12 Things That Might Make You Think He Doesn’t Have An STD But You’re Wrong

Sexually transmitted diseases are frighteningly common—every year, over one million STIs are acquired worldwide! It can happen to anyone at any time, so if you believe that any of these things mean your boyfriend doesn’t have an STI and that he couldn’t possibly pass it on to you, you’re putting yourself at risk of getting one:

  1. He only slept with one woman before you. So what? People who get STIs don’t always sleep around with loads of different people. That’s a huge myth! Besides, you’ll never know how many partners his ex slept with. One, you say? Okay, but how many did he sleep with? See how this snowballs?
  2. He leads a healthy lifestyle. He loves to gym regularly and he sticks to a healthy diet. If he’s looking after his body, you might assume that means he wouldn’t put himself at risk of getting an STI. But who knows? The two aren’t necessarily linked. People sometimes take health risks in unexpected ways.
  3. He always uses condoms. He’s told you about his sexual history and how he always uses condoms. That’s responsible, but there’s a catch. Condoms don’t protect against all STIs. Some infections can result from oral sex or skin-to-skin contact. Plus, you can never know for sure that he used condoms in the best and most responsible way unless you go back in time. It’s just easier to ask him to get tested than it is to build a time machine.
  4. He had an STI and he got treated for it. Kudos to him for getting tested and treated, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to getting it again or getting other STIs. He might even have more than one simultaneously. For instance, when doctors test for chlamydia, they usually test for gonorrhea at the same time because the two tend to appear together.
  5. He’s trustworthy. You really feel like you can trust this guy and he lives up to his word, so when he says he’s clean or he’s been tested, you believe him. But don’t go into things blindly! The guy could be lying. Isn’t it better to doubt him than to put your health at risk? Some STIs are really hard to treat and they can have lifelong consequences. It’s not worth it.
  6. He talks about how afraid he is of STIs. He claims that sleeping around is terrible because it can cause all sorts of nasty STIs. When he talks like this, it makes you feel relieved. You’re both on the same page about sexually transmitted diseases and how important it is to avoid them. That’s great and all, but it still doesn’t change the fact that he could have one.
  7. He didn’t have much sex when he was single. Before you came along, he was single for a while and didn’t have many sexual encounters. That doesn’t mean anything. It’s not necessarily better than a guy who sleeps with loads of women. It just takes one encounter to get infected.
  8. He’s got a Stanford degree. Just because the guy’s educated, it doesn’t mean he’s going to be a good or intelligent person! He can have all the degrees and qualifications in the world, but they don’t reflect his sexual health at all. Nothing does except for a blood test.
  9. He’s older. You think that since he’s an older guy, he would’ve known if he had an STI by now, right? Maybe not. A report from Public Health England found that although people between the ages of 25 and 34 have higher numbers of STI diagnoses, there are higher percentage increases in STIs across the years for men over 45. Age means nothing!
  10. You can just tell he’s a nice guy. His actions speak louder than words, and they’re screaming out that he’s a really decent, good person. He wouldn’t put your health at risk by infecting you with an STI. That might be true, but he might not know much about STIs or even that he has one.
  11. He leads a clean lifestyle. He doesn’t party, do drugs or drink a lot. That might prevent him from taking sexual risks to a small degree, but it still doesn’t mean the guy’s got a clean bill of health. Even bookworms and nerds get STIs. It can happen to anyone.
  12. His body looks healthy. And you even checked him out. He’s got no lumps, bumps or weird rashes on his body. That’s a good sign, but it’s simply not enough. Some STIs don’t show any symptoms at all, while others take weeks or months to reveal themselves. There’s no way of knowing if he’s really STI-free until he gets tested. Period.
Giulia Simolo is a writer from Johannesburg, South Africa with a degree in English Language and Literature. She has been working as a journalist for more than a decade, writing for sites including AskMen, Native Interiors, and Live Eco. You can find out more about her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @GiuliaSimolo.
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