GynoFiles

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is one of those infections that the recommendation by experts is to share that information with current or future partners if you have the infection and may transmit it. So, before you get that alone time with your partner and get out a large magnifying glass to examine your…ah….. relationship and where it is going, there should be a frank discussion about sexual histories and sexual health. Although you want to trust the person that you are spending time with, you need to consider the fact that many people aren’t completely open and honest about their sex lives. And, when it comes to STDs, you or your partner may both appear to be symptom free and believe yourselves to be symptom free. Here are some heartwarming statistics straight from the CDC: only 1 out of 10 Genital Herpes carriers know they are infected and only 25% of all Chlamydia carriers have any symptoms at all. STDs aren't always caught with just one act. How many exposures it takes to get ...

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection of the Labial Area The appearance of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Type 2 is often a blister, but can appear as an ulcer or visually as a cut. Especially after the first few days. Here is an example of an outbreak of a new case of Herpes Simplex after a few days. If you think you might have an infection, or you have a painful area that appears to be this, please check with your gyno to get a diagnosis.

At the 2011 Annual Clinical Meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists gyno physicians were updated in STDs. The fact remains that over 40 million Americans have an incurable STD and it’s important to understand how to best protect ourselves. Dr. Jennifer Gunter of San Francisco pointed out that while your best way of protection against STDs is to use a condom, only 40% of people use condoms when they first have a new sexual partner. You can protect yourself, just don’t leave home without them (condoms). Oddly some studies show that married people are more likely to use condoms than unmarried couples, although the couples with steady partners are less at risk. The protection mantra in Uganda is the “ABC” strategy: abstinence, being faithful, and condom use. Although abstinence will always be condoms at protection, it reduces one’s chance of getting HIV by over 85% and HPV by 70% and HSV (Herpes) by 30%. Now you have to remember a few facts. You need to u...

Knowing what to do next after an abnormal pap can be both confusing, anxiety producing and a matter of the prevailing gynecologic thought. So if you thing your gyno has been changing her mind, you are lightly right, but you may also have choices. We are most concerned with women who have been diagnosed with the most severe pap smear changes that are not cervical cancers, but have to be carefully monitored.Moderate and severe dysplasia, also called CIN II and III is diagnosed in 500,000 American women each year. Aggressive diagnosis and treatment has lead to successful prevention of cancer and death. But then what is next for these women? Here is where guidelines for care have gotten a bit confusing. Choice and careful follow up is usually the best. For many of us who treat young women it’s important to be able to discuss what may be recommended by the next gyno, as many women will move and have several gynos over time and several follow up strategies offered. Your abnormal pap condit...

Did you have unprotected sex last night? Do you have symptoms of a new herpes infection? Well it won't be from what you contracted. Infections have to incubate before they are detected. For each STD there is a known incubation time. So unprotected sex may land you a few trips to the gyno to see what can be both prevented, and then diagnosed, and/or treated. Incubation rates of infections vary. In fact we've not really nailed why some women will test positive so quickly after catching a new infection of any particular STD. The incubation period for herpes is usually 2-10 days. But new onset of symptoms may be a new infection, or it may be a reactivation of a silent infection you never knew you had. Your gyno can help you figure this out.