Protect Yourself and Your Partner: Tips on Sexual Wellness

Sexual health is a part of your well-being, and we want to help you take care of it. We are aiming to promote healthy relationships both physically and emotionally by sharing useful information about staying protected during intercourse through use of condoms, birth control, PrEP, and more, plus looking at what sexuality means in terms of taking care our mental health. We are here to give you some tips on how to protect yourself and your partner when it comes to sexual wellness.

Birth Control 

Women today have more birth control options than ever before. However, this abundance of choice can make it difficult to determine which option is the best for you. If you are looking for a safe and affordable option, there are so many possibilities that it can be difficult to know which one will suit your needs the best. The good news is with an abundance of options, finding what works isn’t hard. Options for birth control include pills, IUDs, the ring, the patch, and the shot.  

  • Birth control pills are the most common form of birth control used. When taken exactly as prescribed, the pill is up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, while also adding the benefits of lighter periods and less PMS.  
  • The intrauterine device, or IUD, is a long-acting but reversible contraceptive that stays inside your uterus for years at a time. Unlike other birth control methods, IUDs must be administered by a doctor. Sometimes IUDs can slip out of place, but generally they are 99% effective at preventing pregnancy for anywhere from 3-10 years. 
  • A birth control ring is nearly unnoticeable and is inserted directly into the vagina. This allows women to forget about it as they go on with their daily lives, allowing them to feel protected during sex without any discomfort or interruption of regular activities. The ring is removed after 3 weeks, with a one-week break to have a period. The ring is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. 
  • The patch is another low maintenance birth control method. Simply replace the patch weekly to ensure effectiveness at preventing pregnancy. Like most forms of birth control, the patch is 99% effective. 
  • Women who do not want to have a daily or weekly routine when it comes to birth control but are not ready for a long-term commitment should consider the benefits of getting the birth control shot. The shot’s effectiveness lasts 3 months and provides 99% protection against preventing pregnancy. The shot can be administered by a healthcare provider, or at home. 

Condoms 

Thankfully, condoms have come a long way since the days they were made from sheepskin (and were reusable!). Both male and female condoms not only prevent unwanted pregnancies, but also protect from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Keeping condoms readily available is a great way to always be prepared for safe sex. When used correctly, male condoms are 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. If you are a woman looking for an effective, non-hormonal birth control option, condoms are your best bet.  

For those allergic to latex, the female condom is a safe, hypoallergenic alternative to male condoms.  

Emergency Contraceptive  

If you are a woman who is sexually active, then being aware of your emergency contraceptive options is important. If your condom breaks or if anything unexpected happens during sex, having the morning-after pill on hand can save you from an unintended pregnancy. Most emergency contraceptives do not require a prescription and are readily available for both adults and adolescents. Morning after pills are not meant to stop or terminate an already existing pregnancy. Rather, they prevent fertilization from occurring in the first place by preventing ovulation and/or impeding sperm mobility. If a woman has already become pregnant, these medications will be ineffective at stopping her unborn baby’s development since conception has already occurred.

PrEP 

PrEP stands for “pre-exposure prophylaxis” and is up to 99% effective at preventing the contraction of HIV when taken correctly. Unfortunately, one in seven individuals in the US who are living with HIV are unaware they have it. Your medical provider may recommend practicing safe sex with proper condom use or starting a PrEP prescription. It is important to start your HIV prevention journey by knowing your current HIV status. In order to start a PrEP prescription, you must test negative for HIV first. Those who have a partner who is HIV positive, or those who have partners of unknown HIV status should consider talking to their healthcare provider about PrEP. 

Our goal at TIN Rx is to not only to make sure that we can provide comprehensive Telehealth and pharmaceutical services, but also ensure that you have all the information necessary on any topic related to health and wellness.  We want to help you take care of your whole body and well-being, which is why we are taking the time to talk about how important it is for us to address our sexual wellness. 

You May Also Like

5 Tips for Losing Weight In The New Year

Losing weight isn’t easy. It took time to add up, so give yourself some time to lose it. Make the decision to make some changes. It’s your choice. Here are a five tips to make your weight loss goal attainable. 

Read More

Weight Loss Injections – What Is The Best Injection for Weight Loss? 

You’ve tried everything else... Eating kale and broccoli until you turn green, doing push-ups until your shoulders hurt, running up and down hills until you’re nauseous. Yes… Weight loss isn’t easy. To make matters worse, once you’ve passed a certain body mass index, the work it takes to lose a pound of fat becomes incrementally more difficult. 

Read More

HIV Prevention Starts at Home

HIV is still a major health issue in the United States and around the world. In fact, according to hiv.gov, there are approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States alone. About 13% of those are unaware they have it and require testing to determine their status.

Read More

5 Ways to Handle Anxiety and Reduce Stress

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in the United States. It can be caused by many different things, including stress, genetics, and chemical imbalances in the brain. Anxiety can lead to a number of physical and emotional symptoms, including chest pain, rapid heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, and nausea.

Read More

Hyaluronic Acid: The Powerhouse Skincare Ingredient

Hyaluronic Acid is a powerhouse skincare ingredient that plumps and tightens skin, deeply moisturizes, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. It is an ingredient that can be found in facial serums, moisturizers, lip balms, and other cosmetics. While Hyaluronic Acid may seem intimidating to pronounce, the ingredient is not as scary as it sounds- Hyaluronic Acid is naturally occurring.

Read More

Protecting Against COVID-19 and its Variants

In these uncertain times, it has never been more important to stay informed and aware. The rise of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 has resurfaced concerns in some over how to stay safe during the continuing pandemic, and we want to help alleviate your fears as much as possible and help you practice healthier hygiene habits.

Read More

6 Ways to Improve Your Mental Wellness All Year

It is more than okay to not be okay sometimes, but we all want to be mentally well and happy. Mental wellness is integral for living a fulfilling life but maintaining it can come with its challenges. And yet, we often neglect our own mental health in favor of other priorities like work, family, relationships, obligations, or friends.

Read More

Talking to Your Partner about ED

A lot of men do not want to talk about their erectile dysfunction (ED), but the truth is that it can affect more than just themselves- their partners are also affected by the condition. The right communication will help avoid any embarrassment and allow room for understanding and support to grow.  

Read More

HIV Today: A Look at the Progress We’ve Made

In the early 1980s, HIV was a death sentence. Today, it is manageable with medication and can be treated as just another chronic disease. With new medical advancements and increased awareness, we have made considerable progress in combating HIV/AIDS since its outbreak 40 years ago.

Read More

The Effects of Hormonal Birth Control

Many women are concerned about the effects that hormonal birth control might have on their health. If you are thinking of starting the pill, or if you have been on the pill for a while, it makes sense that you may have concerns about how long-lasting any side effects might be.

Read More