Source: Shutterstock

The scary answer is yes.

A woman named Starkeema Greenidge from Harlem is suing MAC Cosmetics because she claims she got herpes from sampling MAC’s RiRi Woo at a Rihanna concert.

She’s taking the case to Manhattan’s Supreme Court and stated, “The company should train its employees to use disposable tubes or swabs to apply the lipstick. This is going to happen over and over again if nothing is done.” While this seems like a far-fetched claim, it actually can happen!

Now, this lady claims that MAC applied the lipstick to her from the tube directly, which is a major no-no in the makeup world. If you’re testing products or getting your makeup done at a counter, be aware of how they’re applying the product. That product should have been sanitized and applied with a fresh applicator, not directly from the tube. Even though makeup artists should be aware of these things, you as a consumer should also be on the lookout.

But these situations don’t just happen at makeup counters. I hope that you wouldn’t use a mascara tube that someone else has used (even your BFF), but a lot of girls share lipstick and chapstick like it’s their day job!

You definitely shouldn’t share lip products with a stranger because, well, you don’t know where their mouth has been. But you shouldn’t even share with your closest friends. It’s just best to keep your lip stuff to yourself!

Larry Beatty, M.D., says “If you had chapped lips or a break in the skin and swipe on a lipstick that someone used that’s infected with the herpes simplex virus, then you’re more susceptible to contracting it. But even if your skin is 100 percent intact, it’s still not a guarantee that you’d be protected from getting it; there is still a degree of risk.”

The best thing to do is to not share your lip products. I know it sounds a bit selfish, and one of your friends is probably going to get annoyed with you when she needs to borrow some lip balm. But I think avoiding STDs gives you full permission to be a makeup snob.

Do you share your lip products? Have you ever let a stranger borrow lipstick? Tell us in the comments!
 

Here’s your foolproof guide to removing that red lip

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

HIV screenings can save your life! | Source: ShutterStock

HIV is scary, but it also seems like the sort of thing from which we’re pretty far removed. People even joke about HIV now, so how much of a threat can it be, right? Right?

Well, like it or not, HIV is still a pretty big deal, and the stigma associated with HIV is almost as bad as the illness itself. As if it weren’t bad enough to have HIV, people also have to worry about being judged for having it–or even just for getting tested for it.

That very stigma and that very judgment are big reasons why HIV is so prevalent and why so many people still suffer from and contract the virus every year: 1.2 million people have HIV in the U.S. and 50,000 more people are infected every year. The scariest part? About 25 percent of people who have HIV don’t even know it. People are scared of the looks, gossip and glares they’ll get if they get tested for the disease, so they just don’t get HIV screenings at all.

The Center for Disease Control is on a mission to change that. Their new guidelines suggest that everyone between the ages of 15 and 65 be screened for HIV, even if they’re not considered to be in a high-risk category for the disease. (High risk categories, according to the CDC, include the economically disadvantaged, who often don’t have access to healthcare or contraceptive options, drug users and gay or bisexual males.) Pregnant women are recommended to be screened for the illness as well, regardless of age.

The good news about mandatory HIV screenings? They’ll likely be covered by the Affordable Care Act, and if everyone has to get one, there will be much less of a stigma associated with getting tested. And that’s how it should be. No one should be judged for taking his or her health seriously and behaving responsibly!

Do you think everyone 15 to 65 years old should get HIV screenings? Do you think the CDC’s recommendation for HIV testing will lessen the stigma associated with HIV tests? Have you ever had an HIV screening? Tell us in the comments!

You can take an HIV test at home, too!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Source: Shutterstock

Can I get a hooray?! This is great! Dr. Basil Donovon from the University of New South Wales said, “In 2011 no genital wart diagnoses were made among 235 women under 21 years of age who reported prior human papillomavirus vaccination.”

This goes to show that the HPV vaccine is actually working and doing what it’s supposed to. There’s honestly no reason not to get the HPV vaccine. HPV is the most common STD and there are more than 40 types of HPV that you can contract. Plus, you’re at risk for HPV even if you’ve never had sex. It’s a sneaky, sneaky virus.

