Have a Question About HIV and STDs? Ask Us!

Do you have a "burning" question? Are you "itching" for an answer? Are you suffering from "rash" anxiety? Is last week's night of lust now "bugging" you?

Talking about our sexual health can be uncomfortable -- often because we're shy about asking the questions in the first place, and maybe for good reason: We fear judgment from our doctors, inaccurate advice from our friends, and vague information from books and other resources.

So what's a boy to do when he has questions and nowhere else to turn?

Answer: Ask us!

Send us your sexual health questions, and our educated pool of sexperts will do their best to answer as many of them as they can. Keep in mind -- no question is too simple ("What exactly is an STD?"), too embarrassing ("Can I get an infection in my mouth from licking my partner's toes?"), or too frank ("Can using crystal meth lead to HIV infection?").

Our aim is to give you clear advice without the judgment, so you can be safe, keep your partner (or partners) safe, get treatment for an infection you might have been exposed to, and keep risk to a minimum going forward.

So what are you waiting for? Send your questions to sexuality@planetoutinc.com or post them in the comments field below.

And always remember, when it comes to your sexual health: The only stupid question is the question you don't ask.

Comments

[Eric]

I have genital warts. What is safe to do without passing the HPV on to my partner? How can I avoid giving it to him?

Also, why are so many gay men uninformed about HPV? If I tell someone I have it, they think I'm going to die. What can I tell all potential sex partners?

[Mark benjamin]

Hi
I'm uncut and i have been having rash around the glans. the doctors i visited said it is a yeast infection and gave me so many different creams. the creams clear the rash but when i stop taking them the rash comes back again. I have been having it for more than one year. do u suggest any strong medications for uncut penis? Thank you!

[Marc]

I met this guy in the gay sauna. He is the best penis sucker I have met. We also kissed for hours. After spending time with him, my throat and penis were itching for about a week. Did he pass me any STD?

[Tony]

I have very small bumps on foreskin or my penis, I know they are normal but sometimes I get something like a small rash like cluster on my foreskin. It only pops up if I jerk off alot. I do receive head alot from different guys, so I was wondering if its something I should be worried about or do you think its caused from friction?

[Obama]

If you have to have sex with strangers, expect to get STD's as your reward.

[tj]

i have a friend that has a few small bumps on the back of his togune can i catch what he got after kissing him,but he does smoke,let me know.

[NewCat1]

You mean UNPROTECTED SEX with a stranger(s)....

"If you have to have sex with strangers, expect to get STD's as your reward.
Posted by: Obama | March 20, 2009 at 07:30 PM"

[jocklover]

I have like one or 2 small bums on my penis should i be worried also i have a rash in the area right in my inner thigh right next to my penis one time it flares up other times its fine i was using jock itch cream should i be worried?

[kt32]

I was kissing a guy at a gay sauna. I sniffed poppers and kissed him for about 5 minutes. I catched a cold after two days. I am having running nose and feeling tired. Could I have catch any virus or STDs from him?

[Anon11]

Protected sex with strangers is still a risk. Condoms do not always prevent the spread of herpes, which can be spread just by skin-to-skin contact, and they're not 100% effective in preventing the spread of any disease. They absolutely do a lot to help prevent diseases from spreading, but abstinence is the only 100% effective method of disease control. Be informed, and don't think you can have protected sex with an endless number of strangers without risking STDs. That's just foolish.

[The G]

i wonder if there a link or something informative yet and right 2 the point about STD,HIV ..how can u get them ? , the symptoms and how to prevent them ect.....

i didnt have sex yet ...and honestly
im not tht excited to ...i fear alot of things that could happen from just a few minutes of pleasure

[Calvin]

Can HIV or any other STD be transmitted through swallowing another guy's semen?

[Jay]

my bf has hiv. I have known but we dont use condoms. i give him blow jobs and we both are versatile. He has never actually cummed in my mouth or inside me. I of course asked if we should be using protection, but he said we were ok.

From what i know precum is still a risk and he does precum almost all the time, not a lot but a little.

I am just worried. I really believe that he is not being selfish about it. He understands his disease and has had bf's before that have never gotten it.

I just dont know how safe I am being. He has had it for almost 9 years so i assume he knows. We are very close so i dont know what i should be doing about it...

[nerm]

i was very...ummm sexually active when i was 18...im 19 now and i recently got a cold soar/blister on my lip and now one inside my mouth....i had these when i was little...and just brushed it off but know i am scared it might be some thing else....is it?

