STI pictures tend to be OMFG photos from people with severe - and very obvious - symptoms.

What you're looking for generally are things like warts, sores and pus. If you squeeze their penis, do they go ow or does anything that's not obviously precum come out? They probably have something if so. Just learn what Fordyce spots look like, or you'll be turning away lots of healthy men.

This sort of check cannot be completely effective because lots of STIs don't have any obvious symptoms. If someone has HIV, you're only likely to know it if they tell you or they've gone untreated for so long that their immune system is badly compromised and they're getting other infections.

Reducing the risks is fairly simple, especially if you know your own attitude to risk. 'Obviously' you want to use condoms for any penetration. Beyond that, it's much more down to personal attitude. If catching anything is out of the question, so is doing OWO, because there's a risk there. If you take the attitude that you're going to have a more or less discreet look and squeeze before doing OWO, it might be an acceptable risk for you.

You can also work on a 'this hand touches them, that hand doesn't' system, so that you only touch yourself with the hand that hasn't touched them.

I was hoping there may have been a working girls guide out there somewhere ? Must be a main concern of any girl starting out x Someone  mentioned  "3 injections" to prevent warts the other day ??

The most useful 'three injections' is the HepB vaccination, which everyone doing this should have - just go to any sexual health clinic and tell them what you're doing / about to do.

It's worth talking to the sexual health clinic anyway - they will know what's happening locally.

There are two vaccines against HPV, one of which works against the strains primarily linked with cervical cancer, and the other, Gardasil, works against the strains primarily linked to genital warts too. However, if you've been sexually active, you probably already have those HPV strains (they're very common) and that makes the vaccine useless as well as expensive.

I have just looked up 'Fordyce spots' and I am quite horrified (sorry!). Some of the pics show growths on the penile shaft (extreme) whilst others look like what can best be described as spots under the skin.

As a 'newbie,' should I come across this, how on earth am I supposed to know what's going on? Some of these pics are horrific and the spots look wart-like. I'd run a mile and leave burning rubber in my wake!!!

What you're probably seeing is the more extreme examples. Most adults have them and they're not 'contagious'.

As ever, if you're not comfortable with doing something, don't do it. In this context, if you're unsure suggesting they have them checked out and a refund is one way to minimise the chances of a scene.