How to have safer sex with your summer romance

Summer is finally here! The promise of sun, sand and sizzling sex hangs in the air, but if you’re not careful it might not be just a tan you bring back from your holidays.

Summer flings are exciting and fun; a chance to let loose and enjoy your newfound freedom. But unless you want to stumble into autumn with regrets and growing anxiety about what’s happening ‘down there’, preparation is essential.

Recent statistics have discovered that up to 7 out of 10 holidaymakers (especially in the young adult age group) have unprotected sex. Make sure you’re not one of them and always carry condoms with you. Some people view condoms as a way of killing the passion, however, if you don’t know your partner is free from STIs (and don’t just take their word for it, they might not know themselves – many STIs have no symptoms), you could spend most of your holiday in a state of panic. Suddenly a moment of awkward fumbling doesn’t seem so bad.

One reason people repeatedly give for having unprotected sex on an impulse is alcohol. Drinking too much, especially if you go somewhere alcohol is cheaper, is a common occurrence on holidays. Whilst staying sober – or at least only drinking moderately – is clearly the best way to stop yourself from making ill-judged decisions, if you do choose to drink you should make sure you trust the people who you are with to keep you safe and make a judgement on when to call it a night.

When you get back from your holiday or whenever you have had unprotected sex, it is a good idea to get tested for STIs, as – bar abstinence – no method of protection is 100% effective.

Better2Know has private STI testing clinics across the UK, bringing you quick appointments with fast (one to five days) results, so you can carry on enjoying what is left of the summer. Happy holidays!