Gay anal sleeping
Chemsex means using certain drugs as part of your sex life. It comes with a lot of risks and can own long-lasting consequences.
What is chemsex?
Chemsex involves using drugs before or during planned sexual activity to sustain, improve, disinhibit or facilitate the experience.
The term chemsex is used in Europe and Asia. In America and Australia, it’s known as PnP, which stands for ‘party and play’.
It’s most commonly practised by lgbtq+ men and other men who have sex with men. But it does affect people of all genders and sexualities, including straight men and women, trans women and neutrois people.
Not everyone who uses drugs will try chemsex, and not everyone who has chemsex will trial problems. There are diverse levels of use, from experimenting once to daily drug taking.
We’ve worked with the experts at Controlling Chemsex to find out more about chemsex and how it can disturb your sexual health.
What drugs does it involve?
In the UK, chemsex typically involves 3 specific drugs, acknowledged as chems. These are taken before or during sex. These drugs are:
Crystal methamphetamine, also known as T, Tina, crystal, ice or meth
Methamphetamine is a very addictive st
Sexual health for lgbtq+ and bisexual men
Having unprotected penetrative sex is the most likely way to pass on a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Using a condom helps preserve against HIV and lowers the risk of getting many other STIs.
If you’re a man having sex with men (MSM), without condoms and with someone fresh, you should have an STI and HIV check every 3 months, otherwise, it should be at least once a year. This can be done at a sexual health clinic (SHC) or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. This is important, as some STIs do not bring about any symptoms.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that's spread by a virus in poo.
Hepatitis A is uncommon in the UK but you can find it through sex, including oral-anal sex ("rimming") and giving oral sex after anal sex. MSM with multiple partners are particularly at risk. You can also get it through contaminated food and drink.
Symptoms of hepatitis A can show up to 8 weeks after sex and contain tiredness and feeling sick (nausea).
Hepatitis A is not usually life-threatening and most people make a occupied recovery within a couple of months.
MSM can escape getting hepatitis A by:
- washing hands after se
Men who have sex with men (MSM)
On this page:
Can gay men give blood?
Gay and bisexual men are not automatically prevented from giving blood.
Men who possess sex with men and who have had the identical partner for 3 months or more and meet our other eligibility criteria are able to give blood.
Anyone who has had anal sex with a recent partner or multiple partners in the last three months, regardless of their gender or their partner’s gender, must wait 3 months before donating.
We judge your eligibility to offer blood based solely on your own individual experiences, making the process fairer for everyone.
If you are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) you will be unable to give blood. If you stop taking PrEP or PEP, you will need to wait 3 months before you can give blood.
We appreciate that any deferral is disappointing if you want to save lives by giving blood.
If you have previously been unable to donate blood because of the guidelines and would fancy to donate, please dial us on 0300 123 23 23. One of our team can review the new guidelines with you and, if eligible, book your next appointment.
Why is there a 3-month wait after sex?
The 3-mon
Sexual health for female homosexual and bisexual women
Women who have sex with other women can hand over on or get STIs. Know how to shield yourself.
Women can catch STIs such as chlamydia when exchanging bodily fluids.
Herpes and genital warts can be passed on through skin-to-skin contact. This includes oral sex or using the same hand when touching yourself and then your partner.
Tips for safer sex between women
- If you're using sex toys, use a new condom for each partner or between penetration of different body openings. Sex toys should be washed with soap and water between sessions.
- Avoid oral sex if either of you has any cuts or sores in the mouth or on the lips, or use a dental dam. A dental dam is a latex or polyurethane (very slim, soft plastic) square, of about 15cm by 15cm, which you can exploit to cover the anus or female genitals during oral sex. It acts as a barrier to help prevent sexually transmitted infections passing from one person to another.
- Some infections can be transmitted by hands, fingers and mutual vulval rubbing. Wash your hands before and after sex.
- Wear latex gloves and use plenty of water-based lubricant for vaginal and anal fisting.
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