PrEP, undetectable viral load, and condoms are all very dependable strategies for making the chances of HIV transmission unlikely. So just imagine how effective it can be when guys combine two or more of these strategies!
Every guy has a unique approach to sex, pleasure, and health. That means that every time you hook up with another guy, you have to figure out how his way of having sex might fit into yours. If you’re an HIV-negative guy who typically uses condoms for fucking, you might still want to use them even if the guy you’re hooking up with is on PrEP. Or if you have an undetectable viral load, you might choose to use condoms when having sex with other guys even if they’re also undetectable or on PrEP, as a way of reducing the chance of STI transmission. HIV and STI prevention strategies work best in combination.
Of course, we all have our preferences and turn-ons. Lots of guys like to bottom or top more often. Since a guy who is bottoming may be more likely to acquire HIV than a guy who is topping, this may change the way he approaches sexual health strategies, for instance adding PrEP into the mix if he’s HIV-negative. For whatever kind of sex a guy wants to have, there are different options he can use together as a way of preventing HIV and STIs.
Figuring out what combination of strategies will work for you might change between situations. That’s why we’ve got our section on looking out for yourself . This section might help you think through questions like what do I want to do? Do I know my HIV status? What’s his approach to sexual health? How does it fit with mine? What will make me feel best?
There are lots of ways to go about having hot sex while taking care of your sexual health. What we know is that combining HIV & STI prevention strategies has the best outcomes for lowering HIV and STI transmission — how you go about it is up to you! Use a sexual health strategy to get the sex you want.
