When you become sexually active...

...it is really important to ensure that you are not only enjoying, having fun and experimenting but also always having safe sex. This can help you massively reduce the risk of catching STDs (the likes of the herpes virus and HIV). This is certainly the more unglamorous side of having an amazing sex life, but it is really something that can't be ignored whether you are a man or a woman engaging in any sexual activity with a partner. We don't want STDs to significantly affect your health some of which have really nasty side effects.

So, how do you go about ensuring you can still have fun and be safe at the same time? 

Well, safe sex is really defined as any sexual contact that doesn't involve the exchange of bodily fluids from one person to the other such as semen, vaginal fluids and blood. However, below we've got some tips for keeping you safe and still enjoying sexual activity!

Once you are sexually active, one of THE most important things to do regularly is to know your current status and get yourself checked out at a sexual health clinic. We suggest that each time you change sexual partner that you ensure you get checked out, but it takes two (or more!) to tango - so they say - so ask your partner to get checked out too before you go diving in! Some STDs such as chlamydia can sometimes take a little time to show symptoms, so it's important even if you've not been getting any for some time, to still go and get checked!

One pretty good way to avoid STD's (or pregnancy maybe) is to always use a condom when you are having intercourse: vaginal or anal, and when you are giving oral. Although this method isn't 100% effective, it does greatly reduce the risks and is well worth it. There are so many choices of condoms, there really is no excuse. Most of the time, if you pick the right ones for you and your partner, it can really enhance your sexual experience. Some ideas of condoms with enhanced features and some lube to help along the way are:

Durex Intense

Skins - Ultra Thin Condoms

Skins - Flavoured Condoms

Other Types of Protection

Although condoms are probably the best and most widely used for of protection (from STDs), there are a few other options out there that you may wanna consider. 

Dental Dams - Perfect for use during oral sex

Latex Gloves - Suitable for use during foreplay

Contraceptive Pill - For women to take orally to avoid pregnancy, but will not prevent STDs

Coil - 'Fitted' inside the vagina by a healthcare professional in order to avoid becoming pregnant, but not a protection against STDs