Safer Sex means protecting yourself against sexually transmitted infections. There are different risks, protection options and protection recommendations depending on the infection.
Even condoms don’t reliably protect against some infections that can be transmitted during sex. For hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HPV and mpox, vaccination is the only means of protection. Whether or not a vaccination is recommended depends on sexual practices, number of sexual partners and other factors.
People who have sex cannot protect themselves from all STIs, because they are easily transmitted. Even condoms do not offer sufficient protection, since some pathogens – but not HIV – are also transmitted during kissing, touching and oral sex.
In most cases, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) can be treated and cured without any problems. HIV cannot be cured, but it can be treated effectively.