Sexual (re)Education Survey

You don’t need an MD to have sex, but it certainly helps when it comes to sexual health care. Everlywell, a leader in at-home STI lab testing and treatment, surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and over about common sexual health topics, and it turns out, there are a lot of misconceptions about sexual health.

What do going commando and drinking a gallon of water have in common? They have absolutely zero impact on your sexual health.

Panties or no panties—that is the question. Over 15% of respondents say going commando can cause a vaginal infection, but according to Dr. Kenosha Gleaton, Board-Certified OB-GYN and Everlywell Medical Advisor, opting for no undies actually has no impact on vaginal health. In fact, it may have the opposite effect, since certain fabric types can increase the likelihood of vaginal infections like yeast infections (we’re looking at you, 100% polyester).

Nearly 20% of people in the Sexual (re)Education survey also think cleansing the inside of your vagina with soap and water can clear up pesky vaginal health conditions, but Dr. Gleaton says otherwise. “There are major misconceptions around proper vaginal hygiene that, if not corrected, could lead to serious long-term health conditions."

Hydration is important, but not when it comes to your sexual health. 30% of respondents ages 18-24 say you can treat mild vaginal health conditions, like yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis (BV), by drinking a gallon of water a day. However, regardless of your H2O intake, you need to seek treatment from a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing an infection.

Let’s talk about sex

Blue balls: Dangerous health crisis or a case of delusion? Over 60% of people surveyed think blue balls can become a serious medical condition if it lasts more than one hour, but according to Dr. Gleaton, it’s not real. “You hear the term ‘blue balls’ used to describe situations of male arousal, but it actually has no medical context. What men should be more concerned about is their STI status, with over 20 million new STI cases in the U.S. each year.” [1]

When it comes to female pleasure, we had to ask. 20% of men surveyed think you can always tell when a woman orgasms and nearly 25% think a woman’s ‘wetness’ is only connected to arousal during sex. According to Dr. Gleaton, that’s far from true. “A woman’s ‘wetness’ during sex is impacted by many factors outside of arousal, including hormone balance, vaginal conditions, and stress.”

When asked about causes of low libido in men, nearly 20% of those ages 18-24 say frequent masturbation is the biggest culprit. When in fact, libido is most commonly impacted by hormonal imbalances, stress, and nutritional deficiencies.

Myth busters: STI edition

When it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there are common myths that prevent people from getting the testing and treatment they need. 15% of respondents think you can always tell when you have an STI—in truth, many STIs are actually asymptomatic, making testing even more crucial, according to Dr. Gleaton.

“Many people don’t know that common STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea often do not present any symptoms. That’s why staying up to date on your STI testing is so important, and now, there are even easy ways to test at home.” According to the Sexual (re)Education Survey findings, this myth is most believed by males and those ages 18-24 (both at nearly 20%).

How are STIs spread? Nearly 10% of respondents think using a port-o-potty or soaking in a hot tub puts you at risk for contracting herpes. But Dr. Gleaton is here to ease your mind, “There are a lot of misconceptions about how STIs are spread, and it’s not through using a port-o-potty or hot tub. STIs are most commonly passed by swapping sexual fluids through oral and/or penetrative sex.”

You don’t need to be a sexpert to prioritize your sexual health. Visit the Everlywell Sexual Health Hub to learn more.

1 Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Sexually Transmitted Infections. https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/sexually-transmitted-infections. Accessed August 6, 2024.