Fact: Not all vaginal infections are vaginal yeast infections. You should never buy a product for self-treating a vaginal yeast infection, unless a doctor has previously diagnosed yeast infection, and you’re confident that this is the exact same infection. Although, you may think that vaginal yeast infections are the most common cause of vaginal discharge, many STDs cause discharges, and actually the most common cause of vaginal discharge is actually bacterial vaginosis.
See: 12 Ways to Prevent Abnormal Vaginal Discharge and Vaginal Infections
7. Myth: “I think I might have some type of sexually transmitted disease. But I’m not too worried, after all I just need to get a prescription and it will be gone.”
Fact: This casual attitude toward sexually transmitted diseases is likely one reason that the rate of STDs continues to increase. Simply taking a pill won’t cure all types of STDs. A virus is the cause of several sexually transmitted diseases. Antibiotic treatments only cure STDs caused by bacteria. Viral STDs are lifelong diseases that you must constantly remain aware of their continual presence. Sexually transmitted diseases caused by viruses include HIV, the virus that causes AIDS; the human pappilloma virus or HPV, genital herpes; cytomegalovirus a virus often called CMV; and .
See: The Consequences of STDs
8. Myth: “I’ve only been sexually active with one person, so I don’t have to worry about STDs.”
Fact: That’s great, but how many other people did your partner have sex with before you? Even if (s)he says you’re their first, it’s impossible to be sure that you’re getting the full truth. Always worry about STDs. The only way to 100 percent protection from sexually transmitted diseases is sexual abstinence. Condoms provide a significant amount of protection against STDs, but things can sometimes go wrong and the possibility of getting or catching sexually transmitted diseases is always there.
See: Making Safe Sexual Choices
Sources: FDA, NWHI
