Sexually active or not, get vaccinated for cervical cancer

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There are more and more diseases you have to protect yourself against when you are sexually active. Consequently, the precautions you have to take are increasing along with this. These days, women have to start protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infection (STI) as early as in their teens—way before they even become sexually active.

Cervical cancer is among the diseases usually caused by STI. HPV (human papilloma virus), a pathogen passed on during sex, causes 70% of cases of cervical cancer . Fortunately, a vaccine has been discovered for this type of cancer. The vaccine guards against four strains of HPV, and the best time for women to have them is as early as age 10 to 13, since it is most effective when given before exposure to sexual contact.

Cervical cancer can be prevented with a vaccine

Awareness of the disease and the vaccine are increasing in the Philippines. In an effort to reach young girls, who would not normally visit an OB-Gyne, dermatologists have been tapped to create awareness for this vaccine among their young patients, according to Dr. Clarissa Cellona of St. Luke's Medical Center. One of the dermatologists who orient young patients on HPV, she even administers the vaccines to her patients herself. Three doses of the vaccine are recommended, with prices ranging from P4,000 to P6,500 per shot.

So whether you are 13 or 31, whether celibate or sexually active, there's no better time to get vaccinated against HPV than now. Don't even wait until you are actually sexually active before you get protected. You'll never know if your first time could be the time you get infected. With sex and STI, it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.

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No to skin poison: Natural alternatives to insect-repellent

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All of us want flawless, scab-less skin, yet these mosquitoes seem to beg to differ, they way they feast on our bare arms and legs. Our top of mind solution: apply insect-repellent lotion. Regularly. Yet while you may be protecting your skin from insects, what’s there to protect it from the toxic elements found in commercially-sold insect-repellents and the harm they cause?

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Heath Ledger on The Dark Knight

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Before Heath Ledger's untimely demise through accidental overdose of prescription drugs last January, some journalists were still lucky enough to get an interview from him while working on Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. In his last completed film, Heath plays the Joker opposite Christian Bale as Batman and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two Face. Check out the ...

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Sexually active or not, get vaccinated for cervical cancer

No to skin poison: Natural alternatives to insect-repellent

Heath Ledger on The Dark Knight