Long-form Articles
SEO-driven Article for HPV Awareness
Client: MSD
Not Worried Doesn't Mean Not at Risk
Are you enjoying your singlehood or happily married to the love of your life? Perhaps your dating apps have been buzzing all day, but you know all the safety precautions by heart and your profile says ‘no hook-ups' anyway.
So, why would you need to worry about a sexually transmitted infection?
80% of all sexually active men and women will get the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause cervical cancer, anal cancer, genital warts, and other diseases.
It's such a common STI that even a person with one sexual partner for life is at risk if the partner has undetected HPV. It doesn’t require sexual intercourse to spread either. Just any intimate contact is enough. Unless you intend to refrain from all romantic relationships throughout your entire life, you are at risk of HPV and the diseases associated with it.
How does HPV affect someone who is single?
Even if you are not planning on finding love anytime soon, it doesn’t mean that you won’t meet your soulmate in the future – and that could be next year, next month or maybe next weekend. You can’t prevent feelings from developing, but you can prevent getting cancer from HPV infections.
In fact, there’s no better time to protect yourself than before starting any sexual activity. That’s because HPV vaccines are more effective at preventing cervical cancer when administered before HPV exposure. Someone who is vaccinated before becoming sexually active will be protected from the most common and high-risk types of HPV and will not spread the virus to others.
That said, it’s still not too late even if you are already sexually active
Although most sexually active adults are exposed to HPV, you may not have contracted the high-risk HPV types that can cause cervical cancer yet. And as long as you remain unvaccinated, your risk of getting a high-risk HPV type increases with each new relationship.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 3 men worldwide has HPV. Each time you meet someone new, you’re not just risking a broken heart, but you are at risk of new HPV types too. An HPV infection often has no symptoms either. Hence, not having problems with your health so far is not a sign that you are free from the threat of HPV-related diseases.
Is being in a monogamous relationship the answer then?
Not quite. Having just one infected partner is all it takes to put you at risk of getting cervical cancer from HPV. Even if you have been married for ages, you can be infected unknowingly if your partner has undetected HPV. As HPV infections can persist for many years and remain undetected for a long time, either partner may still carry the virus no matter how long both have stayed committed.
What about condoms?
The tricky thing is that HPV doesn’t need penetrative sex to spread. It can be passed simply through intimate skin-to-skin contact, oral sex, or the sharing of sex toys with an infected person.
While the American Cancer Society has found that using condoms correctly can reduce the risk of HPV infection by about 70%, condoms do not provide complete protection as HPV can still spread through contact with infected skin areas not covered by the condom.
Factors that increase the risk of contracting the high-risk HPV types
While nearly everyone who is sexually active will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives, people who become sexually active at a younger age, especially before the age of 18, are more likely to get the high-risk HPV types that can develop into cervical cancer.
Other factors related to your sexual history may increase your chances of exposure to high-risk HPV types as well. These include having multiple sexual partners or being with someone who has many different sexual partners.
Good news is, you have the power to prevent cervical cancer through HPV vaccination, regular screening and safe sexual practices. Take the first step and speak to a doctor about cervical cancer protection today.
Real Estate Success Story Case Study
Client: Propseller
Property startup Propseller breaks HDB block’s price record in 4 days
Every Singaporean who owns an HDB unit dreams of making that million-dollar sale. For Valerie and Mervin, that dream became a reality.
Their 5-room HDB flat at Natura Loft in Bishan sold for a record $1.31 million, making it the highest transaction in their block and beating the previous high of $1.18 million. Even with such a hefty price tag, the unit was snapped up just 4 days after it was put up for sale.
Reasons behind the record-breaking sale
According to Propseller’s Real Estate Consultant, Aileen Chew, who secured the sale, there was high demand for the unit as DBSS flats like Natura Loft are rare. On top of its desirable Bishan location, the high-floor unit offered a panoramic view, was stylishly designed, and was well maintained.
All it needed was the right marketing tactics and strategic advertising on property portals to get the word out. Once Propseller listed the unit for sale, 18 interested buyers enquired within 4 days. After 2 days of viewings, it was sold.
How Propseller changed the property landscape
According to the seller, Valerie, they had previously engaged another property agent to sell the unit, but there were no results after 3 months. “I saw someone recommend Propseller on social media and decided to give them a try since their agent commission was only 1%, which was half of other agents’ rates,” said Valerie.
Unlike typical property agents who have to handle the entire sale process single-handedly, Propseller has a team of specialists that supports agents with listing marketing, professional photography, 3D virtual tours, and advertising on over 7 property portals.
This helps to speed up the process and deliver results fast. It also allows Propseller agents to be more responsive to both sellers and potential buyers, Aileen explained.
Another of Propseller’s unique features is a dashboard that lets sellers track all enquiries, viewings, feedback and offers for their property. Like a lot of sellers, Valerie found the transparency reassuring as she was kept abreast of the progress of the sale.
“I was impressed by how quick and stress-free the entire process was. Propseller assigned Aileen to us as she specialises in the Bishan area. She took the time to answer all our queries thoroughly, and really took charge of the whole negotiation process from start to finish. Kudos to Propseller’s photographer as well for capturing our place beautifully,” said Valerie.
“The 1% commission was well worth every cent for the service we received,” she added.
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Satirical Listicle to Generate Clicks
Client: Propseller
Why You Shouldn’t Engage This Property Agent
Selling a home is one of life's biggest decisions, and choosing the right property agent can make a huge difference in the price and speed of the transaction. If you are looking to sell your home, here are 8 reasons why you should avoid Propseller. Read on to find out more.
1. You like to flex
There’s no better way to flaunt your wealth than by paying more for something you can get at half the price. When luxury watches and sports cars are too basic for you, show who’s boss by paying more commission for a property than you need to.
With Propseller's 1% commission - half the market rate - you might be able to save $6,440 on average, but that wouldn't allow you to assert dominance.
2. You prefer to take things slow
In our fast-paced society, slowing down and enjoying the moment is the true essence of luxury. So why let Propseller sell your property in 35 days when you can leave it on the market for months?
Let it marinate in stillness while you contemplate the mysteries of life, such as, ‘How do you purchase a new home when you can’t sell the current one?’
3. You don't care about money
Money corrupts. Hence, the less you have, the less you have to worry about. Or better yet, achieve a negative amount to remove all temptations.
At Propseller, our clients sell for $15,866* above market value on average, resulting in more money in the bank than expected. How horrible.
4. You thrive on adversity
If your parents didn’t enrol you in character-building camps when you were a child, fret not, you can learn to strengthen your resilience and patience by dealing with unresponsive and irresponsible property agents offering subpar services.
Rated 4.7/5 from over 1,000 reviews and voted Singapore’s most-loved agency in 2022, Propseller’s 5-star professional service will only make you weak.
5. You are a risk taker
Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates all took risks in pursuit of their dreams. You too can be part of this elite league by taking a risk with an inexperienced agent who assigns a random value to your property and agrees to any offer.
Propseller's pricing analysis takes into account factors like competition, past transactions, renovation, lease, level, and floor size to ensure that you get the optimal price. But don't play it safe. Taking a risk instead.
6. You are a music lover
Music has the power to soothe and heal. Sometimes, the calming tune of the piano when you are put on hold for 15 minutes is just the motivation you need to get through the day.
When a dedicated customer service team from Propseller answers your call and addresses your enquiries promptly, it makes life much less melodic. Cue sad music.
7. You like surprises
If you are a fan of suspenseful thrillers, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to turn reel life into real life with hidden charges.
Propseller misses the point by offering full transparency with no hidden costs, as if life weren’t mundane enough. Engage another agency instead to spice things up with an emotional roller-coaster of billing surprises.
8. You have no luck on Tinder
Want to meet new people, but don't want to go out? Here's the solution: engage property agents that show up at your door for a home viewing with strangers who have no real intention of buying.
With Propseller, home viewings are only arranged after qualifying potential buyers. While your time won't be wasted, it does limit your ability to meet a potential partner.
You've been warned
Sell your property with Propseller only if you want to pay half-price commission for a professional agent and comprehensive services. Visit propseller.com today to find out more.
*Market value is estimated from the leading automated valuation model in Singapore.