“Multiple partners makes your vagina loose” and other sexual health myths
Our clinicians have come together to correct these sexual health myths once and for all! Next time you see someone tweet or post one of these myths, just send them this link!
“The vagina becomes looser the more partners a woman has”
FALSE
The “tightness” of a vagina is primarily impacted by the strength of a woman’s pelvic floor muscles. So the only things that can cause natural loosening is natural childbirth, if it has affected a woman’s pelvic floor muscles, and ageing, for the same reason.
A vagina loosens naturally during sex or the use of sex toys but always returns to its pre-sex tightness. This myth has emerged to shame sexually-active women and is absolutely incorrect.
“You can’t get an STD from oral sex”
FALSE
You definitely can get an STD from oral sex. This is why testing for chlamydia, for example, requires swabbing in all potential sites involved in the activity, including the throat. Other common STDs that can be transmitted via oral sex include gonorrhoea, herpes and hepatitis.
“You can tell if someone has a sexually-transmitted disease”
FALSE
The most common and prevalent sexually-transmitted diseases do not show symptoms until they are more serious such as chlamydia, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis. This means that not only is it more likely to spread these STDs, but they have a chance to cause physical damage while remaining undetected. The only way to know if you have an STD is by getting tested.
“You can only transmit STDs if you have symptoms”
FALSE
You do not have to show symptoms to transmit STDs to another person. In fact, most STDs are transmitted because they don’t show symptoms most of the time when mild.
“The withdrawal method prevents STDs”
FALSE
You can still get multiple STDs even if your partner withdraws before ejaculating, including HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes and syphilis.
“STDs are common in young people, but older people don’t have to worry.”
FALSE
STDs are steadily on the rise among people over 45. Anyone having unprotected sex at any age is at risk of sexually-transmitted infection.
To talk about your sexual health concerns with a specialist nurse and for fast testing, book online today or give us a call.
It’s frustrating to see so many myths about sexual health floating around on the internet. not to mention the real-life consequences of believing these myths. That’s why I appreciate the efforts of the clinicians of Harley health center in debunking these myths once and for all. Thanks to their knowledge and expertise, I feel more confident in navigating my own sexual health.
STDs can be a taboo topic, but it’s important that we dismiss the myths and stay informed on how to protect ourselves in any sexual situation. Getting tested regularly should be part of your routine – because ignoring these facts could have serious implications!
It’s so frustrating that there are still so many misconceptions about sexual health in the world. It’s important that we continue to educate ourselves and others so that we can make informed decisions about our bodies and our sexual lives.
I definitely love that we are now starting to have these conversations and setting the record straight because for so long we were made to believe certain things which weren’t true about sex.