"Using condoms consistently and properly significantly reduces the risk of infection by the virus [HPV] that causes cervical cancer among newly sexually active women."

This probably isn't a big surprise for most people but it does take away a tool of the abstinence-only camp. For years they've been disparaging condom efficacy because condoms weren't proven to make a difference with things like HPV.

Between this study and the new vaccine HPV is looking more and more managable all the time.

The vaccine, Gardisil, is only approved for women and girls right now but its maker (Merck) is looking into its use in boys and men. Hopefully it will be available to males soon since they can also be infected and transmit the virus to their partners. A few things have to be cleared up yet, such as at what age girls should be vaccinated and if pediatricions should include it in their vaccination schedules. The CDC makes its reccomendations June 29th.

Today, a Scarleteen user (thanks, puppysrcute!) posted the following at the boards: What do you think about this?

To which, I replied:
That, in general, we don't have the long-term, solid data to have any idea if this is wise or damaging to women, and until we do, I'm not (and Scarleteen by association) going to endorse it, even as an option for women who do simply want to choose it as preference, not as doctrine or by pressure to do so.

We've had more than one cosmetic surgeon post on the Scarleteen boards endorsing labiaplasty or "vaginal rejuvenation" to the young women who read the site.