How can I prevent STDs/STIs?
Anyone who is sexually active can get an STD/STI at any age. The only way to prevent getting an STD/STI is to not be sexually active. To reduce the chances of getting an STD/STI, use a condom every time you have sex and talking to your partner(s) about STDs/STIs. Other ways to lower your risk are limiting how many people you have sex with, getting vaccinated for HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B, and getting tested once a year for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, or every 3-to-6 months if you have multiple partners. Because you may not always experience symptoms, getting tested regularly helps prevent unknowingly passing an infection to your partner(s). Make sure to talk about your sexual history and STD/STI status before you have sex with a new partner.
If you’ve had condomless sex, you might also want to consider DoxyPEP to help prevent bacterial STDs/STIs like syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. It’s most effective when taken soon after sex—think of it as a morning-after pill but for bacterial STDs/STIs instead of pregnancy. DoxyPEP does not prevent viral infections such as HIV, mpox, herpes, or hepatitis.