Is Blue Waffle Disease a Real STI?

Blue waffle disease is a fake sexually transmitted infection (STI). It was concocted in 2010 by internet pranksters who claimed the disease turns the vagina blue and causes symptoms associated with real STIs like human papillomavirus (HPV).

The hoaxsters even went so far as to post a picture of a labia (the folds of skin around the vagina) that was doctored to look blue. Blue waffle disease has since become an internet meme that activists say only serves to portray people with vaginas as vectors for disease.

According to Planned Parenthood, blue waffle disease is "100 percent urban legend." Even so, says Dr. Anita Ravi, co-founder of the non-profit PurpLE Health Foundation, "people remain skeptical...even though it doesn't exist."

This article describes how the blue waffle disease hoax started, the consequences of the misinformation, and what you can do to avoid real STIs.

Real Sexually-Transmitted Infections

One of the reasons that the blue waffle disease hoax fooled so many people is that the pranksters claimed it caused symptoms commonly recognized with real STIs that include:

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common STI caused by a bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. You can get it through oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone who has chlamydia. Chlamydia can also be passed to a baby during childbirth when a pregnant person has a chlamydia infection.

Symptoms of chlamydia in people with vaginas include:

• Vaginal redness and swelling
• Vaginal itchiness
• Vaginal discharge
• Pain with urination
• Lower abdominal or pelvic pain
• Pain with sexual intercourse
• Bleeding with sex
• Bleeding between periods

Chlamydia often causes no symptoms, so people can pass it on to others without even knowing they have it.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is another common STI caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. As with chlamydia, it can be spread from person to person during oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Over one million cases are diagnosed in the United States each year.

Symptoms typically appear two to five days after infection. However, it may take up to a month for symptoms to appear in males.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in people with vaginas include:

• Vaginal redness and swelling
• Vaginal itchiness
• Vaginal discharge
• Pain with urination
• Lower abdominal or pelvic pain
• Pain with intercourse
• Bleeding with sex
• Bleeding between periods

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is an STI caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The main form is herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) which can be spread through skin-to-skin contact or contact with fluids from sores. Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) typically causes cold sores but can be passed to the genitals through oral sex.

Most people with herpes do not have symptoms and can pass the virus to others without realizing it. Once infected, the virus never goes away and can reactivate at any time.

Symptoms of herpes in people with vaginas include:

• Vaginal redness and swelling
• Vaginal itching or burning
• Painful vaginal blisters and sores
• Vaginal discharge
• Pain with urination

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of 200 or so related viruses, around 40 of which are spread through vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who has the virus.

Low-risk HPV types can cause warts on or around your genitals, anus, mouth, or throat. High-risk HPV types can sometimes cause skin changes that lead to cervical cancer, anal cancer, penile cancer, vulvar cancer, and oral or throat cancer.

Symptoms of HPV in people with vaginas include painless genital warts.

Of all of these STIs listed, HPV is the only one that can be prevented with a vaccine (called Gardasil-9).

How the Blue Waffle Hoax Started

The blue waffle disease myth started as a bait-and-switch meme. Posting an image of a blue-colored waffle, the pranksters challenged users with the text: "Bet you can't find me on Google image search."

Those who took the bait were shocked to find a photograph of a blue-tinted, apparently diseased labia. The name was lifted from the slang term "waffle," meaning vagina.

The disease, which the pranksters claimed was sexually transmitted, was said to cause vaginal lesions, itching, burning, and a smelly discharge—namely all of the symptoms one might expect from STIs like gonorrhea or chlamydia.

While it is possible that the image of the blue vagina was doctored, it is more likely that the vagina was stained with gentian violet (a blue-colored antiseptic dye sometimes used to treat yeast infections).

Medical evidence debunking the myth did little to quell the rising panic on social media. Some people even claimed that blue waffle disease could eventually turn a female's body blue if left unchecked.

Consequences of the Hoax

As benign as the prank may seem, it managed to sow panic and distress in the same way that real STI outbreaks do (like the Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak of 2022).

One of the consequences of these hoaxes is that it fuels a phenomenon known as "Munchausen by internet" in which people purposely manufacture illnesses for the purpose of trolling or seeking attention.

The fact that so many people fell for the hoax also reflects a pervasive narrative that sexually active females will ultimately reap the consequences of their sexual behavior. This was underscored by the fact that blue waffle disease was said to only affect females, not males.

Ironically, males will often brag about having "blue balls" if they are not getting enough sex, suggesting that males will suffer the consequences of not being sexually active.

The fact that the prank sowed such panic illustrates how easily misinformation can be spread, jeopardizing not only people's peace of mind but their understanding of the nature and risks of real STIs.

How to Get Tested for Real STIs

Most of the time, an STI will have no symptoms. However, the lack of symptoms does not mean that you are "in the clear" if you engage in condomless sex or have other risk factors for STIs.

If you think you are at risk of an STI, speak with your healthcare provider or visit a health clinic or free STI clinic. Ultimately, the only way to know if you've gotten an STI is to get tested.

Your healthcare can not only advise you which tests you need but can also let you know when to get tested so that you don't test within the window period where false negative results are possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following STI screenings for females in the United States:

• Sexually active females under 25: Gonorrhea and chlamydia screening are recommended annually.
• Sexually active females 25 and over with risk factors: Gonorrhea and chlamydia screening are also recommended annually.
• Pregnant people: Syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B screening are recommended early in pregnancy as well as gonorrhea and chlamydia screening for those with risk factors.
• All people 13 to 64 years: HIV testing is recommended at least once as part of a routine medical visit.

Summary

Blue waffle disease does not exist. It is not an STI, and your genitals will not turn blue if you have sex. However, if you do notice changes on your genitals, such as bumps, sores, or discharge, see your healthcare provider. Symptoms like these could very well suggest an STI in need of testing and treatment.