Doctor Doan Van Loi Em, Head of Clinical Department 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital, answers questions related to sextoys.
Doctor Doan Van Loi Em examines a patient
How long do STDs survive on sex toys?
According to Dr. Loi Em, it is possible to contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from sharing sex toys. If two people with different STI statuses use the same sex toy vaginally or anally without properly cleaning it between uses, some STIs may remain on the product for several hours or days (depending on the STI). If the pathogen remains on the product, it can be transmitted to the next user during that time frame. Contracting an STI from using a sex toy is easily preventable, but it is important to have the knowledge to prevent it.
So the question is, how long can STIs survive on sex toys? The answer to this question varies, depending on the pathogen. Studies have shown that the time that STIs can survive on the surfaces of objects outside the body is as follows:
Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) bacteria survive outside the body for 2-3 hours in a moist environment. Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) survives for about 1 minute. Syphilis (Treponema pallidum) Does not survive long - will die after the clear fluid dries.
HPV is 50% less infectious after 3 days, but it can survive longer. HIV does not survive long outside the body. Some studies show that it dies within a few hours of exposure to air.
Sexually transmitted diseases if sharing sex toys
A 2012 study in the Netherlands found that sharing sex toys was linked to sexually transmitted diseases. Specifically:
Chlamydia is asymptomatic in 90% of women and more than 50% of men. Symptoms may include difficulty urinating (burning, urgent, painful) and urethral discharge (mucus, white or clear).
Gonorrhea affects 50% of women and 90% of men with symptoms such as: Vaginitis causing yellow pus, itching, pain during intercourse. In men, yellow-green, thin pus flows out of the urethra, causing pain, burning, and redness.
Syphilis: diverse manifestations such as genital ulcers and many other manifestations in the skin and mucous membranes. HPV: causes roughness in the genital and anal areas.
It is very rare to get HIV from using sex toys. HIV can only be transmitted if there is blood, semen, pre-ejaculate fluid, rectal fluid, vaginal fluid... However, if the shared sex toy causes skin to break and cause bleeding, and the virus is still present, HIV can still be transmitted.
Two other sexually transmitted infections to be aware of include: Bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is an infection associated with symptoms such as abnormal vaginal discharge, vaginal odor, and vaginal burning. BV is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, but it can be passed from person to person through the use of shared vaginal sex toys.
Urinary tract infections are very common infections of the urinary tract, which includes the urethra, bladder, and kidneys. Sex toys can spread bacteria from around the vagina into the urethra.
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