STIs 14
Cases of some STIs at highest rates in 10 years
Despite success stories such as the HPV vaccine and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) which is taken by HIV negative people before and after sex to reduce the risk of getting HIV, STIs are on the rise. Two leading sexual health charities, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the British Association for Sexual Health & HIV have […]
Can you cure HPV? Why the HPV vaccine is so important
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus that most of us (up to 8 out of 10) will have at some point in our lives. The virus infects the skin and any moist membrane such as lining of the mouth and throat, anus, cervix, vagina and vulva. While most HPV infections will clear up […]
Chlamydia 101 – what is it and how do you get rid of it?
What is chlamydia? Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK. It’s caused by the bacteria ‘chlamydia trachomatis’, which is found in the semen or vaginal fluid of those that carry the infection. Simply put, it’s a bacterial infection. How do you catch chlamydia? Chlamydia can be transmitted through the transfer of […]
The state of STIs in England
Sex is one of the joys of the human experience, but with that intimacy comes the chance of contracting sexually transmitted infections, commonly referred to as STIs. Although the overall number of diagnosed STI cases has remained steady in recent years, a recent report published by Public Health England (PHE) reveals there was a 20% […]
STI map of England 2018
Want to know more about the most common STIs in your area? Check out The state of STIs in England Data taken from Public Health England’s Sexually Transmitted Infections: annual data tables 2018
Why men could benefit from the HPV vaccine
The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is very common. Around 8 out of 10 people will be infected with it at some point in their lifetime, but people with HPV may not know that they are infected, as they often have no symptoms. For most people, HPV goes away naturally in time. However, it can cause […]
Four STIs you might have without knowing
You feel ok, everything looks ok, so you can’t possibly have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), right? Not necessarily. There are STIs you might have without even knowing. If you don’t get yourself tested, you’ve no way of knowing if you’re infected. More than 420,000 people were diagnosed with an STI last year though the number […]
Sexual health testing at home
It’s often wrongly assumed that sexual health testing is only for people who have had numerous sexual partners. But just one encounter with one partner can expose anyone to an STI. Meaning if you’ve had unprotected sex with someone who was already sexually active, and that includes mishaps where the condom may have split or […]
Talking about sex and your sexual history with your partner
Whenever we enter into a new relationship, it’s undoubtedly influenced in part by our sexual history. Whether we’re entering into a casual fling or heading to a big commitment milestone, it’s likely that the who, what, when and how’s of our sexual past will be up for discussion at some point. That’s fine, – it’s […]
STIs and STDs – what’s the difference?
In the past ten years, we’ve seen the English language undergo a huge number of changes. From the ubiquity of new words like ‘app’, ‘hashtag’ and ‘Brexit’ to the changing definition of existing words such as ‘literally’, it’s been a busy decade for Anglophones. One of the more subtle switches has taken place in the […]