[Question #12316] Frottage STD risk

8 months ago

I have received conflicting information on STD risk with frottage. I enjoy meeting with women and having them grind on me while we both stay in underwear. I wear boxers (sometimes 2 pairs) and she leaves some bikini bottoms on. I have read skin to skin contact like this could still transmit herpes, HPV, or syphilis? How likely is this type of transmission? This seems like totally safe sex to me but some online websites concerned me. Thank you for your response.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

8 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. This question is very similar to your question a couple years ago (under a different username and account) except that incident was with a male partner. Like this one, you were clothed, and the answers haven't changed. As Dr. Hook said last time, STDs cannot be transmitted through fabric. In other words, your self assessment is exactly right ("seems like totally safe sex to me").

Some general advice about online searching about STD risks (or really any potentially worrisome health problem) may be pertinent. It's best to stick with sites run by legitimate health organizations (academic sites, public health, and so on) or at least moderated by health professionals, and avoid those run by and for people with that particular health problem or concern -- like Reddit, for example. Anyone can write anything they want, and the worst possible kind of health advice is from persons drawn to a site because of worry or anxiety about the problem. I don't think you'll find any genuinely expert online sources that would consider events like these to carry any significant STD risks.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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