The World Health Organization (WHO) defines sexual health as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality – it is not just the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.  Your sexual health is just as important as your physical health.

This Valentine’s Day, we’re encouraging you to take control of your sexual health and safety.

Here are our top tips so you can be prepared, be ready & be safe on this annual day of love.

1. Be Prepared – get tested

If you are sexually active or have been in the past, it’s important you are checked regularly for sexually transmitted diseases (STIs). Some diseases that are contracted through sexual encounters do not cause significant symptoms or signs until several weeks, months, or even years after you’ve contracted them.  In fact, around 50% of women and 10% of men with gonorrhoea do not have symptoms.

True intimacy means talking openly about how to have good safe sex. Don’t be afraid to have an honest chat with your partner(s) to figure out when was the last time each one of you was last tested, and for what.

2. Be Ready – know the risks

You can relax and enjoy sex once you have a healthy awareness about the risks of penetrative sex and non-penetrative skin-to-skin contact. The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) also provides advice and guidelines on STIs including symptoms and prevention of passing on viruses or bacteria. STIs that spread through skin-to-skin contact (and are tested through the Confidante Home Testing Kit) include:

• Syphilis
• Herpes

3. Be Safe – use contraception

The more people you are sexually involved with, the more likely you are to get an STI or to get pregnant.  The best way to practice safe sex and lower your risk for getting an STI is to use contraception correctly every time you have a sexual encounter.  The effectiveness of your contraception is dependent on the type you use and whether you use it correctly.  The NHS advises that you follow the instructions and use your contraception carefully for it to be as effective as possible.

There are widely available options for contraception, including:

• Natural family planning
• Condoms
• Contraceptive pill
• Contraceptive injection
• Contraceptive patch
• Vaginal ring
• Contraceptive implant
• Intrauterine device or system (IUD/IUS)
• Diaphragms and caps

Testing with Confidence

Buy Online

Purchase your test kit with confidence. Transactions are handled safely & securely

Register Kit

Register your kit online once it arrives. You must do this to receive your results

Collect & Post

Take a urine / swab sample & post back to us using the pre-paid envelope provided

Receive Results

Your confidential results will be available 7 working days from receipt of your sample

Unlike other standard STI home testing kits, Confidante will test for 10 of the most common STIs and will detect even those infections that do not show any symptoms, providing a comprehensive profile of your sexual health.  All for just £45.

Results are available within 7 days by telephone, electronically or in person at Randox Health Clinics.

It’s a completely private service, no appointment needed, and no waiting room delays.

We test for the following STIs: