Don’t burst your bubble, stay protected
STBBIs and hygiene have nothing to do with one another. You can shower twice daily, take good care of your hygiene, and still have (or pass on) an STI.
STBBIs spread through sexual contact or blood, not through being dirty!
Many people use the expression “I’m clean” to mean that they don’t have an STBBI but it isn’t that simple in reality,. You can have an STBBI without knowing, because it doesn’t show any symptoms.
The only real way to know is by getting screened regularly, but also by wearing protection, because if you’ve had a partner since your last test, then you've been exposed to risk, and tests sometimes produce false negatives.
You’re better off wearing protection. It shows that you’re taking care of your health, and the health of others.
Tip #1:
Always have condoms, whatever the occasion.
You don’t need to wait for the opportunity to present itself to plan to wear protection. Being prepared at all times, even if nothing happens, is wise.
Tip #2
Know your status. Get screened on a regular basis.
It isn’t always possible to know if you have an STBBI because they don’t always present with symptoms. The only way to find out is by getting tested.
But getting tested once in your life isn’t enough. Just like going to the dentist, you should be getting screened regularly. To avoid a false negative, make sure to get tested within a reasonable window.
The window is the time it takes for an STBBI to become detectable during a screening. This period varies from one STBBI to another:
- 14 days for chlamydia and gonorrhea
- 12 weeks for syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV
So, if you get tested the day after unprotected sex the test may not detect it, even if an infection is present.
When in doubt, make a screening appointment. The clinic staff will let you know if you need to come back for further testing.