While some strains of HPV don’t carry symptoms, the strain that causes genital warts is pretty serious. They can also take months to appear so you might not even know that you have it.

So the fact that this vaccine is working and preventing teens from contracting the strain of HPV that causes genital warts is awesome! I’d say that is definitely a reason to get the vaccine. Not only does it prevent genital warts, it also protects against cervical cancer and other strains of HPV. It’s also the safest vaccine out there.

Do yourself (and your partner) a favor and get the vaccine if you haven’t already. It’s totally worth it!
 
Have you gotten the HPV vaccine? Did you have any side effects of the vaccine? Will this new information convince you to get it if you haven’t already? Tell us in the comments!
 

Are uncircumcised guys putting you at risk?

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Source: Shutterstock

If you want to know if a guy has an STD, now there’s an app for that! The MedXSafe app alerts others about your STD-status, which seems cool in theory but not quite in execution.

Apparently, the app only alerts others that you don’t have an STD so it doesn’t share your medical information. You basically get checked out by a doctor and once you’re cleared, they upload that information to the MedXSafe system. Then you can “bump” information with another person who has the app. If someone bumps you to find out your info, you can accept or reject it.

Another app called Qpid.me works a bit differently. You log in to the app and if you’ve been tested, you move onto the next step where you can have your doctor fax in your test info and then you can share your results through a text or online.

Sharing your STD status is really important when it comes to sexual relationships, but doing it through an app seems so strange. First of all, it doesn’t quite seem that safe to me. Uploading medical information to an app just feels very risky. What if the system gets hacked? Then all of your information falls into the wrong hands and that is not okay.

Second, if you’re at the point where you’re going to have sex with someone, you should feel comfortable having a talk about STDs. I think it would be way more awkward saying “Hey can I bump your STD app before we bump?” instead of just talking about it.

And if you’re concerned about someone’s STD status, you should feel comfortable asking about it. Obviously there is a right way to do it, and you shouldn’t straight up say “So do you have an STD?” But you totally shouldn’t be afraid to start the conversation with someone.

If you don’t feel like you can have that conversation, then you’re probably not ready to have sex with that person.

What do you think about these apps? Do you think they’re a good idea? Would you use them? Tell us in the comments!
 

And don’t use an app to test yourself for STDs either!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Articles like the one I read are so frustrating. Source: Shutterstock

So in doing my usual look around for stories to share with you all this morning, I came across this recap from msnNOW. It’s about some statistics released by the Centers For Disease Control about STI rates in the U.S., especially regarding young people ages 15-24.

While the topic of the recap was STIs, my reaction was more along the lines of WTF. Why? Well, thanks to lines like this: “According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2008 an icky 110,197,000 Americans were carrying some hideous sexual infection, including the drippy 19.7 million who contracted something nasty that year.”

Look, I think we can agree that having an STI is not ideal. I don’t think anybody wants to have an infection down there, especially considering the health impacts. But I don’t think repeatedly referring to these people as “icky” and highlighting how “nasty” STIs isn’t the way to go about delivering actually important statistics. After the fact shaming helps nobody and just perpetuates stigmas and makes people feel like pariahs.

What will work is education and prevention. This piece from MSN is really not accomplishing either of those things and the message behind these numbers is getting lost. Compare it to how the Centers for Disease Control fact sheet originally wrote up these same STI statistics.

They show these numbers and then discuss consequences of STIs and highlight the importance of getting tested, prevention and treatment. These are actually practical and important suggestions based on this data that aren’t shaming. They don’t downplay the seriousness of the statistics, but they do it in a way that wants to help rather than mock.

These CDC statistics need to be discussed, but it’s also important to consider the way they are discussed. If we shame STIs, we won’t talk about it, and if we don’t talk about it, it’s less likely we can figure out how to make sure everyone practices safe sex.

