitted diseases live on the penis, vagina, anus, mouth, and the skin of surrounding areas.

What are ways that I can practice Safe Sex?

Abstinence is an absolute answer to preventing STDs. However,abstinence is not always a practical or desirable option.

Next to abstinence, the least risky approach is to have a mutually monogamous sexual relationship with someone you know is free of any STD. Ideally, before having sex with a new partner, each of you should get screened for STDs, especially HIV and hepatitis B, and share the test results with each another.

Use condoms to avoid contact with semen, vaginal fluids, or blood. Both male and female condoms dramatically reduce the chance you will get or spread an STD. However, condoms must be used properly:

Keep in mind that STDs can still be spread, even if you
use a condom, because a condom does not cover surrounding skin
areas. But a condom definitely reduces your risk.

Lubricants may help reduce the chance a condom will break.
Use only water-based lubricants, because oil-based or petroleum

-type lubricants can cause latex to weaken and tear. Using condoms with nonoxynol-9 (a spermicide) can help prevent pregnancy, but may increase the chance of HIV transmission
because the spermicide can irritate the vaginal walls.

The condom should be in place from the beginning to end of sexual activity and should be used every time you have sex.
Use latex condoms for vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse.

Here are additional safe-sex steps:

Be responsible. If you have an STD, like HIV or herpes,
advise any prospective sexual partner. Allow him or her to
decide what to do. If you mutually agree on engaging in sexual
activity, use latex condoms and other measures to protect the
partner.

If pregnant, take precautions. If you have an STD, learn
about the risk to the infant before becoming pregnant. Ask your
provider how to prevent the fetus from becoming infected. HIV
positive women should not breastfeed their infant.

Know your partner. Before having sex, first establish a
committed relationship that allows trust and open communication.
You should be able to discuss past sexual histories, any
previous STDs or IV drug use. You should not feel coerced or
forced into having sex.

Stay sober. Alcohol and drugs impair your judgment,
communication abilities, and ability to properly use condoms or
lubricants.

In summary, safe sex requires prior planning and good communication between partners. Given that, couples can enjoy the pleasures of a sexual relationship while reducing the potential risks involved.

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Practice safe sex. Wear a condom. Checkout top quality, affordable and branded condoms at thecondomzone.com. Prices start at only $3.25.