Safer Sex

HIV is transmitted via blood, semen, breast milk, or vaginal fluid-most often through unprotected sex, or via sharing dirty syringes if you use injection drugs.

Safer Sex Tips
• What's safe? Kissing, hugging, mutual masturbation (ejaculate only on unbroken skin), "water sports" (urine on unbroken skin).
• For anal or vaginal sex, use a latex condom with a water-based lubricant such as K-Y Jelly. Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline weaken condoms.
• During sex, men should pull out and avoid ejaculating inside their partner, even when using a condom. If you do come inside your partner, hold the condom during withdrawal to keep the semen from spilling out.
• If a condom breaks during sex, immediately replace it with a new one.
• Avoid oral sex if you (or your partner) have open cuts or sores in your mouth, on your genitals, or an active STD infection.
• For oral sex with a man, use a latex condom. Avoid taking semen in your mouth, but if you do, make sure not to swallow any.
• For oral-vaginal sex, watch for cuts or sores in your mouth and avoid menstrual blood. Consider using a dental dam (a square of latex sold at drugstores) or a condom cut in half and stretched over the vulva.
• Rimming, or oral-anal contact, is low risk for HIV transmission but high risk for parasites and hepatitis. Use a dental dam or condom cut in half.
• Always use a fresh condom with sex toys. Clean toys with soap and water after every use.