There's a lot of pressure on young people nowadays to have sex. Images on television, songs on the radio, what you see on the Internet and stories that your mates tell you can all add to the desperate feeling of having to quickly lose your V plates. However, this is all completely natural and a huge part of growing up! Exploring your sexuality when still a teenager is extremely common and perfectly normal, but it's important that you stay safe whilst doing so.

Wearing a condom

Ever heard the saying 'No glove, no love'? It's referring to condoms, which are imperative to practicing safe sex. They can be bought in supermarkets, chemists, pubs, petrol stations and public toilets, so there's no excuse not to have some, even if you don't see yourself pulling anytime soon! Condoms are the only contraception that also protect you from sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs) as well as preventing unwanted pregnancy.

Catching an STD

Sexually transmitted diseases are easier to catch than you may think. It only takes a few seconds of unprotected sex for you to pick them up! It's also possible to catch STDs via oral or anal sex, as well as vaginal intercourse or sharing sex toys with an infected person. The most common diseases are chlamydia and gonorrhoea, the former of which was reported to currently affectone in tensexually active young people, according to the Family Planning Association.

I think I've caught one!

If you suspect that something fishy is going on downstairs, do not ignore it or pretend it isn't happening! Untreated infections can go on to affect other areas of your body and cause damage to vital organs, lead to infertility, make you go blind or, in some cases, be fatal. Even if you don't believe that you're infected or you only have a slight suspicion, it's always best to make sure and get yourself checked out, either by your GP or at a GUM clinic.

Taking a trip to the clinic

Genitourinary (GUM) clinics are medical venues specially designed to diagnose and treat STDs. All appointments are treated with extreme confidentiality and all steps are taken to protect your privacy. You don't even have to give them your name, if you prefer. Don't worry if you're embarrassed, the doctors will have seen it all before and you'll be treated with care and respect. Most clinics will probably recommend performing a full Sexual Health Screening, which will involve a blood sample being taken and swabs may be taken from your mouth, genitals and/or anus. The clinic will then send the results away for analysis and you will be contacted about your results soon after, either via phone, text or another appointment.

I'm all clear!

Congratulations! You don't need to take any further action, but just remember that this whole ordeal could have been avoided if you had used protection! Stay safe next time.

I'm not so lucky…

Don't worry just yet! Most infections can be cured via antibiotics or other treatments, which are all provided free of charge, along with condoms and lubricants. If you've contracted an STD which can't be treated so easily (such as herpes), GUM clinics can provide support and counselling to help you. Remember, to notify your partner if you've tested positive as it's highly likely that they'll also be carrying the infection and need to be treated.