How Long After Sex Do STDs Appear?
Realising you have contracted an STI is a shock for anyone but heading immediately to a private health clinic isn’t always the correct solution and may result in a wasted trip. In this blog, our resident Medical Director, Dr Bani, will discuss how long after sex you will begin to experience STI symptoms (if at all), and where you can get quick, discreet STD testing.
Let’s jump right in, how long do STDs take to show after sex? The length of time it takes to show STD symptoms depends on the STD, however, some may never even show any symptoms at all:
- Chlamydia – 1-2 weeks
- Gonorrhoea – within 2 weeks
- Trich – 4 weeks or more
- Syphilis – 2-3 weeks
- HIV – 2-6 weeks
- Genital Herpes – 4-7 days to months or years after
- Genital Warts – 3 weeks to several months
- Public Lice – several weeks
Read on to learn more about the STDs outlined above, the symptoms they may present, and how long symptoms of each STD take to show up.
How Long After Sex Do You Get STD Symptoms?
The time in which it takes for STD symptoms to appear can vary depending on the type of STD in question – some may never show symptoms at all. Below we will detail exactly how long it takes for symptoms to appear for each individual STD, based on NHS guidance:
Chlamydia
Symptoms of Chlamydia usually appear 1- 2 weeks after sexual intercourse but can appear a lot later on in some cases. It is also important to note that 50% of men and 70% of women who are infected with Chlamydia do not experience any symptoms at all, so it is still important to get tested, even if no symptoms are present.
Symptoms of Chlamydia to look out for include pain when urinating, pelvic pain in women, vaginal bleeding during and after sex, testicular pain, discharge from the vagina or penis.
Gonorrhoea
Symptoms of Gonorrhoea typically appear within 2 weeks of contracting the STI but, again, these symptoms in some cases don’t appear until much later on. Roughly 10% of men who contract Gonorrhoea, and 50% of women do not report experiencing any symptoms at all.
Typical symptoms of Gonorrhoea include green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, as well as discomfort when urinating.
Trichomoniasis
If you have contracted Trichomoniasis after sexual activity you typically begin to experience symptoms within 4 weeks but, in some cases, you may not experience symptoms until months after that 4-week mark. Around 50% of men and women who get infected by Trichomoniasis do not experience any symptoms at all.
Usual symptoms of Trichomoniasis include discharge from the vagina and penis, discomfort when urinating, as well as irritation and itchiness around the opening of the vagina.
Syphilis
After being infected by Syphilis you can expect to experience symptoms after 2- 3 weeks, but in some cases they can begin earlier than this period, as well as later than this period.
Symptoms include one or more painful sores and ulcers on the genital area and flu-like symptoms that may occur weeks after. It is important to note that Syphilis symptoms are not always obvious and they may come and go throughout your treatment period, so the infection can easily be mistaken for something else!
HIV
After contracting HIV, the first symptoms can appear 2 – 6 weeks after sexual activity and they can usually last around 2 weeks but not everyone will experience them. HIV symptoms include flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, sore throat, headaches and achy muscles or joints, as well as a red rash on the body.
Due to HIV being incurable, medication has been developed that prolongs life and reduces symptoms, therefore after the initial symptoms disappear, you should not experience any further STD symptoms. Find out more about the first symptoms of HIV for men and women in one of our recent articles.
Genital Herpes
If you have been infected by Genital Herpes during sexual activity, you tend to develop symptoms 4 – 7 days after, but in some cases, it can be months or years later. In fact, most people don’t have symptoms at all when they are initially infected.
The most common symptoms for Genital Herpes include small, painful blisters around the genitals, discomfort when urinating, as well as tingling or itching sensations around the genitals. Some people may also experience flu-like symptoms straight after exposure.
Genital Warts
If you develop genital warts these symptoms could appear 3 weeks to several months after you have been in contact with the virus.
Symptoms include small bumps on the anus or genitals that are usually painless but itchy. The warts/bumps may also be accompanied by bleeding during intercourse, or irritation of the genital region.
Pubic Lice
Whilst public lice aren’t technically an STD (they are a parasite!), they can still be transmitted through sexual contact, so we thought we’d include them on this list nonetheless. If you have been infected by public lice it can take several weeks before the lice appear.
Symptoms of public lice are exactly the same between men and women. They include black-looking spots in your underwear (lice poo), inflammation and irritation caused by itching, and small spots on your skin where you have been itching.
So, How Long Should You Wait Before Getting Tested?
We would recommend waiting at least 14 days after having unprotected sex before booking a private STI test to allow for the incubation period for most common STDs. However, for STDs like HIV, Syphilis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, you need to wait at least 28 days before taking an STD test.
The incubation period is the period between coming in contact with the virus and when your antibodies begin to fight it. If the antibodies do not have time to develop and you get tested before the incubation period has ended, the test will show up as a false negative.
To find out more about the incubation period of different STDs, read one of our recent blogs: How Long After Sex Should You Test For STDs?
Book a Sexual Health Test Today
If you have noticed a change in your genital area, changed sexual partners recently or you think you are experiencing some symptoms of an STD, it is vital that you book a private STD test after the incubation period (14 to 28 days) has passed.
Your Sexual Health provides a wide range of STD tests that can be done in a clinic or from the comfort of your own home. A comprehensive test will provide peace of mind as to whether you have been infected by an STD, allowing you to make better safer sex decisions.
Get in touch with our friendly team today for more information, or if you need advice on which test is right for you.
How Long Does an STD Take To Show on a Woman?
Compared to men, women are less likely to notice symptoms of an STD straight away. Particularly for common infections like chlamydia and gonorrhoea, it actually takes longer for these symptoms to appear on a woman, with a large percentage of women never experiencing symptoms at all.
It is hard to pinpoint just how long STDs can take to show on a woman, as it can vary depending on the STD caught. However, if symptoms are to show up, this will usually be after a week or so, or a few months down the line.
How Long Does an STD Take To Show on a Man?
On a guy, STDs can take anywhere from one week to several months to show up – but the length of time it takes usually depends on the STD in question. Some may never even show symptoms at all.
However, men are quicker to notice symptoms of an STD compared to women. This is because men don’t experience issues like thrush or a yeast infection very often, so pain around the genitals, or unusual discharge is very abnormal, so they’re more likely to pick up that something is wrong.
Can STD Symptoms Appear the Next Day?
Simply put, no, STD symptoms will not appear the day after having sex. However, if you are experiencing irritation or discomfort down below the day after sex, there may be a few reasons for this:
- An imbalance in your PH levels
- A UTI or yeast infection
- Friction burn/irritation
- Penetration that was too deep
- Prostatitis (in males)
If you experience any changes to your genitals and are not sure what the cause might be, then it is always best to consult your GP.
Can You Sleep With Someone With an STD and Not Get It?
STDs are not always transmitted every time you have sex but that still doesn’t mean we would recommend taking the risk! STDs can also be transmitted through any sexual activity such as oral sex, kissing, and touching, so you may have caught the infection, even if you didn’t have penetrative sex.
You can prevent STDs from spreading by avoiding the touching of infected bodily fluids. This can be done by using a barrier method of contraception such as a condom, but this is not a 100% reliable method of preventing STDs.
The most reliable way to avoid transmitting, or spreading an STD, is to undertake private STI testing for yourself and your sexual partner before each encounter, or before any new sexual partners. That way, you can ensure you are both in the clear and free from infection.
