If you have an STD, it is your responsibility to tell whoever you're about to have sex with. It sucks, it's humiliating, and the odds of instant, heart withering rejection are high. But you have to do it for him, and for your own sexual karma.

It's a tough road, and I sympathize. The truth of the matter, is that most STD's are treatable, even the dreaded "herp." I'm assuming the "war wounds" you're referring to are cold sores. Herpes carries a huge social stigma, but the fact is it's totally manageable, especially with new treatments. Just being extra careful during outbreaks vastly reduces any chance of non-infected partners from contracting the virus.

As for your "ill-advised" past -- stop beating yourself up. The world is full of people who've slept around and have never caught an STD and people who've been more selective and have. It's just bad luck. You'll no doubt encounter people who will jump out of their skin if you tell them about your STD. I know it would give me pause, but I'd have to check my prejudice.

Personally, if I were really into a woman, and there was that mysterious chemical reaction between us that makes us want to smash our molecules together, I'd have to say that an STD couldn't be a deal breaker. So the good news is, your STD might weed out those who you probably shouldn't be wasting your time with anyway.