For example, it’s hard to talk to your partner about having an STD, but it is a safety concern and a necessary discussion. However, if we keep shaming people with STIs, that may make people less likely to even get tested or to talk about their status with their partner. These things could end up exposing more people to STIs rather than cutting down on these numbers.

It scares me because MSN is a pretty prominent name on the Internet, so I can only imagine how many people saw this write-up. It’s unfortunate because those statistics really are important. Definitely check out that CDC fact sheet because it serves as a reminder that you should always use protection when having sex to cut down on your risks of infection. They can accomplish that without perpetuating stigmas about STIs or alienating those who do have them, so let us learn from them about how to have productive STI discussion from here on out.

What do you think is the most effective way to talk about STIs and safe sex? Do you feel like people with STIs face a stigma? Tell me in the comments!

What to do if the condom breaks.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

When you realize how good it is to get the HPV vaccine, you’ll be smiling when you get it too. | Source: ShutterStock

With everything you’re hearing about vaccinations and STDs, you’re probably wondering, “Should I get the HPV vaccine?” To which we say: Yes, yes, yes!

The HPV vaccine isn’t linked to any real side effects, despite some sensationalized reports suggesting otherwise. (Remember when people said that the HPV vaccine made girls “crazy for sex?” That’s just as insane as it sounds.) In fact, the HPV vaccine, according to docs, is one of the safest ever.

It’s recommended that girls and guys ages 13 to 17 get the full course of the HPV vaccine, but unfortunately, about 75 percent of people aren’t up to date on theirs–and some girls’ parents don’t want them to finish up their vaccinations or get them at all. Apparently parents think they’re not crucial vaccines, or that you don’t need them unless you’re sexually active.

But the fact is, you’re actually at risk for HPV even if you’ve never had sex–and a lot of people are infected with HPV but don’t show symptoms, so it’s a really risky play to not protect yourself against it. Additionally, the HPV vaccine prevents not only HPV in both sexes, but also cervical cancer in women (because it’s often caused by HPV). And if you’re not sexually active right now–that they know of–you probably will be eventually (unless you’re joining a convent or something, in which case, more power to you).

Basically, there are a slew of reasons to get the HPV vaccine: you’ll be preventing HPV, preventing cervical cancer and keeping yourself and any potential partners you have safe. If you folks have issues with you getting the vaccine, have them discuss them with you and your doctor–who will probably be a lot more persuasive than you can because she gets to wear that awesome white coat.

Have you gotten the HPV vaccine yet? Are your parents opposed to you getting the HPV vaccine? Do you think everyone should get the HPV vaccine, even if they’re not sexually active? Tell us in the comments!

Get the skinny on HPV!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

A new strain of super gonorrhea is becoming one of the most dangerous and scariest STDs ever–because it’s drug resistant to antibiotics! | Source: ShutterStock

Just when you think STDs couldn’t be any scarier, now you have to not only worry about gonorrhea, but also super gonorrhea.

The sexually transmitted infection is becoming resistant to most antibiotics. And that, ladies, is scary as hell. Especially when you consider that women and girls ages 15 to 24 are at the highest risk for STDs and STIs. This is serious stuff!

Drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea have emerged in Japan (they always seem to have everything first), France and Spain, and if the trend continues, it could pop up here too.

One of the reasons this is so horrifying? Gonorrhea is one of the most common STDs in the U.S., and a lot of people who have it don’t even know it since it often doesn’t show symptoms. This means it’s super, super important to always wear a condom and get tested regularly, because gonorrhea can seriously eff with your reproductive system–so even if you don’t want babies right now (and we hope you don’t!), if you want them later on, you may be rendered infertile if you’re not careful.

Do the new STD statistics freak you out a little? Does the possibility of contracting super gonorrhea make you more inclined to use protection and have safe sex? Have you ever had a gonorrhea or other STD scare? Tell us in the comments!

Here’s all you need to know about gonorrhea!

