Prevent

Ways to prevent HIV

• Understand how HIV is spread
  • Learn more here
• Use condoms 
  • To get free condoms mailed to you, click here:
• Use lubricant to prevent condoms from breaking
  • Water-based and silicon-based lubricants are safe to use with all condoms, but oil-based lubricants (ie. Vaseline) can not be used with latex condoms and will weaken them.
• Reduce your number of partners
  • The more sex partners you have, the more likely you are to encounter someone who can transmit HIV to you. Therefore, having few sex partners will decrease your chance of having sex with someone who is HIV positive
• Have less risky sex
  • Receptive anal sex (the bottom) has the highest risk for getting HIV, however insertive anal sex and vaginal sex also carry risk for getting HIV. Oral sex has low risk of transmitting HIV, but it is still possible.
• Know your status
  • For information on HIV testing, click here
• Know your partner’s status
  • It is important to talk to your partner about their status to be aware of potential exposure to HIV.
• Get tested and treated for other STDs
  • Having other STD’s increases the risk of getting HIV. Open sores can act like doors for HIV to get into your body
• Use sterile syringes when injecting drugs
  • If you are an injection drug user, make sure to never share your equipment or “works.” You can find information on Syringe Access Programs here
• Talk to your doctor about PrEP and PEP
  • PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) is a daily pill taken to prevent getting HIV. For more information, click here.
  • PEP (Post-exposure Prophylaxis) can prevent someone from getting HIV after being exposed. It must begin within 72 hours of exposure and is taken daily for 28 days.