The Best Places to Get Tested for STDs

Ever think it was possible for your very own home to be among the best places to get tested for STDs? With myLAB Box, that’s no longer a what-if, but a right-now, kind of option.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and diseases are more prevalent than ever before. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that the rates of STI infection have reached an all-time high in the United States.

So, what does this mean? It means: we’d all better start getting tested!

What Are the Most Common Places to Get Tested for STDs?

If you ask someone on the street, they’ll often say that the most common places to get tested for STDs would be at either a clinic or a doctor’s office. They’d be correct, but there is another option! myLAB Box offers a powerful alternative to these traditional options in the form of at-home STI testing. As self-care technology has improved, each of us is now able to take total control over our sexual health. Let’s take a look at the benefits and differences of going to a clinic vs. getting testing at home:

The Old Way: The Clinic and Doctor’s Office

Throughout the United States, you can go to a clinic or doctor’s office for in-person STD testing. This older model is still the most commonly accepted way to be screened. A person can make an appointment to get tested and speak face-to-face with a healthcare professional. After a potential follow-up visit, they will receive lab-certified results.

The benefit of this model is evident. Of course, visiting an office can also be time-consuming, inconvenient and nerve wracking. That’s where at home STD testing comes into the picture.

The Future of Testing: Home Testing for STDs

What if you could get all of the same benefits of an in-person screening without ever leaving the comfort of your home? That’s where myLAB Box shines. Many people feel embarrassed or nervous about sharing the intimate details of their sex lives with a stranger. Some don’t have the means to travel to the clinic, due to a disability or lack of transportation.  Others can’t afford to take time off from work to stay in the waiting room. Sound familiar? myLAB Box’s innovative solution is an at-home testing service that makes regular screening as easy and convenient as possible.

Anyone can use myLAB Box’s tests from the comfort of their homes! myLAB Box provides the same lab-certified results as the ones you would receive from any clinic. The difference is that now you can test any time and any place.

Places to Get Tested for STDs: Making Your Decision

Where you choose to test is a personal choice. Everyone needs to consider a variety of factors and make the decision that fits them best. Many factors play into this decision:

Convenience

Test “In-Person”:

As you might expect, speaking face-to-face with a doctor can provide many people with peace of mind. For others, however, this can be a surprising source of anxiety. Showing up for an in-person visit means scheduling appointments in advance, taking time off from work and often sitting around in a public waiting room. Once the appointment begins, many people find that sharing the intimate details of their sex life to be profoundly uncomfortable.

Test from the Comfort of Home:

myLAB Box’s home testing for STDs is designed to directly counteract those fears and inconveniences. The process is as simple and painless as possible. Order online, take the test within 5 minutes and check your lab-certified results through a secure website. Simple (and accurate) as that.

Like the idea of an at-home STD test but still wish you could speak with a doctor  who can prescribe your treatment? From testing to treatment, myLAB Box has you covered. For anyone who receives positive test results, this service offers free phone consultations with certified STI counselors and physicians. If you live in a state that allows telemedicine – and most do – you can even be prescribed your treatment right over the phone.

Cost

Test In Person:

Usually, a visit to a clinic or doctor’s office will include a co-pay fee. What’s more, going to a clinic is rarely a one-time visit. If diagnosed with an STI, most doctors and clinics will encourage a follow-up appointment. These repeated visits result in additional copay expenses.

Clinics often accept health insurance, and this may seem like the cheaper option.  However, these fees do not account for the hidden costs of medical insurance. At a clinic, you may be able to use health insurance, but this may not be as beneficial as it seems. Your test results will be recorded in the Medical Information Bureau database. This database is visible to every insurance provider in the country.

Test from the Comfort of Home:

How much does it cost to get tested for STDs? That’s a question that we’ve thoroughly considered. myLAB Box has erred on the side of affordability. Using myLAB Box’s service keeps your testing data completely private.

With at-home testing from myLAB Box, there is one flat rate. All home STI tests are not the same. Many of the home STI testing kits on the market use “instant results” that are sub par testing methods. These kits illegal within the United States.

The Results:

Test In Person:

Testing in a clinic or doctors office is trustworthy and reliable Patients can trust that they will get accurate results.

Test from the Comfort of Home:

myLAB Box’s tests offer lab-certified results. These are the exact same results you would receive from a clinic or doctor. The only difference is that you never had to leave the comfort of your home.

Here’s the myLAB Box process works:

• • 1-3 days after you click “order,” your test package will arrive at your door.

• • It only takes 5 minutes to complete the test. Take as much time as you need to send it back!

• Pop it back in the mail with our return-addressed stamped envelope. You’ll get your results within a few days.

This service is absolutely committed to your personal privacy. Your personal test results are stored on a secure server. Only you will have access to this sensitive information. 

If you’d like to learn more, here is our in-depth article about how long STD test results take for myLAB Box customers.

No Matter Which Method You Choose: Test for STDs

Early detection of sexually transmitted infections can save lives and stop the spread of STDs among unknowing partners.

No matter how you test, you should feel comfortable with your decision. Many people are totally comfortable speaking face-to-face with a doctor. For them, going to the clinic may be the right call. Others are simply strapped for time. They may feel awkward setting foot in a clinic. myLAB Box offers a bold new alternative for testing. At-home testing makes this critical step in our sexual health more convenient and easier than ever.

Reviewed by Luis Ferdinand M. Papa, MD, MHA