Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

7 Best At-Home STD Tests Of 2025 That We Trust

Brooke Piperato recognized that STIs that go undetected can affect fertility in people with vaginas, and as a newlywed, she thought it wise to test preemptively.

"It's important [for all folx] to get tested regularly, even when you have a long-term partner (as I do)," she said. "We will be family planning in the next couple of years, so we will want to know of anything that might hurt our chances of a successful pregnancy and try to nip it in the bud."

Piperato appreciated Nurx's package delivery, saying, "The test kit came in discreet packaging; the box the tests came in was completely blank, with no text. I appreciated their thoughtfulness on this, in case one might want to keep this information private."

Piperato also said the kit included three tests (vaginal, throat, and blood), as well as a large step-by-step instructional card to guide you through the collection processes with visuals. She said each of the printed materials came with a corresponding QR code that provided videos and online instruction.

"My only qualm with this test is that they send you many more materials than you actually need. For example, they sent me four of the little pricking tools and several bandages, when they only instructed me to take a single prick.

"I was definitely more nervous heading into this test than I needed to be because I thought I might need to prick myself a few times."

Nurx processing seemed to take a little longer than the processing for other tests, by Piperato's account: "I shipped my results on a Tuesday and got a notice that they were received by Nurx on Saturday. It took an additional 5 days to receive the final results."

Piperato said her results were shared directly by a nurse on the Nurx team. The results came directly to her email inbox and as a message in the app.

"I was surprised that the results did not include any numbers/measurements," she said. "[My nurse] Carol interpreted my results for me. She explained that all of my results were negative, indicating that I do not have any of the conditions I was testing for. If a condition is present, you might expect to see more stats to help explain any abnormalities."

Piperato noted that patients are eligible for follow-ups and can ask questions as part of this step.

How Long Does It Take For STD Symptoms To Appear Or Be Detected On A Test?

All sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) start as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Knowing the incubation period for the most common infections can help you determine when to get tested after exposure.

When you first contract an STI, your body needs time to recognize and produce antibodies to the infection. This is known as the incubation period.

For some STIs, the body begins to produce antibodies and symptoms in as little as a few days. For others, it can take weeks or months for antibodies to develop.

If you test too soon, you may receive a "false negative" result for an incubating infection.

It's important to understand that symptoms aren't necessarily a reliable marker of infection. Some STIs can take months or years to produce symptoms, if at all. If symptoms occur, the condition is considered an STD.

After the incubation period has passed, most STIs can be diagnosed via antibody-specific blood tests. Swab and urine tests are also common.

Doctors often recommend retesting to confirm that treatment for a bacterial or parasitic STI was successful.

With the exception of HPV — which often resolves on its own within 2 years — viral STIs are lifelong. That means a blood test will always detect the infection, even after treatment, to manage symptoms or prevent transmission.

Doctors only recommend retesting for a viral STI to confirm the original diagnosis.

Many STIs present without symptoms (asymptomatic). In some cases, an STI may not show symptoms because it's latent, or lying dormant in your body.

The best way to ensure that dormant STIs receive the proper diagnosis and treatment is regular STI screening.

Kenyans Can Now Secretly Test For STDs Online

Kenyans who suspect they have sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can now order for tests anonymously and quickly through the internet or mobile phones to protect their privacy.

The new initiative, unveiled by Pathologists Lancet Kenya, comes amid recent research data revealing that lack of sufficient privacy in sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing clinics was one of the major barriers against uptake of STD tests in the country.

In addition, many Kenyans, especially the youth, often contract STDs during the December holidays, but privacy concerns impact negatively on the decision to seek testing and treatment.

Now Kenyans will be able to request the full range of STD tests, including gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and HIV by booking anonymously through the internet or telephone without sharing their names or going to the clinic.

Blood and urine samples are then collected from any location in the country where the client is most comfortable with, usually away from the eyes of family members, friends, work colleagues or people familiar to them.

Alternatively, kits for collecting samples can be dispatched to the clients in sealed packages through courier and returned to the lab for testing. Once the results are ready, the client is notified to access them through a special, secure and restricted web portal.

If the results are negative for any STDs, the person can afford to rest easy, with his privacy and dignity still intact.

However, if the results turn out positive, they are linked up for treatment with doctors who also fully appreciate the privacy needs of the patients. In some cases, doctors may email prescriptions for drugs based on the lab results without having to meet the patient.

Available service

The service is available all over the country. Lancet Group Chief Executive Ahmed Kalebi said while demand for STI services is high among Kenyans, lack of sufficient privacy in the testing process has unfortunately discouraged many people from seeking the tests. He said this has negatively impacted on the sexual health of Kenyans.

"There are still considerable levels of stigma and embarrassment among Kenyans when it comes to testing for STDs. Boosting privacy is one way of encouraging more people to take up regular testing to enhance their sexual health and save their lives," he said.

Moreover, Dr Kalebi asserts the new method is useful when one is worried they may have contracted an STD and requires timely results.

This approach for testing STDs has been adopted from the United Kingdom's largest STI screening organisation called Better2Know Limited. It has spread to South Africa, Australia and Canada, among others.

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