Sexual Health

You can book an appointment through any of the following options:

• Email us at info@lips.org.uk

• Call us at +44 (0) 207 164 6114.

• Book directly through our website.

Self-Pay

Booking Online:

• Debit or credit card (Visa & Mastercard)

• Apple Pay or Google Pay

Booking Over the Phone:

• A secure online payment link, shared by the medical assistant.

• Alternatively, you can provide your card details over the phone to our medical assistant for a secure one-time card payment.

Insured:

You must provide the following details at the time of booking, either online, over the phone or via email:

• Insurer name

• Authorisation code

• Membership number

STI tests usually include a blood test and either a swab test from the vagina or a urine sample. If you are experiencing a rash or break in the skin in the genital area, a swab for STIs can be taken directly from the rash, blister or ulcer.

This depends on the test. Most results are available within 24-48 hours. Results of tests which require specialist methods or sending to a reference lab, can take longer to come back.

Yes. Although vaginal discharge could be normal, it can be a sign of sexual infections such as Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea or non-sexual infections such as bacterial vaginosis or thrush. It is important to remember STIs do not always cause symptoms, hence we recommend regular testing.

HIV, short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus that upon entering the body affects the immune system, our bodies defense against infections. If not controlled, overtime this defense will start to fail and infections which would not have been dangerous otherwise (known as opportunistic infections) can find a way to affect the body and cause diseases. The virus is dependent on living cells and does not survive outside human body (such as surfaces).

HIV can be transmitted in different ways: unprotected vaginal or anal sexual contact, blood products, sharing needles or during pregnancy from mother to fetus.

With effective treatment available nowadays, majority of people living with HIV have “undetectable” virus in their blood. This means the virus has been suppressed to a level which cannot be seen on a lab test. Undetectable = Untranmittable (U=U) is a revolutionary and empowering message. It means the risk of HIV transmission to others in people with undetectable virus is ZERO.

Although there have been few cases of HIV cure, sadly there is no cure for HIV available yet. The cases which reported cure had very unique circumstances and had extreme treatments for other conditions; something that cannot be done on for others living with HIV as it will cause more harm.

Despite the above, studies for HIV cure continue and there is hope. In the meantime, effective treatment with daily pills or more recently injectable treatment have helped people with HIV live a normal and healthy life.

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a virus called Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). There are two types of the virus, HSV 1 and HSV 2. Genital herpes can be caused by either of them and the UK is most commonly caused by HSV1.

The virus can cause blisters or sores in the genital area, which may look similar to cold sores or different and they are usually painful. You should speak to a sexual health specialist if you notice a sore in the genital area or worried about herpes.

Oral antiviral tablets can help. They are most effective if started early. Once the sores begin to scab and heal, antivirals offer little or no help. Antiviral creams or ointments are not recommended for genital herpes.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) can be caused by organic causes, meaning problems with blood flow, nerves or hormones, psychogenic causes, such as performance anxiety, or a mix of organic and psychogenic causes. If you are experiencing ED, speak with us as we can offer range of treatments, psychological and medical.