“We establish many lifelong habits in our adolescent years. It is why it is especially important to make sure young adults enter their sexual lives with as much information and support as possible,” said Lora Ivanova, CEO & Co-Founder of myLAB Box.
LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) August 15, 2019
With many students either starting college for the first time, and returning to school, the number of STIs and STDs remain high for this particular demographic. According to the CDC, “there are about 20 million new cases of STDs each year in the United States. About half of these infections are in people between the ages of 15 and 24. Young people are at greater risk of getting an STD.” To that end, myLAB Box, the first nationwide at-home STD testing service, today announced a series of sexual health tips reminders to college students designed to decrease the likelihood of catching a disease during the most formidable years.
Among the sexual health tips from myLAB Box for college students:
- Schedule a Doctor’s Visit & Get Tested: Before packing up for the big move back to college, make an appointment to see your doctor so you can receive all the needed vaccines and medications. Consider getting vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and HPV. Making sure you are up to date on vaccinations like the HPV vaccine is extremely important as this vaccine helps to safeguard against cervical cancer. Regular testing is the best way to consistently know your status. If you’re too nervous to go to a clinic, you can order an at-home STI testing kit and do the test right in your dorm room. It’s so easy that it leaves you with no valid excuses for not getting tested. Parents can help too by sending their children a test kit in their care packages this upcoming fall.
- Educate Yourself About All Things Sex Related: STIs are not only passed through intercourse. They can be contracted through oral sex and, in some cases, even from kissing. For example, herpes, chlamydia, and gonorrhea are three infections that can directly affect your mouth or throat. It pays to educate yourself on the common signs and symptoms of the most common STIs and remember that as many as 80% of infections may show little to no symptoms at all. Think twice before you kiss someone at those house parties of the year and test regularly.
- Stock Up On Condoms: Condoms are one of your best methods of defense against infection and unwanted pregnancies. When used correctly, it can offer a 98% chance of preventing pregnancy. While not perfect, latex condoms are also among the best ways to protect against many STDs and STIs, however, some infections can be passed by skin to skin contact so stay vigilant even if you practice safe sex. Don’t forget to stock up this fall!
- Remember Contraceptives: There are other contraceptives to protect yourself as you go back to school and back in bed. These include the birth control pill, the patch and the ring, all of which are prescribed by your doctor. All of these methods are designed to administer hormones to your body – via pill, a patch that is worn on your skin, or a ring that you insert vaginally – for 3 weeks at a time, with your period occurring in the 4th week.
To help college students everywhere take greater control of their sexual health, myLAB Box is offering a 20 percent discount from now until the end of September with the following discount code – backtoschool2019. And for students with either a medical Flexible Savings Account (FSA) or a Health Savings Accounts (HSA) accounts, myLAB Box proudly accepts both FSA and HSA as payment options, making its service even more affordable and accessible for men and women in every state.
Ways Parents Can Talk To Their Teen About Safe Sex
As the CDC report indicates, half of the new STD cases are from those between the ages of 15 and 24. The CDC also recommends that all sexually active adolescents should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia every year. In light of this, myLAB Box has decided to lower its age-gate to 14+ to help young teens stay safe at all times.
To help parents have that candid talk with their adolescent, myLAB Box is here to offer up suggestions for what parents should discuss with their teen before sending them off to college this fall:
- Try not to give your teen too much information at once. It will stress them out. Consider splitting up the “sex talk” into a few days over the course of a week.
- Use examples or personal college stories to start a conversation so there's no tension between the both of you.
- Go over why safe sex is crucial to preventing pregnancy and STDs.
- Discuss how to properly use and put on condoms.
- Make an appointment with your teen's healthcare provider to discuss ways to prevent and screen for STDs and for females, screen for cervical cancer.
- Share factual information with teens and not use scare tactics. It is important that your teen feels comfortable with you when you are having this conversation.
- Establish trust and a safe space to share intimate experiences and ask questions.
- Lastly, let your teen know that they can come to you at any time with questions about sexual health even if they are away at college. Make sure your teen knows where the campus health center is. That way your teen knows they always have someone to talk to, even if it isn’t you.
“We establish many lifelong habits in our adolescent years. It is why it is especially important to make sure young adults enter their sexual lives with as much information and support as possible,” said Lora Ivanova, CEO & Co-Founder of myLAB Box. “It is common sense that if you want a healthy smile, you should brush your teeth regularly. A healthy sex life is much the same - regular STI testing is a key part of personal hygiene. We encourage adults to lead by example and create a safe space for conversation to ensure the lifelong health of the next generation.”
myLAB Box offers quick and private tests that can be paid for out-of-pocket (and for about half of the price you would at a doctor’s office). These tests take five minutes to complete and are shipped in discreet packaging. You can take them anytime and anyplace. If you live in one of the many states that offer telemedicine, and most do, you can even speak with a doctor and get prescribed your treatment right over the phone for no extra charge. It’s simply the easiest and most convenient way to be tested.
About myLAB Box
Founded in 2013, myLAB Box is the first company to offer a nationwide at-home screening platform for STDs. From affordable screening to complementary physician consultations for positives, every aspect of the myLAB Box service is designed to be safe, effective, and efficient. By offering testing, screening or testing services directly to consumers, myLAB Box is able to offer exceptional service at half the cost of conventional lab tests. From affordable screening to complementary physician consultations for positives, every aspect of the myLAB Box service is designed to be safe, effective and efficient. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit: http://www.mylabbox.com.