Herpes is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. There are two common places the herpes virus can be found, near the mouth (oral herpes), which is also commonly known as a cold sore, and around the genitals (genital herpes). A herpes infection typically starts with a change in sensation - pain or tingling in a particular area - followed by small blisters that burst and leave small painful ulcers. If they are near the vagina, they can cause nasty pain when going to the bathroom. There are two forms of the herpes simplex virus, types 1 and 2. Type 1 is more commonly associated with oral herpes, and type 2 is more commonly associated with genital herpes. Although due to the fact the condition spreads via contact, and aided by oral sex, it is not uncommon to find either type in any location. There is no way to distinguish from symptoms. They present in the same way and require a test to see which type is causing trouble (although the type doesn't change anything clinically - treatment is given depending on where it is infected). Oral herpes is commonly acquired in childhood and passed on via skin-to-skin contact, or via contact with fluid in the blisters from the area of infection. Genital herpes is also spread through skin-to-skin contact, including vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex.

Dr Kandi explains how often we should be getting a sexual health screening.

You may have been put at risk of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you have had unprotected sex, the condom broke, split, or slipped off during sex, or you have been told a partner has an STI. STIs include gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. You may have no symptoms from some of these, or symptoms may take weeks or months to show. It's best to get this checked out, and the best place is to attend a sexual health clinic. Look online for services near you, and know that it's all confidential. If a partner has said they have an STI, you need to get treated immediately and avoid sex until treated, otherwise you can pass it back and forth between each other. Again, this is best done at a sexual health clinic. Unprotected sex also leaves women at risk of pregnancy. You can buy a pregnancy test, and it can take up to 3 weeks after unprotected sex for any pregnancy test to turn positive.

You are never far from sexual health services in the US. Dedicated clinics are there for phone consultations or visits, online services can mail out testing kits for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and your doctor is also a source of advice, testing, and prescriptions. Needs can vary widely, but most people request access to STI tests such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis, emergency contraception, and regular contraception. Clinics may offer hepatitis B vaccination if you are at risk or emergency HIV treatment if you think you’ve been exposed. They can also advise on safe sex, high-risk behavior, sexual assault or rape, and anonymous contact tracing for a sexual partner or partners if you have tested positive for an STI.

The progestin-only pill (POP) is a type of contraception. It contains a hormone that closely resembles the progesterone hormone produced by a woman’s ovaries. Older (traditional) POPs contain norethindrone (Camila, Errin, Heather, Jolivette, Micronor, Nora-BE). Newer POPs contain drospirenone (Slynd). The POP is also referred to as the mini pill. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the progestin-only norgestrel (Opill) for over-the-counter use. It is expected to be available in early 2024.

You may have been informed that a sexual partner or ex-partner has gotten a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and you may have been put at risk, so you require treatment. This can come as a shock, whether you hear it directly from your partner, an ex-partner texts you, or you receive an anonymous text from a sexual health clinic. But it’s better to know about this than be kept in the dark. STIs may or may not cause symptoms, but they can put you at risk of longer-term problems such as ongoing pain or infertility, and reliable treatments are available. Even if you have no symptoms, getting treatment will protect you and your future partners.

Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This can easily pass from person to person via unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sex or sharing of sex toys. Condoms help to prevent catching gonorrhea. This may cause no noticeable symptoms, or it can cause a yellow/green, watery, or pus-like discharge from the penis, vagina, or rectum. It may cause pain on peeing; for women, pain during sex, bleeding after sex, or bleeding between periods, and for men, pain in the testicles. It can cause joint inflammation (reactive arthritis) and eye symptoms (conjunctivitis) and, if left untreated, can cause infertility. Given the high stakes and the fact that you may have no symptoms, it’s important to get tested regularly. This is especially important if you are 16 to 25, as this is the highest-risk age group. Get an STI test at the change of any partner (use condoms until you both get the all-clear) and at least once a year.