Oh My STIs!!!

Yes I said STIs!!! Sexually Transmitted Infections (formerly known as STDs)! I don't want any of that! No thanks!!!

Yet another reason to keep your top on! STIs! Those things are NO joke!

There's Chlamydia...which is the most reported STI in the US!...and it can impact a women's ability to have children if left untreated... Oh noooo! I want have a mini me in the future. When someone has it, they usually do not have any signs or symptoms, it's referred to as the "silent" disease. But some women do experience abnormal discharge and burning during urination (CDC, 2010). Click here for some more info.


Ever heard of Gonorrhea??? Well it can affect various parts of one's body, such as: the anus (oh no!), eyes (yikes!), mouth (yuck!), genitals (ouch!), and throat (urgh!). And it can also impact a women's ability to have children if left untreated! Symptoms can take up to 30 days to appear. For men, (if they actually have the  symptoms), they may have a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis. Sometimes men with gonorrhea get painful or swollen testicles. Women usually do not have symptoms, they may have a painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods (CDC, 2010). Click here for more info.

And then there's Herpes, it doesn't have a cure! Most people don't have signs or symptoms when infected, When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur (CDC, 2010). Ouch sounds painful! Click here for more info.

I'm sure you've heard about HPV before, with all the commericals on TV about the fairly new vaccine (Gardasil). HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, there are about 40 different types that can affect a male or females' genital area. Male and females can develop genital warts when infected with HPV and other types of HPV can cause cervical cancer!!! (CDC, 2010). Click here for more info.

There's also another STI called Syphilis, according to the CDC " During 2004–2008, rates of P&S syphilis increased the most among 15–24 year-old men and women." Now that's scary! Signs and symptoms of syphilis include a firm, round, small, and painless sore on the genitals, anus, or mouth, or a rash on the body, especially on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet (CDC, 2010). Click here for more info.

And of course, we've all heard of HIV/AIDS. According to the CDC, "Individuals who are infected with STDs are at least two to five times more likely than uninfected individuals to acquire HIV infection if they are exposed to the virus through sexual contact", this is serious ladies! As we all know there isn't a cure for HIV/AIDS. Click here for more info. Look at the picture above of all the pills that an HIV infected person has to take on a daily basis!

So Ladies! Is it worth it? Taking a chance of getting one of these diseases just for a few minutes of "fun"???
No one has "I have HIV" written on their foreheads so how would you know? They guy may not even know that they have a STI neither, since most of the time there's no signs and symptoms. You probably thinking that, "It can't happen to me"...I'm sure someone said that before they had a rude awakening and discovered that they had a STI....

Just think about it...is it REALLY worth it? You have sooooooo much to look forward to!

*Dueces*

T.O.P.S