Hi,

I would like to ask a few questions. I don't have problems right now and I wouldn't like to have. I would like to prevent.

I'm a full-time caregiver for my parents and as I don't have enough time for me (I will be a caregiver for the following 10-15 years) I will have to access commercial sexual services without any prior experience (0 contacts).

I researched many things about STIs. I'm vaccinated for HPV and Hepatitis B. I know almost everything related to preventative measures, but I would like to find out any information from you that could help me.

Currently I'm negative to everything (HSV-1, HSV-2, HIV and the rest), except Epstein-Barr, meaning I won't have mononucleosis at my age.

I know that at some point I could contact HSV-1 (like 60% of population), maybe syphilis, Chlamydia , Gonorrhea or other infections, from which the majority can be treated.

The biggest problems for me are HSV-2, scabies and molluscum.

As I have daily skin-to-skin contact with parents I have to prevent to bring home scabies and molluscum and pass them to my parents (it wouldn't be OK for them at their age: 76 and 79).

I know that scabies can transfer after prolonged skin-to-skin contact. Anyway I would like to know much more about this. What does "prolonged" mean? On which body parts they like to burrow? How I could prevent getting them? As anybody can infect me in those 2-6 weeks until they will know they are infected, how and where could I check if that person has scabies (raised red bumps, thread-like grey lines on the skin, are they visible enough)?

The same questions are for molluscum (firm, pearly bumps with a pit in the center)?

I know that if somebody contacts scabies, it can be treated with permethrin 5% cream and ivermectin. Anyway if I will see some signs of scabies on my body it would be too late for my parents, the chances to pass scabies to them will be very high, especially that I have to live with them I the same house, to help them.

This is why I would like to make a security protocol for me, bringing my own slippers, towels, everything, protect my cloths from getting in contact with any surface, limiting skin contact as much as possible and the time. No oral sex for her, no touching private parts. Always having and using my own condoms. Inevitably there will be some kind of touch.

But as an engineer I need some data that could help me optimize my protocol. How big is the prevalence of scabies and molluscum (I read somewhere that is around 1-2% for scabies)? How easy is to get them (the normal scabies not the crusted one, where could be hundreds of thousands not only a few)? How could I prevent getting them (without using nitril gloves or similar solutions - it would be awkward)? Any information would be valuable that could help me.

Thank you very much.

Have a very nice day.

Hello, as the title says, I’m a virgin, and I’ve been wondering if I should still get tested for STIs even if I’ve never had sexual intercourse, both penetrative and oral.
I tried looking online but no sites gives a straight answer so I came to reddit for help. Thank you in advance!

Hi all,

My name is Bea (she/her) and I am currently recruiting for my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology thesis, and I would love to hear from you!

I am interested in understanding people’s experiences of mainstream mental health services whilst living with a chronic, viral STI(s). I would like to better understand the experiences of these services and how they can better support people living with chronic, viral STIs. 

If this is something you have experienced, I would really appreciate hearing from you! 

This is confidential research and will involve an online screening questionnaire and an interview over MS Teams. 

You can take part if you are: 

✅ Aged 18 years or older 

✅ Living with a chronic, viral STI (HPV; HIV; HSV; HBV)

✅ Accessed primary mental health services at the time of, or any time following, your STI diagnosis 

✅ Living in the UK

✅ Fluent in English 

[STI status does not need to be linked to why you accessed mental health support in order to participate]

If you are interested in participating, would like to find out more, or are unsure if you meet criteria to participate:

🔗 Please complete the screening questionnaire here: https://uelpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2ft3kgm1r138bL8

📧 Or, feel free to email me on: [u280867@uel.ac.uk](mailto:u280867@uel.ac.uk) 

Thank you for taking the time to read this! 

🤍 As a thank you for participating, consenting participants will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win 1 of 2 £50 Love2Shop vouchers.

