Prep and condoms

[verslut]

Keep in mind STDs other than HIV are becoming more common in America. Gonorrhea is becoming harder to treat because of antibiotic resistance. And as mentioned, people will lie about their testing history or prep use. Bottoming is pretty high risk even with prep and condoms. We have to be honest with ourselves about what level of risk we want to take. I manage risk by not doing anal very often and bottoming even less so.

[BB4fking]

I naively intended to make some use of condoms when I went onto PrEP and imagined I’d continue only occasionally barebacking as I had done in the year before starting PrEP. In fact, despite that vague intention, I stopped using condoms virtually from day 1. It was somewhat instinctual rather than conscious and matched the behaviour of the guys I had sex with. However, when I consciously thought about it I decided to continue fully bareback understanding the STI risks but valuing the many BB benefits in terms of convenience, sensation, intimacy and fantasy. Although a dose of syphillis was unwelcome I haven’t regretted my decision.

[dacoman]

I do not want to catch STIs because Prep does not prevent you from those. So with strangers I would probably still insist on wearing on a condom. But with a partner or someone who is too hot to say no, I would just say go for it and why not bb.

[BootmanLA]

9 hours ago, dacoman said:

I do not want to catch STIs because Prep does not prevent you from those. So with strangers I would probably still insist on wearing on a condom. But with a partner or someone who is too hot to say no, I would just say go for it and why not bb.

You should be aware that there are many STIs that can be transmitted from one partner to another even with the use of a condom. 

From the CDC: "Similarly, studies have shown that condom use reduces the risk of other STDs. However, the overall strength of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of condoms in reducing the risk of other STDs is not at the level of that for HIV, primarily because fewer methodologically sound and well-designed studies have been completed that address other STDs. ... Overall, the preponderance of available epidemiologic studies have found that when used consistently and correctly, condoms are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV infection and reduce the risk of other STDs."

Notice that last bit: REDUCE THE RISK, not "eliminate the risk". 

Herpes, for instance, frequently manifests itself during outbreaks in places other than the surface of the penis (ie in areas that are NOT covered by a condom, even one used correctly). If a person has a herpes sore other than on his cock and is actively shedding virus, he can transmit it to you.

HPV is also transmissible with skin-to-skin contact other than directly on the genitals. And bear in mind that HPV is the virus that can lead to assorted cancers; cervical cancer is the most commonly reported, but I know personally of a man who developed an oral cancer via HPV from performing oral sex on someone with that virus.

While it's not technically an "infection", pubic lice can spread this way as well; in fact, since lice nest in the pubic hair, a condom does zero to prevent them.

And even syphilis can produce sores either at the base of a cock where it's not covered with the condom, or nearby, thus negating the protection a condom provides.

That's not to say condoms are useless for STIs; besides HIV, they're generally effective in preventing transmission of any STI that travels through semen, like gonorrhea, But simply using one will NOT protect you against all the bugs besides HIV that are out there.

[GermanTopMA]

I'd like to add that sometimes prep is even safer than condoms. With prep, I always have control. Had it quite often when having group sex that guys try to top me without a condom and you always have to check it. That's dangerous, annoying,and for me kills the fun. Because I love group Sex, I opted to ditch condoms and went on prep. Never regretted it. 

[kinkysuBB]

Some very good points here.

I wouldn’t say that PrEP and a condom is overkill. You could view it as a belt with suspenders (I like that one), or you could view it as a seatbelt with an airbag. If your only goal is to prevent HIV, it makes sense. And using the two together is the medical advice.

You have to weigh this against the type of sex you want to have. For example, I like to have totally uninhibited sex with multiple partners, often with little to no introduction (dark rooms etc.), to be tag fucked, double penetrated, spit roasted with the guys changing ends half way... you get the idea. Condoms take away from that. So I’m happy with PrEP.

Know what you want, know the risks, and live your life.

[ScorpionFF]

Very interesting debate. In regards to STI's in general, if you are concerned about catching anything then yes, condoms are a good idea. If we are just looking at HIV prevention then PrEP is almost 100% reliable. I say almost as there have been a few cases of PrEP failure;

[think before following links] https://www.aidsmap.com/news/sep-2020/two-different-cases-prep-failure-despite-high-adherence-underline-such-events-are

However, PrEP failure as far as I am aware is extremely rare. I guess if for whatever reason you want to avoid catching anything at all then either condoms and PrEP, or abstain from sex. 

To summarise I think @subBottomKink sums it up perfectly; Know what you want, know the risks, and live your life.