Don't be Tricked this Halloween!

The time has come for dressing up and getting down!!  Don't forget there are lots of nasty gremlins out there that you don't want to bring home.  Wearing a condom greatly reduces the chances of catching a sexually transmitted infection, so make sure you're covered. 

Condoms are an important part of a good healthy and safe sex life, so it's important that you find the right one, just like you would with any other safety equipment you would plan to purchase. Most men would admit they don't know much about the condoms they buy or the different types and sizes that are available to them, and yet most have had experiences where the condom has either fallen off, or split, both of which could lead to possible infection if one partner was infected.

Most condoms will fit people length wise, because if you continue to roll out a condom you will see they are long enough for nearly all men. However the width (girth) does vary and this is the important part to measure.

If you have a tape measure to hand, next time you are alone and erect, measure your width and this general guide should help you to find the right size condom for you.

If you are under 12cm circumference round then you will most likely suit a Trim fit condom, 12-13cm then a regular size condom will probably suit you, 13-14cm then a large size condom would suit you and anything over 14cm you should go for a king size condom.

Remember this is just a guide, if when you have measured for some reason it still doesn't fit, then go for the next size up or down accordingly.  Also different companies who make condoms have different sizes in each type, so one company's version of trim might be bigger or smaller than another different company's trim.

So the best thing to do is go out and buy a good selection of sizes and brands and go home and have some fun by yourself to find the best one, that way when it comes to using them with someone else, there will be less fumbling and concerns of it falling off or splitting. A lot of men worry over penis size and will over estimate and purchase a size too big, it's better to be honest and get the size that really represents what you have, it's important to be safe when having sex to reduce risk of transmission of STIs, HIV and preventing unwanted pregnancy.

Other things to remember when it comes to condoms: make sure the foil is intact, there should be a feel of air in the foil pack; check the expiry date is fine and that is has the BSi Kitemark and CE mark, this is especially important if you are travelling abroad, so ensure you purchase before you leave if you can. Finally make sure you have a water based lube to accompany your condom, this again will reduce the risk of tearing the condom.

Published: 31st October 2013 by Matt (updated Thu 21st Jan)

World Aids Day 2013 - Know Your Status!

This November for the second year running, Men’s Sexual Health are launching their ‘Know your status’ campaign. The idea behind it is that with only a month to go until the big day on December 1st, we dedicate the month of November to encourage everyone to book an appointment at their local GU clinic to check their HIV status. The most important reason for this campaign is that an estimated one in four of people living with HIV in the UK are unaware of their infection - that’s around 23,000 people!

With this new campaign we ask people to make the promise to:

Know your HIV status

Never assume anyone else’s status and

Keep informed about all sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Know Your Status.
We encourage you to get tested and find out if you are HIV positive (HIV+ve) or HIV negative (HIV-ve), especially if you have ever put yourself at risk and never been tested before. Don’t live in doubt. Once certain of your status, the knock on effects are multiple. If you test positive you’ll know now to protect those who you are sexually active with by keeping sex safe. This can reduce new cases of HIV. If you know you are virus free, you can commit to staying that way, by using condoms. Testing and knowing your status now, when you don’t even necessarily feel ill, will also reduce late diagnosis HIV. Effective medications are available, and early treatment leads to improved outcomes for you and decreased transmission to others. People who are diagnosed and treated early have better long-term health outcomes and minimize their risk of spreading the infection to others. 

Never Assume Anyone Else’s Status.

With 1/3 of the HIV+ve population unaware of their status, don’t ever assume that the person you are having sex with is free from the virus! If someone you're going to have sex with doesn't mention HIV, it doesn't necessarily mean that he has the same HIV status as you. It just means he's chosen not to talk about it. There is also an assumption and a stereotype that you can spot a person who has HIV, by the way they look, how healthy or sick they appear, but this is a very bad idea.  In reality you can’t actually tell.

Keep Informed on all Sexually Transmitted Infections.

It is not just HIV that people need to be aware of; there are lots of other sexually transmitted infections, many of which have no signs or symptoms. So when you go to get screened for HIV, get a full MOT and request to be checked for all STIs. When you are infected with an STI it makes it more likely for you to acquire a second infection, even HIV. If your immune system is weakened by one kind of STI, that means another can more easily ‘piggy back’ on. The best protection from STIs during sex is to wear a condom.

 

The following are the most recent statistics published by the HPA (health protection agency) for 2011

There were an estimated 96,000 people living with HIV in the UK by the end of 2011. Around one in four (24%) were undiagnosed and unaware of their infection, from Health Protection Agency (HPA) figures.

In 2011 there were 6,280 new HIV diagnoses in the UK, down 1% on 2010. The peak for new diagnoses occurred in 2005 when 7,914 were recorded.

UK-acquired infections in men who have sex with men and in heterosexuals continue to rise while infections acquired abroad continue to decrease.

UK-acquired new diagnoses have more than doubled in the last 10 years from 1,950 in 2001 to 4,059 in 2011 and are now greater than those from abroad which fell to 2,221.

London has by far the highest HIV prevalence, with 6.5 people per 1,000 adult population compared to around 1.5 per 1,000 nationally.

Men who have sex with men

Diagnoses among men who have sex with men have now reached their highest ever level at 3,010. Of these, 79% were acquired in the UK.

In 2011, 48% of new HIV diagnoses were among men who have sex with men. Gay and bisexual men remain the group at highest risk of contracting HIV in the UK.

Heterosexual

A total of 2,990 new diagnoses were acquired through heterosexual sex in 2011.

In 2011, 48% of new diagnoses were among heterosexuals and 52% of these were acquired in the UK.

Black Africans

A total of 1,779 people of black African ethnicity were newly diagnosed, the lowest figure since the peak of 4,056 in 2003.

UK-acquired infections in black Africans were estimated at 43% by the HPA in research released earlier in 2012.

Late diagnoses and AIDS

Almost half (47%) of people diagnosed with HIV in 2011 were diagnosed late, after they should have begun treatment. Late diagnosis is most common among black African men (68%), heterosexual men in general (64%), black African women (61%) and older people (aged 50 and over at 61%).

A total of 504 people with HIV died in 2011 and the majority of these people were diagnosed late. People diagnosed late were 10 times more likely to die within a year than those diagnosed before treatment was required.

A total of 457 people were diagnosed with AIDS in 2011, down from an average of 850 for the previous decade.

Treatment and Care

In 2011, 73,659 people in the UK accessed care and treatment for HIV, an increase of 6% on 2010 and more than double the number accessing care in 2003.

London makes up 42% of people accessing HIV care in the UK, followed by the North West of England at 9%.

More than one in five adults (23%) accessing HIV care in the UK is over 50, more than four times the 2001 figure.

The MSH team will be touring Swindon with the campaign during November and on World Aids Day. Check out the diary section on the calendar to see where they will be. Also look out for the World Aids Day Safe Sex packs in local venues The Mailcoach & Pinkrooms.

For more information on a range of STI’s and HIV please check out our health page
If you would like to speak to a member of our staff about any of the issues raised please call on 01793 250951/07867872552 or  email info@wsmsh.org.uk

If you would like to book an HIV test at Swindon GU clinic please call the SWISH team on 01793 604038

Remember if you live in Swindon you can order FREE condoms, lube and range of sexual health leaflets from our website

Published: 28th October 2013 by Matt (updated Thu 21st Jan)