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crazykatie · 04-13-2008, 01:03 PM

Julie is absolutely right!!

The problem is that most swingers think they are safe because they are using condoms. However, herpes is transmitted by skin to skin contact in the genital region and the male condom does not provide complete protection against all such contact. In fact, it does not cover many of the areas. Think about it. The rubber ends well before the base of the penis. The woman's outer and inner lips almost always contact the base of the penis. So, when a woman is infected, she is almost always exposing the man.

The CDC still recommends using condoms but admits that there are no reliable studies on the overall effectiveness of condoms as a preventive measure against HSV. I think it is nearly universally admitted that condoms are not 100% effective. But, a growing body of evidence is suggesting that condoms are far less effective than had been previously thought.

The other thing that most swingers refuse to recognize is that most infected people don't even know they are infected because they develop no external symptoms or have symptoms so slight that they don't recognize themselves as being infected. Moreover, most health professionals will not run a blood screen for HSV with an STD test because HSV is so common today that one in four will screen positive for the antibody even though they may never have contracted a sufficient infection to be a carrier or had any symptoms. Even when you ask to be screened for STDs, the HSV test is generally not ordered unless you specifically complain of symptoms related to HSV or have an observable outbreak (or specifically ask for the test). So, that long trusted couple who tells you they don't have anything, they probably don't know and don't think they do.

Truth is, this disease is so misunderstood and stigmatized that those with it simply will not admit to it under any circumstances. And, why should they. An honest couple might be respected, but they would still be treated as lepers by the swinging community at large. Worse, anyone choosing to associate with them (either because they were HSV positive themselves or because they had evaluated the risks and had decided to play anyway) would run the risk of being branded as lepers purely through association. So, you should assume that your playmates know that they are HSV positive but are unwilling to tell you the truth because they know that they are on a suppressive therapy and haven't had an outbreak in years.

It is probably a rationalization, but the HSV positive couple probably thinks that the risk of contracting the disease from them is lower than having sex with someone who thinks they are clean. After all, a person who suffers symptomatically generally knows when an outbreak is in progress or on the way and is benefiting from suppressive therapy. Also, there is at least a 25% chance that the supposedly clean couple you might play with is not.

04-13-2008, 01:03 PM	#28 (permalink)
crazykatie Here to Stay Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 32 Location: NE Ohio Status: Couple	Re: Been there. Done that. Had a good time. Julie is absolutely right!! The problem is that most swingers think they are safe because they are using condoms. However, herpes is transmitted by skin to skin contact in the genital region and the male condom does not provide complete protection against all such contact. In fact, it does not cover many of the areas. Think about it. The rubber ends well before the base of the penis. The woman's outer and inner lips almost always contact the base of the penis. So, when a woman is infected, she is almost always exposing the man. The CDC still recommends using condoms but admits that there are no reliable studies on the overall effectiveness of condoms as a preventive measure against HSV. I think it is nearly universally admitted that condoms are not 100% effective. But, a growing body of evidence is suggesting that condoms are far less effective than had been previously thought. The other thing that most swingers refuse to recognize is that most infected people don't even know they are infected because they develop no external symptoms or have symptoms so slight that they don't recognize themselves as being infected. Moreover, most health professionals will not run a blood screen for HSV with an STD test because HSV is so common today that one in four will screen positive for the antibody even though they may never have contracted a sufficient infection to be a carrier or had any symptoms. Even when you ask to be screened for STDs, the HSV test is generally not ordered unless you specifically complain of symptoms related to HSV or have an observable outbreak (or specifically ask for the test). So, that long trusted couple who tells you they don't have anything, they probably don't know and don't think they do. Truth is, this disease is so misunderstood and stigmatized that those with it simply will not admit to it under any circumstances. And, why should they. An honest couple might be respected, but they would still be treated as lepers by the swinging community at large. Worse, anyone choosing to associate with them (either because they were HSV positive themselves or because they had evaluated the risks and had decided to play anyway) would run the risk of being branded as lepers purely through association. So, you should assume that your playmates know that they are HSV positive but are unwilling to tell you the truth because they know that they are on a suppressive therapy and haven't had an outbreak in years. It is probably a rationalization, but the HSV positive couple probably thinks that the risk of contracting the disease from them is lower than having sex with someone who thinks they are clean. After all, a person who suffers symptomatically generally knows when an outbreak is in progress or on the way and is benefiting from suppressive therapy. Also, there is at least a 25% chance that the supposedly clean couple you might play with is not.