If you are going to be sexually active, make sure that you're protected! People who have multiple sex partners have a higher risk of contracting STDs, and people who start sexual activity at a young age are also more likely to have STDs. Don't be afraid to ask your potential new lover about his sexual history, and be willing to talk about your sexual history as well. Your lives may depend on it.

See your doctor frequently. If you have any question in your mind, get tested. If you don't want to go to your regular doctor, you can go to a number of clinics where you can be tested anonymously.

Being a Conscientious Lover

Having good self-esteem and a conscientious attitude are both very important when discussing personal sexual histories with a new partner. The accepted method of clearing yourself and a new partner for unprotected sexual activity is to be tested at the time you decide to take your relationship to a deeper level. While you wait for your test results, you can begin to share intimate experiences that do not involve intercourse or other risky behaviors.

Knowing a lot about sensual and sexual touching techniques can help when you are with a new partner. The previous chapters have many techniques to choose from. You can begin to get to know each other's bodies until the time you decide to take the next step to intercourse. Of course, you have the option of using condoms, too.

Latex, Condoms, and Finger Cots

Condoms made of latex are the safest method, outside of abstinence, for staying disease-free. By preventing direct contact between the penis and the female sexual organs, condoms protect both the man and the woman from contracting sexually transmitted diseases. They can prevent pregnancy by keeping the male ejaculate from entering the vagina, but they are not failsafe.

There are also female condoms, though some women say they can bump the cervix and are slightly uncomfortable. That may change as new products are introduced to the marketplace in the next few years. Dental dams are square pieces of latex that can be used to cover the female's genitals for oral sex. Plastic wrap can be used, too. Finger cots, or condoms for a single finger, are good for anal stimulation and erotic touch over the genital areas.

All of these items provide a good barrier against the transmission of sexually exchanged diseases. Don't hesitate to use them. They can even add fun to the experience. If you are having sex in a situation that warrants protection, make it fun and worry-free for both of you.

Responsibility

Many women say they feel it is ultimately up to them to make sure they are having safe sex. They say it is important to be prepared and to not be talked out of using male or female condoms if they feel it is warranted. This can be difficult if you have self-esteem issues that might keep you from defending your boundaries.