Info on STIs

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are infections that can be caught or passed on when you have sex or close sexual contact with another person.

STIs are more common than you might think and even if you are not having sex right now – knowing about STIs and how to protect yourself against them can help to make sure you stay safe if you decide the time feels right.

The best way to protect yourself against an STI is to always use a condom when you have sex – that’s vaginal, anal or oral sex.  However even a condom can’t provide 100% protection against some STIs.  For example if you have sex with someone who has genital warts, public lice, scabies or syphilis the condom will only provide a barrier between the penis and the area that the penis comes into contact with.  It won’t protect you from skin to skin contact around the penis, vagina or other parts of the body where the STI may be present. 

There are different types of STIs out there, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital warts, herpes and HIV.  They can affect anyone, straight or gay.  Some may show signs a few days after unprotected sex whilst others can go unnoticed for a long time or might not show any symptoms at all.

STIs won’t go away unless they are treated, some of the symptoms might go away but the STI will still be there.  Treatment is often very easy and can include antibiotics and lotions.  If you leave STIs untreated they can cause serious damage to your health or your partner’s health.

If you think you’ve come into contact with an STI or just want to be sure you don’t have one get yourself tested.  It’s free and confidential – all you have to do is visit your nearest Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) or Contraception and Sexual Health (CaSH) clinic, or go to your GP.

To find out more about STIs read on...