Today, more and more people are choosing to test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by buying STI tests online. Online testing has many advantages, including convenience, flexibility, privacy, and cost.

When it comes to STI testing, knowing all of your options is beneficial, as your sexual health is vastly important and should never be taken lightly.

Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK will contract an STI in any given year. Unfortunately, many of these infections go undiagnosed and untreated – possibly due to the hassle of getting tested. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your partner(s) is to have regular tests; however, many are embarrassed or anxious about going to a doctor or clinic to get tested.

This is where online STI testing comes in.

How Do At-Home STI Tests Work?

There are many different types of STI tests, but they all involve taking a sample of fluid or tissue from the body and testing it in the lab for the presence of STI-causing viruses or bacteria. Most STI tests can be done using a simple swab or blood sample, and results are usually available within a few days.

You can order a confidential STI test kit from Yoxly, which will be delivered discreetly to your door. The kit includes everything you need to collect your sample and send it off for testing. You'll receive your results online, and our experts are on hand to answer questions.

If you're considering getting an STI test, buying one online is a great option. Let's look at some of the advantages in more detail.

Convenience

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of online STI testing is convenience. You can order a test kit from the comfort of your home and take the test in your own time. This is especially helpful for people who have busy schedules, live in rural areas, or don’t have easy access to STI testing facilities.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Online STI testing is privacy. Your personal information is kept confidential when ordering a test kit online. This can be a great relief for people worried about privacy or who want to keep their STI status private. We only collect the minimum information needed to offer you your test and results.

Some people feel embarrassed or ashamed about getting tested for STIs. They may not want to tell their doctor or anyone else that they’re getting tested. At Yoxly, we do not ask potentially embarrassing or nosy questions; we only ask what we need to know to offer you the correct test. We don’t ask about the ins and outs of your sex life nor make you feel awkward about who you have sex with or how often.

With an at-home STI testing kit, you don’t have to tell anyone else that you’re getting tested. Our test kits arrive in discreet, plain packaging, addressed to the name you give us. So you can do the test in the privacy of your own home, and no one else will know unless you choose to tell them. Your test samples are returned to us in the same discreet packaging, which can be dropped right into the post box - no need to visit the post office!

Plus, your test results are completely confidential – we will not routinely share them with anyone, not even your general practitioner or the NHS. The exception is certain notifiable infectious agents such as hepatitis B – which we must by law report to the UK Health Security Agency. Your test results are only available online, so no awkward phone calls or unexpected letters. You can rest assured that your privacy is protected.

Affordability

Plus, online STI tests can be more affordable than those performed at a doctor or clinic. Once you factor in taking time off work, travelling to a clinic and phoning for results, online testing has a clear financial advantage here! In addition, online testing companies often don't have the same overhead costs as physical clinics, and they can often offer discounts or coupons, further lowering the costs.

Speed

At-home STI testing kits are often a quicker way of checking your status. There’s no calling up looking for available clinic appointments, spending hours on hold, spending time sitting around in a clinic waiting room, or waiting for weeks for a call back with your results.

With Yoxly’s at-home STI test, the time you spend is the absolute minimum. Once you’ve ordered, the kit arrives in just 24–48 hours. Then, our tests take just minutes to perform, with clear and uncomplicated instructions included. Return first-class postage is included, so your samples get to us super quickly. With our partner laboratory, you'll receive your results within a few days, rather than waiting weeks or even longer for a callback for your results from a doctor or clinic. Plus, you can track everything online, so you'll know when we’ve received your samples.

Accuracy

Recent advances in testing technology have made at-home STI tests more accurate than ever before.

Yoxly's partner laboratory is one of the UK's leading pathology testing providers, accredited by UKAS in accordance with International Standard ISO 15189:2012, and registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This means that our tests meet the highest standards of quality and accuracy, and you can be confident in the results you receive. In addition, all results at Yoxly are reviewed by a licenced medical professional.

If you have any concerns about our tests' accuracy or your results, we’re here to answer your questions!

Choice

Ahhh freedom of choice! You get to decide what you're tested for. There are no unwanted tests, and you can decide which tests are important to you. Just choose the STI tests you want, and we'll take care of the rest. When you order your kit, you'll be able to choose from a range of different STI tests, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis, and more.

You can choose how often you get tested, with no pressure from clinics or doctors to get tested at set intervals. For example, you might want to be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea once every three months and HIV and syphilis only once yearly – that’s entirely up to you!

Follow-Up and Advice

Just like at a regular doctor's visit, if your test comes back positive, we will provide you with free and confidential guidance on what to do next, including how to get treatment. We don’t just leave you hanging with a positive result and nowhere to go! We will also provide you with information on how to protect yourself and your partner from STIs in the future and provide advice on various other sexual health topics.

Yoxly: At-Home STI Testing

We believe that Yoxly is the future of sexual health! Not only do we provide quick, confidential and choice-based STI testing; we also have a whole host of useful articles and advice on all things sexual health.

Visit our website to learn more, order your first STI test kit, and see just how easy it is to get peace of mind regarding your sexual health!