What you can't see: Dr. Dick on symptomless STDs

Dear Dr. Dick,
Before sex I always check out a guy's dick for any sores, bumps, or rashes. If I don't see anything weird, I assume he's OK. But in your last article, you said you can still get an STD from a guy even if he doesn't have any symptoms. How does this happen? Do I need a magnifying glass to tell if a guy is really safe?
Signed, Sherlock

Dear Sherlock,
While I applaud your commitment to safer sex play, holding a magnifying glass up to a guy's penis might be misinterpreted, if you know what I mean. But the answer is yes, it is possible to get an STD -and infect others - even when you don't see any symptoms. This is true for HIV too.

STDs are caused by bacteria and viruses that get inside your body through sexual contact. Those lovely sores, bumps, oozes, and rashes you see are just outside signs of the infection inside your body. With many STDS, outside symptoms are often not present and can change over time. However, the bacteria or virus is still living on the surfaces of genital skin or mouth and throat tissue. Or in the fluids there too. This is their launch pad for infection!

Gonorrhea and herpes can be tricky like that. For example, many guys with gonorrhea never get the pus-like discharge. Herpes lesions can come and go, but most infection occurs before or after an outbreak. You might even have an STD right now and not even know it!

That's why all sexually active gay/bi men should get tested for STDs every 3-6 months! Routine STD check-ups are important if you're a bottom, have lots of sex partners, are HIV-positive, or if you've had an STD in the past. STDs don't go away on their own. Tests and treatments are easy and low-cost (often free) at Harborview's STD Clinic.

Until next time!!
Dick

Careful out there - a lot of symptoms hide in places you can't see! Like in the back of the mouth or throat and inside the anal cavity. There may be something lurking inside so put away that miner's hat and put on a condom!!