How to Have Safe Sex

While sexual intercourse always involves some risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease, there are definitely ways of making your sexual experiences safer.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Condoms With Spermicide
• Dental Dams
• Female Condoms
• Latex Gloves
• Lubricated Latex Condoms
• Personal Lubricants
• Specialty Condom

1. Know your partner. Sex with anonymous partners carries a higher risk, as the HIV and STD (sexually transmitted disease) status of the partner is unknown.
2. Touching provides a minimal amount of risk. HIV and most other STDs are not transmitted merely through touching, except for syphilis. If contact is made with an open sore or ulcer on a person's genitalia caused by syphilis, a risk of transmission does exist.
3. Kissing provides a minimal amount of risk as well. But cold sores, often caused by the herpes virus, can be transmitted by kissing so you should avoid kissing if you or your partner is having an outbreak.
4. Be sure to use a condom or dental dam when having genital-oral sex.
5. Use a dental dam, or a condom cut lengthwise, when having anal-oral sex. Vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended as well.
6. Keep in mind that other diseases can also be transmitted to both partners by oral sex. These include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, genital warts, parasites, giardia and hepatitis.
7. Don't forget to use a female condom or condom with spermicide when having vaginal intercourse. Unprotected vaginal sex carries a very high risk of transmitting HIV between partners. Remember that other diseases can also be transmitted to both partners during vaginal sex, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, genital warts and hepatitis.
8. Use condoms when having anal sex, as microscopic tears in the anal wall occur easily and provide a rapid and efficient mode of transmission for HIV. Use lubricant or lubricated condoms to prevent friction that can disturb the lining of the anal canal.
9. Remember that other diseases can also be transmitted to both partners during anal sex, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, genital warts and hepatitis.
10. Wash all sex toys between partners to decrease the risk of transmitting HIV and other STDs.

Tips & Warnings

• Masturbation, next to abstinence, is likely the safest sex.
• In male-to-male or female-to-male oral sex, if protection is not used, it is important not to reach orgasm while the penis is inside the partner's mouth. Semen carries a high concentration of HIV. Also, avoid "deep throating" because this vigorous activity may disrupt the tissues at the back of the throat, allowing HIV to be more easily transmitted. It's also best not to brush or floss your teeth before unprotected oral sex.
• Oil-based products can compromise the effectiveness of the condom or dental dam and allow HIV to be transmitted - always use water-based lubricants instead.
• The person giving oral sex carries a higher risk of acquiring HIV than the person receiving.
• Drugs and alcohol can affect your judgement. Several studies have demonstrated increased risks of HIV transmission when one or both partners are intoxicated.
• Although female-to-female sex is statistically the least likely form of sexual intercourse in which to acquire and/or transmit HIV, transmission has been reported and safer sex guidelines should be followed.