Sexual Health STDs Prevention Which Sexually Transmitted Infections Spread by Skin Contact? By Elizabeth Boskey, PhD facebook twitter linkedin Elizabeth Boskey, PhD, MPH, CHES, is a social worker, adjunct lecturer, and expert writer in the field of sexually transmitted diseases. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Boskey, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Susan Olender, MD on May 10, 2016 Susan Olender, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She is an assistant professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, where she is also on staff in the Division of Infectious Disease. Learn about our Medical Review Board Susan Olender, MD Updated on November 17, 2019 Print Sexually Transmitted Diseases Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Cavan Images/The Image Bank/Getty Images Most sexually transmitted infections spread either by exposure to infected fluids or by direct contact with infected skin. A few, such as pubic lice, can be spread by even more casual contact. However, STI transmission via clothing or other objects is relatively rare. Common STDs Spread by Rubbing Skin on Skin Skin to skin contact STD transmission is possible for a number of different conditions. The STIs where skin to skin contact poses the biggest risk for transmission include: Genital and oral herpes. Herpes is the STD people are often most concerned about being spread from skin to skin. Contact with these very contagious sores can pass herpes from person to person. In fact, most people with oral herpes are infected during childhood. Casual contact with relatives can lead to herpes transmission. Genital and oral herpes can also be transmitted via mouth to genital contact. Although HSV-2 somewhat prefers genital infection, HSV-1 can infect either location. An Overview of Herpes HPV. Both cancer-causing HPV varieties and the HPV varieties that cause genital warts are easily spread through skin contact. Fortunately, there are vaccines that help. The most common cancer and wart-causing varieties can be prevented by early vaccination against HPV. However, ideally, vaccination should occur before people become sexually active. That's why initial vaccination is recommended at age 11 or earlier, though it is possible to get it later. What You Should Know About HPV, Genital Warts, and Cancer Syphilis. There is a growing concern about this disease spreading through contact with mouth sores during oral sex. Most people think of syphilis as an easily preventable disease. It is and it isn't. When sores are covered by a condom, condoms help. However, sores in the mouth and on other skin locations may go unrecognized and untreated. Those sores can still be contagious. That's why testing is still important for high-risk groups. An Overview of Syphilis Molluscum contagiosum. This skin disease is more often thought of as a disease of childhood than an STD. However, molluscum contagiosum sores can be spread during sex as well. Although generally a painless infection, if the sores break open, they can become infected by other bacteria. Therefore, it's worth talking to a doctor about treatment. You can also cover sores to prevent skin-to-skin contact since treatment can be difficult. Molluscum Contagiosum Symptoms and Treatment Does Safe Sex Guarantee Safety? STIs that are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact may be difficult to fully prevent by safer sex. That's because barriers do not necessarily cover all potentially infectious skin. Practicing safer sex reduces the risk of skin-to-skin STI transmission from diseases such as herpes and HPV. The more skin that's covered, the less likely sores are to touch uninfected skin. In contrast, it is easier to effectively prevent transmission of STIs such as HIV and hepatitis that spread through bodily fluids by using condoms and other barriers. These STIs require exposure to infected secretions such as blood, semen, and vaginal fluids for transmission to take place. (Which secretions are infectious varies by disease.) Remember, though, HIV does not spread by casual contact or skin-to-skin contact. How To Prevent STDs Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Genital herpes - CDC fact sheet (detailed). Updated January 31, 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Syphilis & MSM (men who have sex with men) - CDC fact sheet. Updated January 31, 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Molluscum contagiosum. Updated May 11, 2015. Additional Reading Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Transmission of primary and secondary syphilis by oral sex--Chicago, Illinois, 1998-2002. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2004 Oct 22;53(41):966-8. Fernando I, Pritchard J, Edwards SK, Grover D. UK national guideline for the management of Genital Molluscum in adults, 2014 Clinical Effectiveness Group, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV. Int J STD AIDS. 2015 Sep;26(10):687-95. doi: 10.1177/0956462414554435. London S. Consistent use of condoms lowers the risk of infection with type 2 herpes virus. Int Fam Plan Perspect. 2006 Mar;32(1):53-4. Wald A. Genital HSV-1 infections. Sex Transm Infect. 2006 Jun;82(3):189-90.