In the realm of love and intimate encounters, safety is a paramount criterion. While life is too short to think about regrets, it is long enough to pursue our passions, dreams, and some meaningful connections. While entering a new relationship, there is always a concern in the back of our mind, about our safety, especially when we don’t know our new partner’s for long leave his/her sexual health.
What if my partner has herpes or other STDs? Would it be safe to have sex with an individual with herpes?
There is always a question haunting “What if he/she has a history of sexual disease that I am unaware of?” These concerns pop your mind more during the phase you’ve just started seeing someone or you’re contemplating a sexual encounter with your new partner, although it’s natural to have concerns about your sexual health, one must not dive into this blindly. Why? The chances of having Herpes from a new partner is greater than any other STD. Simple reasons, as per WHO more than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50(2/3 of the population under 50 years of age) – or 67% of the population – are infected with herpes simplex virus. It is easy to contract and can be contracted by merely touching the sores. There is a clear confession that sexual encounters with a sexually healthy person is always safe as compared to those with a sexual health history. So, there is a risk to the non-infected partner. Still, things are not as bad as they seem.
What if my partner has herpes? Is it still safe? Can I have safe sex with a person with herpes?
There are a 8 ways in which you can avoid spreading Herpes to your partner and still have safe sex and they are as follows
1. Skipping sex during Herpes outbreak
During Herpes breakdown, one can observe sores on the patient’s body. Herpes can be visibly seen on the hands, feet, and genitalia during its breakdown. The absence of herpes symptoms such as sores, blisters, etc doesn’t guarantee safety. Touching the sore, blisters etc may cause them to spread of Herpes to a healthy person. So, skipping sex (altogether) while having sores or outbreaks and one or two days after getting clear will drastically reduce the chances of contracting Herpes.
2. Using a condom
This sentence is a cliche to avoid any STD, so with herpes, to avoid contraction of Herpes to your partner, use a condom while having sex even when you don’t have Herpes breakdown or sores. This is because even when the virus is not active, it can travel from your skin (or genitals) to nearby nerve cells, thus causing it to spread.
3. Avoid sex during Illness or surgery
Illness or surgery can trigger the virus to wake up. There is another risk when the virus is triggered. Sometimes when the virus is triggered, there are instances when you won’t experience any symptoms or sores when the virus awakens. You won’t even be aware that the virus is on your skin (or genitalia) throughout these periods. This is the time when you are at the risk of sharing it with your partner. Using condoms lowers this risk.
4. Taking anti-viral every day
As per the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), consuming Anti-viral (by the person infected by Herpes) every day can also reduce the risk of spreading the virus to your partner. As per the research conducted by AADA, they found out that taking an antiviral medication daily can lessen the chance of the virus infecting the other spouse if one member in the relationship has genital herpes. Again, it is expected to use condoms, every time you have sex.
5. Use Dental Dams
Dental dams are not as usually used as condoms during the act of sex but they can come in pretty handy when it comes to protection against herpes, especially during oral sex, using a dental dam can help reduce the risk of transmission. Dental dams are made up of thin sheets of latex or polyurethane and they serve as a barrier between the genitalia and the mouth.
6. Always have a word, beforehand
As mentioned previously, Sometimes when the virus is triggered, there are instances when you won’t experience any symptoms or sores when the virus awakens. Always speak to your partner. No matter how uncomfortable it may feel, speaking to your partner before a sexual encounter will only bring relief and peace to your mind. There are instances where you get to know about the medical history/condition(not just herpes) which can be dealt with to continue your relationship.
7. Limit Sexual Partners
The chance of contracting Herpes from several sources can be reduced by not having too many sexual partners. Being in a monogamous relationship with a herpes-free partner is therefore a solution.
8. Periodically, getting tested for STDs
Again, this is a cliche but it is one of the essential things. One should get tested for Herpes or STDs.on having one of the following things.
- When you have multiple sexual partners
- When you have a new sexual partner
- When you have sex with a stranger.
- When you see any signs or symptoms of STD such as sores or blisters.
Conclusion
The most effective ways of protecting yourself from Herpes after abstaining from sex are 1. Using Condom 2. Using Dental Dams and 3. Consuming Antiviral by the person infected by Herpes. Getting tested regularly for Herpes is the only way of confirming its presence.
References
- American Academy of Dermatology Association (Volume A, Annexure B. Appendix 34)
- World Health Organization: Volume C, Appendix 3
