The following sexual health experts provide advice and information for ASHA's premium services: Debby Herbenick, PhD, MPH is an associate professor at Indiana University, the sexual health educator for The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, and author of six books about sex and love. Her newest book is The Coregasm Workout. H. Hunter Handsfield, MD Dr. Handsfield is Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of Washington Center for AIDS and STD, and former director of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases ... Continue Reading

What is consent? Consent is an agreement that is willfully given without any external pressure or factors. Communication is key, boundaries should be established before, during, and after sexual activity. In order for someone to consent to sexual activity participants must continuously communicate before, during, and after sexual activity- this is the only way to establish clear boundaries between participants and allows for a relaxing experience.  Consent does not always have to be verbal, but discussing boundaries, expectations, and ... Continue Reading

The Health Is Power toolkit is designed for organizations to better promote sexual health among young African American men (ages 18-30). The toolkit is designed mainly for heterosexual men, but also includes imagery and messaging that can be used with gay and bisexual men. The creative concepts and messaging used with Health is Power were developed through a number of activities including formative research (literature review, expert panel meeting, and research with the target audience). A national survey done with more than 500 African ... Continue Reading

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. HIV can be transmitted through the blood, sexual fluids, or breast milk of an HIV-infected person. Over time, infection with HIV can weaken the immune system to the point that the system has difficulty fighting off certain infections. These types of infections are known as opportunistic infections. These infections are usually controlled by a healthy immune system, but they can cause problems or even be ... Continue Reading

An estimated 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS and the CDC says about 1 in 7 don’t know their status. Testing is so important and thankfully we’ve seen great progress with the evolution of both HIV diagnostic technologies and the availability of effective treatment options. On HIV Testing Day 2019 we remember the clinical/medical side of things is only part of the HIV struggle: There remains much to do in the areas of justice, equality, and dealing with stigma. We end this episode with a wrap-up of Men’s Health Month and a free ... Continue Reading

The emotional toll of dealing with HPV is often as difficult as the medical aspects and can be more awkward to address. This may be the area where you feel most vulnerable, and the lack of clear counseling messages can make this even more stressful, especially where relationships are concerned. We regularly receive questions about what to tell either a current or future sex partner about HPV, for example. The better educated you are about HPV, the easier it is to give partners the information needed to answer common questions. Use the ... Continue Reading

  Funded with a grant from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the One-Two Punch: Knocking Out HIV and Syphilis Co-infection initiative is designed to educate North Carolinians, especially those in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and surrounding areas, about our state’s higher risk for HIV and syphilis and the need to talk with health care professionals about testing for both infections. The campaign is suitable for all audiences and special care was taken to include populations that are too often overlooked, including ... Continue Reading

Have a question about sexual health or sexually transmitted infections? Want to talk and connect with others who may be managing an STI like herpes or HPV? Then stop by ASHA’s STI online support community. Brought to you in partnership with Inspire, this community you will join thousands of patients and caregivers in sharing personal experiences in a safe, secure environment. We hope you will feel empowered to ask questions, share stories and, most importantly, feel reassured that you are not alone. It's easy to join--just visit the ASHA ... Continue Reading

Problems reaching orgasm are fairly common among women. About 3 out of 4 women say they can't orgasm through vaginal penetration alone. But there is a difference between an occasional issue and a more persistent problem—female orgasmic disorder, or FOD. What makes the problem rise to the level of FOD? There are specific criteria for diagnosing the disorder in women: A woman will rarely—or never—be able to reach orgasm, even when she is sexually aroused These symptoms last for six months or more The problem causes significant ... Continue Reading

James Allen, MD, MPH James R. Allen is a former President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA). During his career, Dr. Allen has held key positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services, as well as with a number of other organizations, including the American Medical Association serving as Vice President for Science, Medical Technology, and Public Health. He has participated extensively in ... Continue Reading

Do you have experiences relating to sexual health that you would be willing to share with others? Concerns? Triumphs? Challenges? Advice? We (and other visitors to our site) want to hear from you. Read the stories below to see what others are saying. You probably have insights that others would benefit from hearing, and we encourage you to share your story with us. ASHA sincerely appreciates all submissions and each is confidential and anonymous. It is ASHA's intent to collect these comments for use in our patient advocacy work. All ... Continue Reading

These self-assessment tools are designed for young male patients - one for ages 10-13 and the other for ages 14-18 - to help provide a picture of overall health and wellbeing. This assessment can be shared with a healthcare provider, who can answer any questions you might have about the questions covered. Taking care of you is your healthcare team's most important job! ASHA developed these tools to help your provider give you the very best care. We suggest you fill out the appropriate form for your age, print it, and feel free to bring it ... Continue Reading

Visit our Ask the Experts service to view more questions or to learn how to ask one of your own (there is no charge to browse and a $25 fee to post a question). I have a small penis. How can I enlarge it? I read the study that suggests boys who masturbate are also more likely to use condoms. Why would there be such a connection? And really, doesn’t everyone masturbate? Currently I am 27 years old and I still experience wet dreams. Is this normal? I am an 18 year old male. Every time I lay with my girlfriend and hold her I get ... Continue Reading

Do you have experiences relating to sexual health that you would be willing to share with others? Concerns? Triumphs? Challenges? Advice? We (and other visitors to our site) want to hear from you. Read the stories below to see what others are saying. You probably have insights that others would benefit from hearing, and we encourage you to share your story with us. ASHA sincerely appreciates all submissions and each is confidential and anonymous. It is ASHA's intent to collect these comments for use in our patient advocacy work. All ... Continue Reading

Do you have a question about sexually transmitted infections that you'd like to ask our experts? Email us and then check back to see if your question has been chosen. Please note that not all questions will be selected. After having lots of pain when I’d urinate, I was worried I might have something like gonorrhea so I went to my clinic and was diagnosed with Mycoplasma genitalium. What is it? I never heard of it! How do you get it? Does it go away? What can it do to you? As a gay man I hear a lot about testing for HIV and hepatitis; ... Continue Reading

Taking care of young people is often a challenge, since they often do not visit their healthcare provider on a regular basis (especially boys and young men). These tools – companion pieces to age-specific self-assessments for young males and females – are meant to trigger questions you may want to ask, even for patients in the office for a simple sports physical. ASHA’s goal is that every provider visit involves these important topics. The tools were developed through a number of activities, including a literature review and research with ... Continue Reading