STD rates are at an all-time high. But why are they rising in the first place?

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September 28, 2017 5:36 PM

Cases of gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia are climbing—and you might not even know you're infected.

Cases of certain sexually transmitted diseases have once again hit an all time high in 2016, according to a new report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

From 2015 to 2016, there was a 5 percent increase in diagnosed cases of chlamydia, an 18 percent increase in syphilis, and a 19 percent increase in gonorrhea. But the actual numbers may even be higher: Because many STDs occur without any noticeable symptoms, you may not even know you're infected—meaning, you may not even be diagnosed. (Good news is, many STDs are completely curable. Here’s how you can spot and treat gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis.)

So why the rise? It’s easy to blame hookup culture. With the rise of apps like Tinder, casual sex seems to be more of the norm—or rather, it’s more socially acceptable to talk about it outwardly now. However, there isn’t enough conclusive evidence that directly links the use of these apps to sexual infections themselves.

“It’s very easy for policy-makers and other public health officials to make these broad statements about the apps being the reason that STIs are spiking,”Ian Holloway, Ph.D., assistant professor of social welfare at UCLA who has researched these issues, told CBCNews last April. “But we don’t really have data to support that.”

Plus, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, people in committed relationships are just as likely to contract STDs as those who have casual sex. People in casual-sex relationships may actually be more diligent about using condoms and getting tested, the study authors say.

In fact, skipping condoms entirely is one of the likely reasons STDs cases keep climbing. A report from the CDC found that only one-third of guys had used a condom during the last time they had sex in the past year and a recent YouGov survey revealed that 1 in 4 men don’t use a rubber during one-night stands.

One reason? Many young people may not even realize the importance of wrapping it up in the first place, thanks to the emphasis placed on abstinence rather than safe practices during sex education, according to a review in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

That’s a big mistake: Using condoms consistently and correctly acts a protective barrier against STD infection. Meaning that even if you're using other forms of birth control, you still need a condom to stay safe—until you’re in a committed relationship with your partner, and you’ve both been tested.

If you can’t stand the way it feels, here’s how you can find the right one for you. Better yet, check out the LELO Hex Condoms from the Men’s Health store, they’re super thin and designed to reduce slippage. Combine them with this awesome lube and safe sex will feel that much better for the both of you.

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