Health Guides

What Happens If Your STI Test Comes Back Positive?
Most common STIs are completely treatable, and many are curable with a short course of antibiotics. A positive result can feel confronting, but it has a clear path forward — and catching an infection early, before it causes complications or gets passed on, is exactly what testing is designed to do. Here’s what to expect, step by step. Step 1: Your Doctor Will Contact You A reputable testing service won’t just deliver a positive result and leave you to figure out next steps alone. At TestSmart, every positive result is... Read more...
Chlamydia in Australia: Symptoms, Testing, and Treatment
Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in Australia. In 2024, there were 101,742 diagnoses nationally — around half of them in people aged 20 to 29 — and that figure almost certainly undercounts the true number, because most people who have chlamydia don’t know it. That’s not because chlamydia is harmless. It’s because it usually has no symptoms at all. Does Chlamydia Always Have Symptoms? No. The majority of people infected with chlamydia — estimates suggest around 70–80% — experience no symptoms whatsoever. They feel completely normal,... Read more...
How Often Should You Get an STI Test in Australia?
If you’re sexually active in Australia, getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is one of the most straightforward things you can do for your health — and your partners’. But how often should you actually get an STI test? The honest answer depends on your situation. Here’s what the evidence says. The Short Answer At minimum, once a year if you’re sexually active. Every three to six months if you have multiple partners, change partners frequently, or have sex without condoms. The more partners and the less consistent your... Read more...
At-Home STI Testing for Men in Australia: What You Need to Know
At-Home STI Testing for Men in Australia: What You Need to Know Men in Australia are significantly undertested for sexually transmitted infections. According to Kirby Institute modelling, most chlamydia and gonorrhoea cases in Australia remain undiagnosed and untreated - and among heterosexual men specifically, research consistently identifies lower testing rates than in women or men who have sex with men. The reasons are well documented: stigma, fear of the test itself, cost, and GPs who rarely raise sexual health unless the patient does first. Men bear a disproportionate share of... Read more...
HPV Home Collection in Australia: Self-Collect Cervical Screening
Skip the clinic. TestSmart's at-home HPV self-collection kit lets you screen for high-risk HPV strains from home - results processed by ACL Laboratories, reviewed under GP oversight. Read more...
At-Home STI Testing in Australia: What You Need to Know
At-Home STI Testing in Australia: What You Need to Know Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is one of the most important things you can do for your health, and the health of your partners. But for many Australians, actually doing it is another story. Booking a GP, taking time off work, sitting in a waiting room, and having a face-to-face conversation about your sexual history can feel like a lot. Which is why more people are searching for an easier way. At-home STI testing is changing that. How... Read more...