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Get tested! Source: Shutterstock

STD testing is scary and can be uncomfortable. But you know what’s even more scary and uncomfortable than the tests? Having an STD. You may be thinking, “Well, I don’t have any symptoms so I don’t have anything.” FALSE. Plenty of STDs don’t show symptoms, so yeah…  you could very well have an STD and not know it.

You might also say, “But I don’t have sex.” Okay. And? STDs are called sexually transmitted diseases, but they can be spread by all kinds of sex. Oral, vaginal, anal, whatever. If you’re not having intercourse but still fooling around, you can get an STD.

“But I use condoms.” Great! That’s awesome. Things do happen, though. Condoms break. Just get tested.

“But I only have one partner.” Cool, but that doesn’t mean your partner does. Even if you’re both virgins, your guy could have been born with HPV if his mom had it. Because there’s no HPV test for guys, he wouldn’t know.

Getting tested for STDs is part of being responsible in your sex life. It’s better to know now and get treated if you have something. If you have an STD and it goes undetected, it can cause you serious damage and you risk spreading it to other people.

So click through for your complete guide on getting tested!

Can that wart get down there? Learn the facts! | Source: ShutterStock

If you have warts on your finger can you pass them to your vagina?

ChickRx expert Bob Smithing, Family Nurse Practitioner, says:

First, let’s discuss what warts are. Warts are skin growths. They can vary in color–from gray to brown to pink–and size–anywhere from a small pebble size to an eraser.

Warts are caused by viruses in the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. Yep, that HPV. Here’s the thing though, the HPV viruses that cause warts on your fingers are different strains than the HPV viruses that cause warts on your genitals.

So, it would be very unlikely that you could transfer a wart from your foot or finger to your vagina.

But, that doesn’t mean that warts on your finger aren’t contagious. The virus from one wart can go to other spots on your body or even to another person’s body. You can infect yourself again by touching the wart and then touching another part of your body. And if you share razors, towels or other personal items with a friend, you can transfer warts between the two of you.

And of course you know how genital warts are spread–through sex. Be safe when you have sex.

Both genital and common warts can be treated with medication. If you think you have either, check in with a doctor for treatment.

Got more questions? Post them in the comments below or head on over to ChickRx.com.

Everything You Need To Know On Incurable Gonorrhea

Follow Us On Twitter!

Yikes! What is that? | Source: ShutterStock

How can I tell the difference between a cold sore and a canker sore?

ChickRx expert Evelyn Resh, Certified Sexuality Counselor and Nurse Midwife, says:

This is a great and important question and I’m sure a lot of people wonder this. So, I’m really glad you asked.

Both a cold sore and a canker sore appear somewhere in or on the oral cavity, which means your mouth. The difference is that a cold sore is caused by the oral herpes virus and a canker sore is caused by other viral infections.

Some differences are that canker sores are generally on your tongue, while cold sores are most often on the lips, side of the mouth, or even immediately beneath the nostrils. Canker sores are very small and very tender and are present for only a few days. Cold sores can last ten days or longer. Canker sores are super sensitive to both cold and hot things and they’re even sensitive to salty sweet foods.

Also interestingly, many people contract oral herpes before the age of five. This typically happens because they have either been kissed on the face or mouth by an adult who has a cold sore and doesn’t realize how contagious it is or from kissing a classmate or sharing food with a friend who has a sore.

If you have oral herpes, it’s critical to remember that unless you are completely free of sores–and I mean completely free, not even a scab on your mouth–don’t kiss a sex partner’s mouth or genitals. You could spread the virus to them. Wait until the sore is completely gone, scab and all, before resuming intimate contact.

There is treatment for herpes that can reduce transmission and shorten the time of the outbreak. These are viral-suppressing drugs that are helpful, especially for people with frequent outbreaks.

I hope the above was helpful. But, if you’re still wondering about your mouth sore, I’d say go to a doctor for an official diagnosis and treatment.

Got more questions? Post them in the comments below or head on over to ChickRx.com.

Can you really be friends with an ex?

Follow Us On Twitter!