Order STD home tests online; operation & reliability

How can you test for the presence of an STD yourself? With a home test you can check at home whether you have contracted an STD. The tests for chlamydia, syphilis, candida and gonorrhea are easy to find and order online. Are these tests also reliable and safe? And how do these STD tests work?

Order STD tests online and have them delivered to your home

It is possible to order an STD test online and perform the test at home without the need of a doctor or other specialist. Well-known STDs for which tests are also available include the chlamydia test, syphilis test, candidate test and the gonorrhea test (drip test). The ordering is very simple and comparable to the ordering of any other product you buy on the internet. The STD test is often delivered within 24 hours, in discreet packaging. You can unpack the test and perform it at home in peace and quiet. Because the results of an STD home test may partly depend on the performance of the test, it is important to read the instructions carefully before using the STD test.

How does an STD home test work?

The effect of an STD test depends on which STD test you have ordered and will perform. A chlamydia, syphilis, candida or gonorrhea infection each have their own specific characteristics that the test will use to detect the infection. For example, antibodies are sometimes detected and sometimes the causative agent of the infection itself, such as with a yeast infection (candida).

How does a Chlamydia STD test work?

Chlamydia is the most common STD in the Netherlands. It is important to detect chlamydia at an early stage because the infection can have unpleasant consequences. This includes possible infertility, pneumonia, eye infections, arthritis, urinary tract infections or laryngitis. Chlamydia does not always cause symptoms. In approximately 70% of all infections the process is symptomless. Home tests for chlamydia are only available for women. Men must go to the doctor for the test.

The STD home test kit for chlamydia usually works as follows:

1. • Using a cotton swab, take a sample (smear) from your vagina.
   • Then follow the steps in the instructions for use and read the results.
   • The test takes approximately 25 minutes.

How does a syphilis STD test work?

Syphilis is a bacterial STD and can have serious consequences. Treatment of syphilis is quite possible, but the STD must be detected at an early stage. Syphilis can occur in the vagina, anus, penis and also in the mouth. The syphilis test shows the antibodies that the body produces against the syphilis bacteria. A syphilis STD test is available for both women and men.

The STD home test kit for syphilis usually works as follows:

1. • You take a drop of blood using a finger prick needle (sterile lancet).
   • Apply the drop of blood to the appropriate test cassette according to the instructions for use.
   • Reads the result. The test takes approximately 20 minutes.

How does a candida STD test work?

Candida is a vaginal yeast infection and not actually a real STD. A candida infection almost never occurs through sexual contact, but it is possible to pass on the yeast infection. Yet many women have suffered from a candida infection. A candida test is easy to perform at home. A candida infection has several adverse consequences. For example: itching, burning sensation when urinating, irritation or vaginal discharge.

The home test for a candida infection usually works as follows:

1. • Using a cotton swab, take a sample (smear) from your vagina.
   • Dissolve any candida yeasts present in a liquid.
   • The solution is contacted with antibodies on a test cassette.
   • Any candida yeasts present will now react with the antibodies and form a rash.
   • Read the result. The test takes approximately 20 minutes.

How does a gonorrhea STD test work?

Gonorrhea, better known as gonorrhea, is a bacterial infection and highly contagious. With the help of a home test you can easily see whether you are infected with the gonorrhea bacteria. Gonorrhea has several adverse effects on both men and women.

The home test for a gonorrhea infection usually works as follows:

1. • Using a cotton swab, take a sample from your vagina or, for men, from the urethra.
   • Follow the steps as stated in the instructions for use and read the results.
   • The test takes approximately 10 minutes.

Are STD home tests that you can order online reliable?

The reliability of an STD home test that you can order online partly depends on the type of test, the quality of the STD test and its implementation. Good STD test kits have been extensively tested and reliable. If you want to know the exact reliability of an STD test, you can often find this on the manufacturer’s website, on the box or in the instructions for use.

Are STD home tests that you can order online safe?

The safety of a test is usually guaranteed. To perform a test safely, it is always important to read the instructions for use carefully before use. Reading the instructions for use carefully prevents a false positive or false negative result and prevents unnecessary errors. In general you can say that STD home tests are safe to use, provided they are carried out properly.