Why are condoms so great at preventing most STDs?
Because they prevent partners from sharing fluids, such as semen and vaginal fluids, and they prevent skin-to-skin contact between partners in the places they are most likely to have STDs, such as on the shaft of the penis or a woman’s labia. Condoms lower your chances of getting or giving a skin-to-skin STD, such as herpes or HPV, but they can’t completely eliminate the risk. Condoms can’t prevent infections from spreading if a person has an infection on the skin not covered by the condom. For example, if a person has a herpes sore on their upper thigh, then his or her partner could rub against it and also become infected with herpes.
