OBJECTIVES: Estimates of the lifetime prevalence of external genital warts (EGW) and genital herpes in the European Union range from 0.47% to 1.52% and 0.59% to 1.43% respectively. The aim here is to assess, for the first time, the impact of the experience on current health related quality of life at the general population level.  METHODS: Data are from the 2008 National Health and Wellness Survey. This is an internet-based survey carried out in the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Germany. From a total of 53,524 respondents, 521 indicated they had experienced EGW and 520 genital herpes. Only 63 had experienced both conditions. The regression analysis is based on health state utilities (score 0 – 100) from the SF-6D. The independent variables included binary variables for the presence/absence of EGW and genital herpes, socio-demographic characteristics, health risk factors (e.g., body mass index) and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). RESULTS: The experience of EGW and genital herpes had a substantial negative impact on utility scores. The impact was significant at conventional decision levels: EGW – 2.47 (95% CI: -3.58 - -1.36), genital herpes -3.52 (95%CI: -4.63 - -2.71) and EGW and genital herpes -5.00 (95%CI: 1.76 – 8.25). The impact of EGW and genital herpes experience was similar to the negative impact of BMI for persons who were underweight, obese and morbidly obese and the CCI (-2.53;95%CI: -2.65 - -2.41). Age, education and income all had a positive and significant impact on HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first time the lifetime experience of two of the most prevalence sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on current HRQoL has been assessed. The results point to the continuing impact of this experience, with herpes having a marginally greater impact than EGWs. The HRQoL deficit is most apparent for those who have experienced both STIs.