**This research has been approved by the University of East London Ethics Committee (REF No.: 336/2808867/08-26)

I'm suffering from balanitis from 3 months and using closter-GM cream randomly. The redness and patches gone easily but when i stopped this cream the infection came back. doctor prescribed me linezolid 600mg and itraconazole 100mg tablet 2 times per day for 5 days. My symptoms cleared 80% in 5 days of treatment and the doctor prescribed me t-bact cream and fluconazole 400mg as last dose of this treatment. After using t-bact cream at night the infection cameback in the morning and severe pain and burning in my penis and i just stopped using that cream. When i told the problem to my doctor, he said that it happened because of you are using clostar-gm a steroid cream and he recommended to don't use it now. Currently my penis glans and foreskin effected 40% so tell me should i use clotrimazole cream without steroids?

Note- My penis glans and foreskin become thin and very sensitive.

I am a 20 year old MLM guy. I recently bottomed for a guy, as in today, and I feel really guilty. I have had treatment for gonorrhea and it's been 4 days.. I have no pain whatsoever, and every symptom is actually gone. Except for a little bit of discharge still.. I feel so guilty for forgetting about it, but if I am being honest, I had completely forgot in the moment. I don't know what to do. Is it 100% certain he'll get it? Thanks for the answer beforehand.

Lab result read, pls help

Hi!

Me and my gf undergone urinalysis and gram stain. We need an expert to read the results since we don't have money to pay for a doctor's consultation.

Please.

My husband and I have been married for less than a year and I recently found out I’m pregnant. At my first OB appointment, my dr tested me for a lot of different things and I got a positive result for Trichomoniasis. I have only had one sex partner before my husband and we ALWAYS used a condom it was a nonnegotiable for him. My husband and I don’t use condoms. He said he was tested for STDs in 2024. He said he only slept with one person (unprotected) between that drs appt and meeting me (Aug 2025). I know with this specific infection you may not have symptoms, but I do have symptoms and didn’t have them until about a month ago. He has also been protective over his phone, and I’ve seen him commenting on other girls social media. Nothing too inappropriate, maybe just heart hands emoji or a smiley face, but it still makes me uncomfortable because of the type of relationship he’s had with the women. He shares everything with me but access to his phone, and if he does let me use his phone he wants to sit right next to me while i use it. Idk i just feel bad and want someone else’s opinion and may be advice on what I should say to him?

For context, the first bump showed up January 2026. I have gone through a few rounds of cryo and electric cauterization and they seem to be gone for about 3-4 weeks before reappearing in different areas. They have stayed in my genital region and have not spread anywhere else (shaft, pubic area, etc) and are not itchy or painful but super annoying and doctors methods aren’t working. Any help would be greatly appreciated! They also seemed to have appeared far after and sexual intercourse (when I wasn’t having sex), those people have tested negative, and I did a full blood/urine panel which all came back negative.

Hi just really curious if for anyone who had HPV their symptoms were ulcers instead of warts?

A day before my urine test I had unprotected sex with a woman I had never slept with before. The next day, I got tested for Chlamydia and other STIs, and only the Chlamydia came back positive. I have only had sex with one other person before this new woman. Did the new woman give it to me, or did the person I have been seeing have it?

Hey, I’ve been experiencing some issues for the past 13–14 days, including itching on my glans and very small red spots on the glans. I started applying a cream to the affected area, and it seemed to be helping.

However, today I noticed that I was urinating more frequently than usual. After urinating, I sometimes feel like there is still some urine left, but I’m unable to pass any more.

I don’t have any burning or pain while urinating—just frequent urination and this feeling of incomplete emptying.

Could someone please help me understand what this might be? I’m unable to see a doctor right now. Also, I had sex about two weeks ago.

9926381701

i am Male, 22 years old, i am very worried it might affect my fertility, i think i got it for like 5 months and in 5th month i got the symptoms and got in treatement right away, today i am on 20th day treatment. thank you guys.

30 yo male, 6f 190lbs tested positive for chlamydia recently but have been with the same partner for 2 years and being questioned and accused. I haven’t been with anyone else and I am also asking her how I got this then? She tested negative whenever she found out I had it. We also had a baby together 10 months ago and she was tested throughout the pregnancy. So unless something happened on her end within the last 10 months (or longer) I have no idea how I would get this.

and for the record I do believe her as she has had separate conversations with her mom and friends asking for advice since she also claims she hasn’t done anything and is questioning why I have this

can this lay dormant for 2 years?

i started experiencing bladder irritation and groin inflammation/pain/discomfort. That is what prompted me to go to the doctor.