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"It really kind of freaked me out and sent me into a spiral," the actor recalls, while sharing how the experience led him to make changes to "protect" himself and become "extra cautious" moving forward.
Lukas Gage is getting candid about his sexual health.
In an interview with The New York Post, the 30-year-old actor recalled how he discovered he had contracted two sexually transmitted infections from a partner whom he believed was exclusive, sharing how that experience ultimately led him to make changes to "protect" himself moving forward.
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View StoryGage noted that while he would get tested regularly for STIs when he was single, he stopped after he believed he was in an exclusive relationship. The White Lotus alum received an unwelcome "surprise" of symptoms -- along with the realization that his partner may have been unfaithful.
"It was a double whammy. It wasn’t that I was in an opposition to having a monogamous relationship, it was just not talked about," Gage said, before recalling when he started experiencing symptoms. "It really kind of freaked me out and sent me into a spiral."
The Euphoria star said his partner denied cheating on him, telling The Post, "He was very much sticking to the lie, until I went to the doctor who laughed at me as soon as I pulled down my pants and said, 'That's an STD.'"
Gage also learned that he didn't have just one STD, but two -- but the conditions were treatable.
The You star went on to reflect on the unfortunate experience, explaining how it changed his approach to sexual health, including for him to "do anything I can to protect myself, whether or not I'm in a relationship."
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"That certain situation really was the thing that pushed me into being extra cautious," Gage said. "Since then, even regardless of the status of the relationship, I’ve been consistent with the three month rule.”
"It doesn’t matter if you’re single, in a relationship, somewhere in between," he added. "I think having that awareness and that protection, that knowledge, is the way that we don’t have to live in fear and have anxiety."
The Smile 2 star -- who has collaborated with Gilead for its HealthySexual campaign -- shared that he takes PrEP every morning -- in additino to getting rested regularly. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a "medicine (pills or shots) that reduces your chance of getting HIV," according to the Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC).
"It's helped me to just not have to spin out and be so fearful," Gage said, adding that white the "misconception" with the mediciation is it means "you're reckless with yourself, with your sex life, and it’s a free for all," he believes "it's just the opposite."
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"I think it's being cautious and careful and feeling like I have ownership," he explained, before further reflecting.
"No one's perfect. People make mistakes. I've been the person who was the cheater too. I think the most important thing to do would be to be honest about it and be forthcoming," Gage said, noting that he considers that to be "the sexiest thing in the world."
In addition to his partnership with Gilead, the Overcompensating star is promoting his memoir, I Wrote This for Attention, which will be released next month.
In the book, per Simon & Schuster, Gage "details his upbringing in the west coast—including a broken family, struggles with addiction, sex, borderline personality disorder -- and his commitment to being the center of attention at all times, even as he actually becomes a star."
I Wrote This for Attention will be released on October 14.
