Teatures
Here is some advice about sex In '89
By Arnetta Hauser
The sexual revolution reached high gear
in ihe last decade.
However, as with any revolt, the conse
quences can be severe. TTic spread of sexual
ly transmitted diseases (STDs) has reached
epidemic proportions.
The AIDS virus threatens our very exis
tence.
According to the brochure "Making Sex
Safer" which was prepared by the American
College Health Association, sexually trans
mitted diseases are infections -- such as
chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and
AIDS - that arc contraclcd through sexual
contact. These microorganisms travel in body
fluids such as semen, blood and vaginal
mucus. When these fluids (esf>ecially blood
and semen) are shared during sex, the diseases
are transmitted.
What can you do to protect yourself?
Safe sex appears to be one solution.
That entails self-respect and respect for your
paitiier - talking about sex, knowing how to
protect yourself, and taking precautions con
sistently every time.
It is good to remember that each time
you have a sexual encounter, you're having
sex with everyone who that jjerson has had
sex with over the past five years. That's
Safe sex in the new year
requires the use of condoms
frightening to consider, isn't it?
You may have heard C.E. Koop, the Sur
geon General of the United States, recom
mend the use of a condom during intercourse.
Condoms — the old standby of the '50s and
'60s — have returned as an important tool in
the prevention of the spread of sexually trans
mitted diseases. Koop recommended the use
of latex condoms as opposed to condoms
made of animal skin. Condoms that are
washed and reused are not only a repulsive
idea, but one that can prove to be dangerous
as well. If keeping a condom in your wallet
or the glove compartment of a car damages it,
then imagine what a little wash and wear will
do. Latex condoms may be obtained from the
University Health Center.
What else is safe and what is unsafe?
Kissing is safe if neither person has open
cuts or sores of the mouth or lips. Dry kissing
is probably safe. Deep kissing or open mouth
kissing anyone may carry some risks.
Masturbation is safe, if the semen con
tacts healthy skin. The contact of semen with
open cuts or sores is not safe.
Oral sex on a male using a condom is
safe. As long as ejaculation doesn't take place
in the mouth, unprotected oral sex probably
does not transfer AIDS or the hepatitis B
virus. The risk involved is due to the unpre
dictability and uncontrollability of ejacula
tion.
Oral sex on a woman may transfer the
germs causing gonorrhea, syphilis and
chlamydia. No one is certain if AIDS is trans
mitted by oral sex on a woman.
Vaginal intercourse with the use of a
condom is safe. Research has shown that
AIDS can be passed from male to female dur
ing unprotected sex.
Anal intercourse without the use of a
condom is one of the most risky practices for
passing both the AIDS virus and the hepatitis
B virus. The bruising that occurs during anal
intercourse can be greatly decreased by the
use of lubricants. Oil-based lubricants, such
as Vaseline and Crisco, are unsafe because
they can weaken condoms, making them use
less as protection.
Fisting — putting a hand or fist into
someone's rectum or vagina — is dangerous
because the internal tissue can be easily tom
or bruised.
Oral-anal contact — called rimming -
can spread germs carried in feces and germs
carried in saliva and is, therefore, unsafe for
both partners.
Water sports (which include golden
showers) are unsafe if urine enters the mouth,
vagina, or rectum. It can spread the AIDS or
hepatitis B viruses.
Research shows that alcohol, marijuana,
speed (amphetamines) and poppers (amyl
nitrite) damage the immune system, leaving
you of)en to diseases that you might oth Trwise
be able to fight off. Research also suggests
that these drugs leave you more susceptible to
the AIDS and hepatitis-B viruses. Using pop
pers during anal intercourse can expand the
blood vessels of the rectum and, as a result,
increase the risk of receiving the AIDS virus.
Arnetta Hauser is the head nurse of the
A.H. Ray Health Center on the WSSU cam
pus.
This article is a summary of the "Mak
ing Sex Safer" brochure that was produced
by the American College Health Association.
A crab is more than just seafood!
Tiny parasites can malce life miserable
By Arnetta Hauser
Lice, crabs, bugs - call them what you will,
but they are horrid little parasites. They make you
itch just thinking about them!
There are two types that most of us have
heard about - head lice and body lice. Head lice
live on the scalp; however, they can also be found
around beards or eyelashes or in pubic hair. So can
crab lice -- a cousin. Body lice live on under
clothes and bedding.
Lice feed by sucking blood. When they bite,
the affected area itches. You can catch lice only
through direct contact with an infected person or
thing.
If you suspect that you have crab lice, you
may confirm this by a thorough inspection of your
underclothing. You will notice rust-colored spots
on undergarments or bed linens. These are caused
by the lice sucking blood.
Should you see a crab louse, it will have six
legs and no wings. Its body is round - shaped very
much like a crab.
A female louse reaches maturity at 16 to 18
days and begins laying eggs. She may lay a total
of 300 eggs in her lifetime, which is about 45 days.
The eggs are oval-shaped dots that look like specks
of dirt. They normally hatch in seven to 10 days,
but they can lie dormant for as long as one month.
The newly hatched louse, called a nymph,
needs a blood meal within 24 hours or it will die.
Most lice will die after three days of not eating, but
some can survive up to 19 days.
It is customary to contact your physician after
discovering lice. He will write a prescription for a
cream, lotion or shampoo that contains gamma
benzene hexachloride, better known as twell or
scabene. There are some over-the-counter prepara
tions also available (A-200, Li-Ban, Pronto, R&C,
Rid). These products should be used as directed by
the manufacturer and should not be used to ward
off a possible infestation.
Clothing must be cleaned in a washing
machine, using hot water, and dried on the hottest
cycle of the dryer. Qothes and bedding used after
the medication has been applied can be washed or
dry-cleaned. Eggs usually die after five minutes of
exposure to water at a temperature of 125 degrees
Fahrenheit or 30 minutes of exposure at 121
degrees Fahrenheit. Adult lice will die at even
lower temperatures.
Mattresses and chair cushions used by the
infected person must be sprayed. Family members
and friends should avoid direct contact with the
infested person, his clothing, bedding and personal
belongings for the first 24 hours after therapy is
started or until no more live lice are seen.
Itching can persist even after the lice are
dead, especially if the skin is already irritated from
scratching. A soothing lotion or a solution of bak
ing soda and water may help.
Arnetta Hauser is the head nurse at the A.
H. Ray Health Center on the campus of WSSU.