To sit or not to sit, that is the question!
Public toilet seats are a polarizing topicno doubt about it.
But as a doctor who focuses on women’s health, I get questions about this all the time.
Below, I answer some of the most common questions about public toilet seat safety.
Can you get an STD or any other infection from sitting on a toilet seat?
The couple of infections that come to mind are herpes simplex virus and human papillomavirus.
Other STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) like gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomonas are probably even less likely.
The probability of receiving an STD from a toilet seat is low although not nonexistent.
What happens if there is pee on the seat when you sit down?
This is absolutely gross.
If you’ve experienced that, as I have, the first reaction is horror and general disgust!
Aside from the emotional annoyance, it is unlikely you will contract something from that.
Again, as we begin to understand the microbiome and antibiotic-resistant organisms, I would use all precautions.
What happens if you No.
2, and backsplash from the toilet seat gets on your intimate areas?
Bacteria from fecal matter, stools, and bowel movements are more likely in this scenario.
They could be lurking in the toilet from earlier and might make contact with your intimate areas.
What’s dirtier: the doorknobs or the toilet seat?
This is wildly variable and largely depends on what happened before you got there!
What are your personal public bathroom practices and/or what do you recommend?
In general, if it’s just a No.
1, I will hover.
I’ve raised four girls, so I’ve gone through a gamut of paranoia in public restrooms.
Personally, I’d prefer a handshake infection to a toilet-seat one but will aim to get neither.
