Can you give yourself an STI?

This blog first appeared on 19/05/2023. Last updated 07/03/2025.

Very rarely, the odd person might wake up one day to strange symptoms they’ve never experienced before. They get tested and realise that they’ve got an STI.

But they never had sex. So, what’s going on?

While people can’t get infected with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) out of the blue, it’s possible to get one without having sex, and there are some rare instances where you can “give yourself” an STI.

How does this happen? To understand, we need to explain how STIs are transmitted and detail all the non-sexual ways you can get an STI, from using contaminated household items to transferring an infection to another part of your body.

Keep reading to find out more.

An STI can harm your sexual health if left untreated. Book an STI at a sexual health clinic near you.

How STIs are transmitted

You probably know that most people get sexually transmitted infections through sexual contact.

“Sexual contact” is a fairly nebulous term, but it can include forms of sexual intercourse like oral, anal, or vaginal sex, as well as genital-to-genital and skin-to-skin contact that don’t involve penetration.

Anytime infected bodily fluids like semen, blood, vaginal fluids, or pre-ejaculate come into contact with another person’s mucous membranes or broken skin, there is a risk of an infection being passed on.

You can also become infected with infections like Syphilis or Human Papillomavirus (HPV) by touching a chancre or wart.

Ways you can “give yourself” an STI

With all that said, it’s indeed possible to “give yourself” an STI, so to speak. There are many STIs that can be transmitted without sexual contact with a partner.

Let’s go through some of the ways this can happen.

Using contaminated sex toys

Using contaminated sex toys is one way to potentially give yourself an STI.

For example, if you’re sharing a sex toy with another person, or if the toy has been used by someone who may have an infection, there is a risk of exposure and transmission.

Most sex toys need to be washed thoroughly after use so that any pathogens left on the surface are removed. Some sex toys are made from materials that have small, microscopic pores – holes, essentially – giving bacteria and viruses places to hide. These materials can remain infectious even if washed or cleaned. Porous materials can include:

• Thermoplastic rubber
• Thermoplastic elastomer
• Latex
• Polyvinyl chloride
• Jelly rubber

If you’re using a sex toy, make sure the materials are non-porous.

Using contaminated needles, razors, and toothbrushes

Using contaminated needles is another way you can potentially give yourself an STI.

Needles are commonly used for medical procedures, drug use, and tattoos. If they’re not properly sterilised before use, there is a risk of exposure to blood-borne infections such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C.

If you come into contact with someone else’s infected blood by sharing a needle, then there is a chance that you may be infected. Therefore, it’s important to always practice safe injection practices when using needles and ensure that any equipment used has been properly sterilised beforehand to reduce exposure risk.

Healthcare workers are often at risk of blood-to-blood exposure through needle-stick injuries.

You can also contract STIs like Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C by sharing toothbrushes, razors, and similar household items that may break the skin.

Consuming contaminated food and water

Hepatitis A is an STI but can also be contracted by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the virus.

It’s common for the virus to spread through:

• Eating food prepared by someone with the infection who hasn’t washed their hands properly or washed them in water contaminated with sewage
• Drinking contaminated water (including ice cubes)
• Eating seafood and shellfish from contaminated water
• Close contact with an infected person

Transferring an infection from one part of the body to another

It’s possible to transfer an STI from one part of your body to another, even if you don’t come into direct contact with someone else.

While some STIs are whole-body infections, others are more site-specific.

A Herpes Simplex Virus infection is an example of a site-specific STI. An Oral Herpes or Genital Herpes infection tends to stay specific to one area of the body, usually the mouth or genitals. However, a person can transfer this infection to another part of their body.

If you have a Genital Herpes infection and you touch your genitals (especially during an outbreak) and then proceed to touch your eyes, the infection could enter the mucous membrane, causing a condition known as epithelial keratitis, which can cause redness in the eye, light sensitivity, tearing, and headaches.

This can also occur with other infections like Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia. If, for example, you have a Gonorrhoea infection in your genitals, masturbate, and immediately touch your eye, you can transfer the infection from your genitals to your eye.

There is also some evidence to suggest that vaginal yeast infections and Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) can be passed by masturbating a partner’s vagina with saliva. However, it’s not entirely clear if the fungus is physically passed on or if other factors affect the balance of flora within the vagina. Mutual masturbation has also been highlighted as a potential risk factor for younger women.

Final thoughts

Recognising the potential risks of STI transmission and taking appropriate steps to protect yourself is important. By using safe injection practices, avoiding contact with infected body fluids, and properly cleaning any sex toys or equipment, you can significantly reduce your risk of self-infection.

If you are sexually active, it’s also a good idea to get tested regularly. Better2Know provides private testing services that allow you to quickly and discreetly find out if you have an infection.

Don’t put your sexual health at risk. Get tested with Better2Know.