Prevent an STI

'Prevention is better than cure'
A saying you've probably heard before. It sounds so simple and logical. But sometimes it's not always clear what exactly is meant by safer sex. To fully understand how to prevent getting an STI, you also need to know how STIs are passed on Then you know how to protect yourself.

How are STIs passed on? 

An STI is usually transmitted (passed on) through direct mucous membrane or blood contact. Mucous membranes are thin, moist linings in the throat, vagina, anus and urethra. If you have unprotected sexual contact there, an STI can be transmitted.

 

What types of protection are there?

There are various ways to help prevent STIs, including condoms, dental dams, and female (internal) condoms.

Safe blowjobs and oral sex

Oral sex, where you stimulate another person's genitals with your mouth or your own genitals are stimulated by another person's mouth, can transmit an STI.

For blowjobs, you can use a condom to prevent the mucous membrane of the penis having contact with the mucous membrane of the other person's mouth. You can use flavored condoms to make this a bit more pleasurable as not everyone likes the rubber taste of a condom.

For oral sex on the vulva and vagina, you can cover the vulva with a dental dam. Did you know that you can make one of these yourself from a flavored condom?

Safer vaginal and anal sex 

Using a condom during sex is one of the most effective ways to help prevent transmission of STIs and to prevent pregnancy. Condom use is successful if you have a condom ready to use,  use the condom properly, and can talk about condom use with your sexual partners. 

Using condoms seems easy, but we advise everyone to practise putting them on. 
Learning to put on a condom correctly and with ease prevents disappointment and contributes to a positive sexual experience for you and your sexual partner. 

 

The video above shows how to use a condom.

A torn condom, now what?

If you use a condom during sex, sometimes things can go wrong. The condom can tear or slip off. Most condom problems come from not using them correctly.

What to do if the condom tears during vaginal sex:

Drink plenty of fluids so that you urinate a lot (flushing naturally).
Keep standing and walking around so that any semen can drain from your vagina.

Do not flush: rinsing the vagina internally with a vaginal douche is strongly discouraged. Douching can push semen and/or other germs higher up in the vagina. You also increase the chance of internal damage, which may even increase your risk of getting an STI.

What to do if the condom tears during anal sex:

Gently rinse the outside of the anus with lukewarm water.

Do not flush internally: flushing the anus internally with an enema is strongly discouraged. By flushing the anus, you can push semen and/or other germs higher into the intestine. You also increase the chance of internal damage which may even increase your risk of getting an infection.

Risk of STI and HIV?

If you're worried about recent sexual contact and think you may have been exposed to HIV, contact your family doctor, local hospital Emergency Department or GGD as soon as possible within 72 hours after the condom failed to assess your eligibility for PEP. PEP is a treatment that can help prevent possible transmission of HIV. Get tested for STIs after the window period has passed.

Risk of pregnancy?

Get a morning-after pill right away; it's available at drugstores and pharmacies. The morning-after pill needs to be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

Preventing HIV: take PrEP

If you have a higher risk of HIV because you're a man who has sex with men or your sexual partner is at higher risk, then PrEP may be a good option for you. 
Interested? Soapoli-online offers PrEP care. 

Tips to prevent condom problems:

1. Follow the condom instruction step by step (note the expiration date).
2. Use water-based lubricant; oil-based products such as massage oil damage the condom.
3. Do not use a condom for longer than 15 minutes; change to a new condom after 15 minutes.

 

Safe and reliable...

Soapoli-online works with an ISO-certified laboratory to test the samples, delivering very fast results with the best quality. On this page you can read all about the quality of our tests. As well as very reliable tests, our service is comprehensive and we will do everything we can to help you so that you have certainty quickly.