If you’re like most people, you may not realize there are many ways to help prevent HIV.
HIV is most often passed through vaginal or anal sex
or from sharing needles or other equipment to use drugs.
Let’s go through seven of the most effective ways to prevent HIV.
For the best protection, these HIV prevention methods need to be used consistently and correctly.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP,
is a medication that an HIV-negative person can take on an ongoing basis
as prescribed by a doctor to help prevent HIV.
Post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP,
consists of medications that an HIV-negative person can take after they might have been exposed to HIV.
It needs to be started as soon as possible and definitely within 72 hours of a potential exposure.
It is taken every day for 28 days.
HIV treatment helps people with HIV stay healthy, and it helps prevent passing HIV to others.
When someone is on successful HIV treatment,
they cannot pass HIV through sex.
Successful HIV treatment also helps to prevent HIV from passing through sharing equipment when using drugs,
but we don’t know by exactly how much.
HIV treatment, PrEP and PEP do not prevent infections other than HIV.
So it’s a good idea to consider using additional strategies to prevent other sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis C.
Condoms can be used during sex to help prevent HIV and other infections.
There are external and internal condoms.
There is very little or no chance of HIV passing through oral sex, fingering, handjobs or mutual masturbation.
In some situations, you might avoid vaginal or anal sex
and choose one of these types of sex to help prevent HIV from passing.
However, keep in mind that other sexually transmitted infections can be passed through some of these types of sex.
If you use drugs, using new equipment every time means that HIV or other infections such as hepatitis C cannot be passed.
If you inject drugs, you can choose to take drugs in other ways that carry very little or no chance of HIV passing,
such as by swallowing, snorting or smoking them.
Some of these methods do not prevent hepatitis C,
so it’s still best to use new equipment each time.
There are many options to choose from!
Think about which ones might work best for you.
To learn more about all of the different ways to prevent HIV,
talk to a healthcare provider or visit your local HIV organization.
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