[raven]

I have been active for a while now. and recently i had a scare. and i have been noticing my urine has become really cloudy is that a sign of an STD?

[Frustrated]

Sometimes I wish "life" knew what "irony" and "fairness" meant. I was extremely sexually active in my early 20s including unprotected hookups. I'm 30 now and that stopped years ago. Yet NOW, using a condom I caught something.

I'm not so sure it's technically an "STD", but it's a chronic, viral skin infection called molluscum contagium. Of course it's contagious and of course I'm dating somebody fairly seriously.

Here is my question: It is supposed to be fought off by the body in 6-9 months. I am on month 3 or 4. I have had the few visible papules removed using cryotherapy from my doctor (liquid nitrogen/freezing). It appears to be about healed and, since I played safe, the location of the infection is not a spot a condom covers (high up on the scrotum). So, is it safe for my new partner to have sex with me?

Molluscum Contagium is very common and not serious. The symptoms are visible papules, but no pain/itching or anything. You wouldn't know you had it unless you saw it. My doctor doesn't appear worried about it at all. I am just looking for advice because I don't want my partner to catch it and not sure when the right time is. Do I need to abstain for another 3 months?

[Mark]

To the ass's that are trying to scare guys into being virgins and stuff dont listen! You can catch an std from a fuck buddy, a bf, and even your first time. Point is wear a condom and be safe and limit your chances. If you want a 100% chance of never getting an std then dont have sex, otherwise know the risk and just be safe!

[Michael]

Hi,

A few months ago, I went for an STD check up and found out that was cleared of all std's except oral herpes in which I was tested LOW POSITIVE, what does testing low postive mean ? I never had a cold sore ever in my life. Should I take medication anyway or tell a potential partner. I feel really worried and stressed by this.

[Cee]

Reading the questions by some of you on this board is a real wake up call. I can't believe some of you have not gone to a doctor. Swallow your shame, guilt, and embarrassment, and GET TO A DOCTOR! It's okay to ask Gay.com questions about sex and STD's, but if you are having symptoms of an STD, which it seems a lot of you asking questions are, GET TO A DOCTOR!

[anon]

...if you get an std, that is what people in the trade call 'serves you right'. Gays who sleep with any trash get stds. Perhaps some of you will learn to develop some morals and standards!

[splerk]

I have friends in here who would rather seek inaccurate advice from their illinformed friends than be embarrassed by a or their doctor because of fear of judgement.
Or
are sleeping with their selfish HIV+ boyfriends who convince them that they are safe because they love them.
How do I remove this stupidity without beatting the Crap out of them.

[David]

Mark and Tony: First, this is the wrong place to ask questions if you are uncut and Dr. Klausner is the wrong doctor to consult.

Now that that's out of the way, whether you have a foreskin or not, the conditions you both cite can affect the uncut and cut alike.

Mark, you may have a wrong diagnosis. It could be something unrelated to your sexual health. A number of conditions, including diabetes, may be implicated. Get a second opinion.

Tony, the small bumps you speak of are called papillas coronis and are completely normal. Rough masturbation or intercourse can cause them to react. As in any sexual activity, you have to know your limits and take care of yourself. Still, there is no long-term or permanent harm in what you describe.

Good luck to both of you.

[HotGod]

YOU ARE FOOLING YOURSELF IF YOU THINK YOUR BF REALLY CARES FOR YOU, OR KNOWS ALOT ABOUT HIV - HIS VERY ACTIONS OF HAVING UNSAFE SEX WITH OTHER MEN IN THE PAST AND YOU SHOWS HOW SELFISH INDEED HE IS, AND HOW SADLY IGNORANT AND STUPID YOU HAPPEN TO BE - I'D SAY IT'S TOO LATE TO DUMP HIM - YOU MADE YOUR BED :(

my bf has hiv. I have known but we dont use condoms. i give him blow jobs and we both are versatile. He has never actually cummed in my mouth or inside me. I of course asked if we should be using protection, but he said we were ok.

From what i know precum is still a risk and he does precum almost all the time, not a lot but a little.

I am just worried. I really believe that he is not being selfish about it. He understands his disease and has had bf's before that have never gotten it.

I just dont know how safe I am being. He has had it for almost 9 years so i assume he knows. We are very close so i dont know what i should be doing about it...

