A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Hi
Hematospermia (blood in the semen) is a common condition. You’re correct for most people it is nothing to worry about as it is rare for there to be a serious medical condition to cause this.
In some situations blood in the semen can be a sign of a more serious condition. Given this I would just recommend seeing your family doctor about what happened. They would be able to make sure there is nothing serious going on.
Metrovan Urology has a good information page on Hematospermia.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
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Hi
I think that you are asking what medical supplies you need so that you can perform your own circumcision (the surgical removal of the foreskin). Let me know if I understood the question correctly.
Getting circumcised is a surgical procedure that has a number of side effects that can be really bad for your health. I would highly recommend that you see a doctor who is experienced in this procedure to do it for you.
Let us know if you need help finding a doctor in your area.
Hope that answers your question. If not, please submit another one.
Health Nurse
Hi
Having performance anxiety before sex can make it difficult to get or maintain an erection. It is normal for erections to be difficult to get or maintain when men are stressed, tired or not in the mood.
I don’t know about your individual situation so I cannot give any specific advice but I can give you some general information.
The most common sexual myth about men which is shown in movies, porn, books etc… Is that men can get an erection at anytime, that it is rock hard and will last until their partner is pleasured.
I call this a myth as none of this is true. Men need to be sexually aroused to get an erection and even a small amount of stress or concern can make this difficult.
If this is a common concern for you I would just recommend going to speak with a health professional that specialises in this area, they would be able to look at your individual situation and help with your concerns.
Let us know if you need help finding a health professional in your area.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Hi
Sorry our specialty is in sexually transmitted infections so I do not have any information in regard to the process for adult circumcision, but I can give you some local web resources that do have this information.
Have a look at the healthlinkBC circumcision web page.
Dr Pollock is a doctor, who offers circumcision in the lower mainland. Have a look at his webpage for information on adult circumcision.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Coconut oil is an edible vegetable-based oil that can be used on external skin. While there is a lot of interest in using it as a lubricant during sex, there is no formal research on using it in this way.
Like all oil-based lubricants, coconut oil should not be used with condoms, as they damage latex and polyurethane condoms causing them to be more likely to break. If you are using condoms, it is safe to use water- or silicone-based lubricants.
If you do want to use coconut oil as a lubricant, be sure to do so with caution. People can be allergic to any type of substance so, be sure to watch for any changes in your genital skin, vulva and vagina/internal genitals, and stop using it if you notice any irritation.
Every vagina is different. Some people can use different lubricants and oils, and not have any problem with upsetting balance of the vaginal/internal genital flora; while for others, coconut oil may alter this balance, which can lead to yeast infections and/or bacterial vaginosis.
Take a look at our ‘Lubricants’ page to learn more.
Hi
It is very difficult to say what these are without having a look at them. I would recommend going to see a health care professional as they could probably let you know what they are by just looking at them.
The most common white bumps I see in the clinic that are normal to have on the genitals are sebaceous glands or Fordyce spots, these are just oil glands.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
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Hi
It really depends on what is causing the bleeding and what type of sex you are having.
I don’t know much about your situation but I will assume you are a woman who is having vaginal sex with a man.
There are a few things that can cause the bleeding. I will list some of the common one’s.
Just starting your period or if it has just finished.
If there is not enough lube or sex goes on for a long time, the friction can cause you to bleed.
It is possible to get some breakthrough bleeding if you are taking birth control pills, which can cause spotting.
Having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) like chlamydia can cause you to bleed during sex.
I would recommend going to see a health care professional to discuss your situation with them. They would be able to ask you specific questions to see if it a concern or not.
Let us know if you help finding a clinic.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
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Your Bloodstream is what supplies all the different parts of your body with blood. It is made up of different parts and veins are one of these parts. Your heart is also part of your bloodstream and pumps blood out through tiny tubes called arteries to the different areas of your body. Once the blood has reached these areas then it is returned to the heart through other tiny tubes called veins.
HIV needs to get into certain blood cells that are in our bloodstream to make more copies of itself. If it is able to do this then an HIV infection has happened. So if HIV does not get into the bloodstream, it cannot get into these blood cells and so it cannot cause an infection.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
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Hi there,
Thrush is another word for a yeast infection in the mouth. Although it is called a “yeast infection”, it is really just an overgrowth of yeast that is naturally present in the body.
We do not consider thrush to be a sexually transmitted infection. Thrush is very common in babies but can happen to adults, too. Thrush can be a side effect of some medications (like corticosteroids or antibiotics).Thrush is more likely when people have another health condition like HIV or diabetes. It is usually treated with a prescription antifungal mouthwash.
Some tips to prevent thrush naturally are to:
Avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics.
Control diabetes.
Have a diet low in sugar content.
Practice good oral hygiene and use a new toothbrush.
Salt-water mouth rinses can also help with the discomfort caused by thrush.
You can find more information about thrush at Healthlink BC.
Leave us a comment below to let us know if that helps answer your question.
Health Nurse
Hi
Most often, there is no need to wash inside your vagina because the vagina is a self cleaning part of your body. All women will have some vaginal fluids which are called normal vaginal discharge. This fluid is the body’s way of keeping a healthy balance in the vagina. Soaps and douching can upset this balance and even create problems.
Normal vaginal fluids can be clear, white, yellowish, thin and stretchy or thick. They tend to change over a menstrual cycle and at different times in your life. There may be an increase at puberty, during sex or when you are ovulating (releasing an egg from the ovary). There is usually less fluid after menopause or right before or after your menstrual period.
STIs can sometimes create changes in the vaginal fluid such as itchiness, odor or a change in colour or amount. If you notice a change from what is normal for you, then it is a good idea to get checked out. Click here for more information about symptoms of STIs.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information. You can also chat with a nurse when we are online.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.