Having sex somewhere exotic sounds awesome, so we have our list of sexual health tips for travellers. To keep you safe everytime you bone in whatever country you may do it in.
If you’re meeting someone new when you’re on holiday it might be a whirlwind romance. During which you might not necessarily be thinking about what could happen further down the line. But to avoid bringing back more from your holiday than just a tan, it’s worth taking precautions so you can play away. That’s why we prepared a list of the most important sexual health tips for travellers.
The most important of all sexual health tips for travellers – condoms
Wherever you go, whatever you do… I have a condom waiting for you… Okay that’s not necessarily the real lyrics to that song but you won’t be able to unhear it now. Which is a good thing because carrying condoms wherever you go will definitely help you if you get the horn on holiday.
There’s no reason to be reluctant to use condoms, they make sex safer from STIs and act as contraception. When you’re meeting someone new, you don’t know each other terribly well or have a definite sexual history to rely on. Plus even if you both think you’re healthy, you may not know about any STIs lurking which aren’t showing symptoms.
Even aside from any STI risk, getting somebody pregnant while you’re abroad probably isn’t the postcard you want to send home. So putting a condom on for penetrative sex and even for oral sex will greatly reduce the risk of an unwanted pregnancy and can protect you against STIs.
When it comes to packing for your holiday, don’t forget to put condoms in your bag. We recommend keeping a few condoms in your wallet so they’re always with you and also having a box stashed in your shower bag or elsewhere in your suitcase. Thereby allowing you to relax knowing you’re always covered.
Also when with a new partner, you shouldn’t rely solely on them taking birth control pills. Particularly if she’s on antibiotics or she’s thrown up. As this makes the pill ineffective and still exposes you to STIs. And that is why condoms are definitely on the first place of our sexual health tips for travellers.
Buying condoms abroad
If you need to buy condoms when you’re abroad, buying a well known brand like Durex or Skyns will also help keep you confident they’re working right. Locally branded condoms can work just as well but make sure you’ve checked the label confirms they do work for penetrative sex and aren’t just a novelty.
For this reason we’d advise you keep away from flavoured or super thin condoms for penetrative sex. Largely as there’s more of a risk these won’t last for any vigorous activity. Opting for something extra thick and strong will secure your sausage for every roll in the hay you may have.
Before you go to town wearing a new condom, it’s worth trying it on and checking how well it fits you. One of the main reasons why condoms slip off during sex is due to them not fitting properly. Or they break because they’re not big enough.
Taking your own condoms with you is also better than having to rely on your partner providing them. While many women do carry condoms with them if they’re out on the pull, there is an expiry date. I know myself that I’ve had a condom in my purse for over a year before it got chucked in the bin!
Storing condoms incorrectly can increase the risk of them breaking so making sure you have your own is always a good idea. Friction against condoms due to being kept in a wallet for too long can make them weaker. While temperature variation also can cause some havoc with the lube put on them in the packet.
STIs
STIs are lurking all across the world although they can be more prevalent in certain countries than in others. When you’re aware of the risks of catching an STI from a new partner, you should aim to always have protected sex. This is true for oral, vaginal and anal sex as all three carry risks.
You might not think oral is particularly risky but it still leaves a chance for you to catch any of the main STIs such as chlamydia, syphilis, gonnorhea and HIV. As well as leaving you vulnerable to getting less well known conditions like mycoplasma genitalium which is considered a ‘stealth STI’ due to not showing symptoms.
In order to protect yourself from the risk of getting an STI you should be careful about taking new sexual partners and use barrier method contraception. If someone appears to be showing a symptom, you can ask them about it (ie a cold sore on their mouth might be a sign of herpes) and avoid sexual contact. This is not only important when it comes to sexual health tips for travellers, but should be kept in mind even where you stay at home.
Barrier methods of contraception include dental dams, traditional male condoms and femidoms. All of which work by putting a thin shield of latex between your genitals and/or mouth when you touch. Thereby reducing the risk of any transmission of an STI through bodily fluids.
Red flags
When travelling in developing countries, there is an increased risk of catching more prolific diseases such as HIV. Especially when engaging in more high risk activities like unprotected anal sex.
If you engage a sex worker while you’re abroad, you should be extra careful. Check any social media or professional profile pages she may have for details of the services she offers. Should she mention unprotected services, you should refrain from making contact with her or else be sure to use condoms.
Sex workers in poorer countries are more at risk of contracting STIs through seeing clients for unprotected sex. As well as having less available sexual health services. When you do engage a sex worker, aim to meet someone with good references and who appears outwardly healthy. Any hint of symptoms, walk away.
You should be extra aware of the risk of STIs during party and play sessions known as ChemSex. As sharing needles for drugs increases the risk of contracting an STD carried in the bloodstream such as syphilis or HIV.
What to do if you think you have an STI
Should a condom break during sex, you can assist the woman in obtaining the morning after pill. While then choosing to abstain from sex for the remainder of your trip and seeking sexual health testing services.
The majority of STIs have a dormant period where any tests won’t show a result for if you’re carrying it. This tends to average at around the 40 day mark so getting a screen once you’re home is wise. Prior to having a screening which gives you the all clear, you should avoid having sex with anyone even if they’re an existing partner to minimise the risk of exposing them to an STI.
If you think you may be showing symptoms of an STI, you can google search for local sexual health clinics and pharmacies nearby you. Depending on which country you’re in there could be a slight language barrier so you can also use online doctor diagnosis services if needed. Abstain from further sex and try to isolate any possible incident where you may have caught it.
These are our sexual health tips for travellers. Follow them and enjoy your Summer!