Posted by: Jay | March 21, 2009 at 02:48 AM

[cristian]

How often should you test yourself for HIV or any other STD?

[Mlittle]

my bf has hiv. I have known but we dont use condoms. i give him blow jobs and we both are versatile. He has never actually cummed in my mouth or inside me. I of course asked if we should be using protection, but he said we were ok.

From what i know precum is still a risk and he does precum almost all the time, not a lot but a little.

I am just worried. I really believe that he is not being selfish about it. He understands his disease and has had bf's before that have never gotten it.

I just dont know how safe I am being. He has had it for almost 9 years so i assume he knows. We are very close so i dont know what i should be doing about it...

Posted by: Jay | March 21, 2009 at 02:48 AM

JAY REALLY? I AM SADDENED! HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE THAT YOU THINK YOU WON'T EVER GET INFECTED IF YOU ARE HAVING UNSAFE SEX WITH SOMEONE HIV+!!!!
READDD!!!!!! AND CHECK YOURSELF PERIODICALLY! START USING CONDOMS!!! IF ITS NOT TOO LATE, PLAN AHEAD...

[Arthur]

Recently I experienced symptoms of gonorrhea/chlamydia after having protected sex. A sample of my urine was tested for both bacteria, and both results were negative. Even before I received the results, though, I was given antibiotics--just in case--and abstained from sex while taking the antibiotics (and have even abstained up to this day). The burning during urination persisted after I had taken all the antibiotics, but has since become less and less of a problem. I went back to get tested, but since it was during the same month, and I don't have health insurance, I would have had to pay for a second test, so I declined to have one. The doctor said I probably just have concentrated urine and gave me recommendations for urologists.
Since then, I have been so busy with daily life (plus the burning and all other symptoms stopped altogether) that I sort of forgot about all this, and never went back for a second test, or saw a urologist.
My question is, since symptoms of gonorrhea/chlamydia become dormant after some time, if I were to get another urine test, would the bacterium even show up, assuming that the first test was faulty? Also, if my first test came back negative for both bacterium and I in fact never had gonorrhea or chlamydia, then what would explain the itching on and around the head of my penis (a unique symptom to chlamydia)those first five to seven days after I had had sex?
Thanks for listening.

[Just Me]

Ok so I am 22 years old and have been tryin to do research but nothin is really answering my question. As of 2-16-09 I am HIV neg. It had been a long time since I had messed around with anyone in this town cuz there are a lot of people here who seem to have some sort of std or HIV and be fine with it. So when i'd want to sleep around I would think about that and I wouldnt. I have been talkin to this guy for a month or so and a few days ago we were drunk and high and started messing around. One thing led to another and it led to unprotected sex. The nest day he tells me he is HIV pos and sorry he let it go as far as it did. He gave me these pills to take called Truvada which i have been doing some research on. The guy told me to take it for 28 days and i should be fine since his viral load is undetectable. He pulled out before he came but i swallowed him apparently. So now i dont know if I am pos now or if ill be ok with taking this meds. Are my chances of coming out HIV pos very high now? I know its different with different people and I just dont know and im worried, Any info and help is much appreciated. Thanks

[Bob]

my boyfriend and I have been disabled and living together 24/7 for 15 years, the last 3 as monogomus, before that 3 ways. Now I have heart problems and had surgury (quadruple by-pass in 2002). In Mar 2008 I was diagnosed with an STD (Syphyllis)and the docotrs said I had elev ated white cells in my spine and I have had it for a while, the county health department said that it was less than a year old. I asked the county and they said that my doctors had lied and that the std was not in my spinal fluid but they wanted to be better safe than sorry, I confronted them and they admit they lied. Now my lover and I have not fooled around for 3-4 years and we are together 24/7 and do everything together so I know unless he sneaks out when I am asleep and I am a light sleeper. He was tested negative for the STD. Here is my question, they said that when I went to my docotrs before 2007 for skin rash and others things they tested and I was neg for Syphyllis but give antibiotics for my rashs and stuff. They say that the antibiotics stoppped me for becoming syptomatic and that is why I could have had it for years. I talked to my heart doctors nurse and she believes I was given contaminated blood during my 2002 heart surgury, I do not know ho I got it, and why did my other half who is HIV POZ not get it and me I get this STD. I am a nurse and have never had a STD til 2008.. I am so confused, how did I get it, why not my other half was his AIDS meds protecting him? I feel so bad, I know I never fooled around on him but here I am a person who had an STD. The treatment was murder and then after it my lover and I fooled around, big mistake. Out doctor had not treated him and so he got shots in the butt and so did I, 2 weeks after my Pencillin IV for 2 weeks.. why was I treated 2, why was he treated if he tested negative?

[Lis]

Hi, my question is this ... When me and my bf got together I asked him to get tested for hiv before we were going to make love and I got tested as well in all do fairness . Unfortuntly his test came back positive mine was negative. When he told me I was kinda like no way your messing with me I just could not believe it at first it hit me hard . And he was telling me the truth I felt so hurt inside to find out someone that I love and care about could get hiv it hit home hard and with that said anyone can get it and its all around us if you realize it or not don't learn the hard way protect your self :( But it did not stop me from being with him because I love him so much.There is life after hiv and people are living longer I do understand that and all. But it has effected are love making in the bedroom because I'm afraid of catching it and I don't want to die . But I feel so guilty inside because I want to make love to him so bad and I know he wants to make love to me. But my question is . I know condoms are the way to go to protect your self from hiv.But is there any added protection we can use with a condom to make things a little more safe kinda like double protection of any kind out there that you might know about??? I feel they should bring out thicker condoms for high risk partners for some added protection or something . ???

[mcdonald]

will having sex without condom in ass will get hiv if the person am sleeping had a hiv...how safe it is to have sex in ass without condom...

[Juan Fernandez]

Hi, I am 21 years old. I received a blow job from an stranger without a condom, what is the risk of acquiring HIV from oral receiving once without a condom. Thanks

PD. Do you think I should get HIV tested, I had never had anytype of sexual intercourse before.

[tiff]

i had sex with a guy five days ago.sadly unprotected..im scared out my mind.will and how will i know if i have a std?will the symptoms show now?

[DEEPAK]

IS AIDS CAN BEE TRANSFERED BY FUCKING

[Kevin]

A few days before I had an anal sex with a she male. The whole process was with condom (protected).He did the oral sex with condom for 2 mins. I did touch his balls. Then I inserted into him (anal sex). After 1 min, I was done and pull out. He took off the condom for me. I took a shower later when I got home, and I didn't find any noticeable cuts on my body. and I am sure the condom was not broken. Now I am nervous. The she male (sex-worker) said he was clean, but I am not sure about his word, true or lie. My question is: do I need to take a HIV test? or do I have a risk to have been infected by the HIV.

Thank you

[Morris Brown]

have protected sex, but was not careful in removing the condom,now i fell burning around my penis. Could this a sympton of HIV infection?

[Alvin]

Can anal sex cause constipation? I've been having irregular bowel movements and I've been getting freaked out about it. For a while I was dating a guy and was having occasional anal sex every weekend. Could there have been some damage done while performing anal sex?

[Adam]

I hope somebody could assist in answering my question:

I am a gay male and I recently had a one night stand with a man I didn't know.

Although I used a condom when giving him oral sex, I later let him ejaculate on my stomach. Some of his semen may have come into contact with my penis which was not covered with a condom.
Apart from sucking his penis, I also liked his testicles.

The following day I developed a small sore on my face which has since grown in size, tearing the skin as it increases. Since it is now the weekend, I will be seeing my doctor as soon as possible.

(1) I would like to know firstly if licking a man's testicles is considered to be a risky sexual activity???
- Since it's very unlikely that his semen will have come into contact with his testicles, I'm assuming that HIV/AIDs contraction is very low (Although I will get tested just to be reassured).
- What other STDs could I expose myself to by doing this???

(2) Secondly, I would like to know if letting a male ejaculate on my stomach is also considered to be high risk.
- Is it known for an infection to occur by semen entering the urethra of the other partner?
- Ditto for transmission by semen entering the body through the belly-button?

(3) What could explain the lesion on my face? How could it have arisen?
- My local pharmacist thinks it may be a bacterial infection which can only be relieved by the use of an antibiotic cream. Will an 'antibacterial' cream stop the spread of the infection. (I'm concerned to contain it before I see my doctor, as it's growing gradually throughout the day!)

I will be grateful if any body could shed some light on this problem. Thank you in advance.

Adam

[Viagra Online]

HIV is a disease very delicate and you have to be very careful and you have to be careful to avoid contracting the disease

[Menopause Signs]

Interesting post but to read you need to respect this kind of people.