Don’t put off a smear test because you’re scared or embarrassed!
Sure it’s a little awkward to jump on a table and spread your legs for a total stranger, but it could save your life! Check our quick guide to smear tests - from why you need one, to how it's done…
What is it? Smear tests aren’t about finding cancer – they are about looking for abnormal changes in cells on the surface of the cervix, which can some develop into cancer if not treated. It’s all about prevention rather than cure!
Do I need one? According to the National Cervical Screening Programme, all women who have ever been sexually active should have regular smear tests from the time they turn 20 right through to 70.
Women who have never had sex should start having smear tests from the age of 20. This is very important because cervical cancer can take up to 10 years to develop. It’s rare for women under the age of 25 to develop it – so now is the time to start looking for any dodgy cells to kick that cancer totally in the ass.
I don’t know where to go?
Head to your local doctor or nurse at your nearest medical center. And yes, there’s no shame in asking for a female nurse to do the test if will make you feel more comfortable.
How often should I get it done?
You should go back a year after your first smear test, and then after that it’s advised to have one every three years.
What’s the pain factor like and what exactly happens?
It might be a little uncomfortable, but most women find it doesn’t hurt. You’ll be asked to lie down on a bed with your legs spread apart. The nurse/doctor will then insert an instrument called speculum into your vagina; this opens the vagina to reach the surface of your cervix. A sample of cells is taken from this and sent away to a laboratory to be examined.
This is a brief guide only. For more information we recommend you visit the National Screening Unit website.
Don’t put off a smear test because you’re scared or embarrassed!
What is it? 
Women who have never had sex should start having smear tests from the age of 20. This is very important because cervical cancer can take up to 10 years to develop. It’s rare for women under the age of 25 to develop it – so now is the time to start looking for any dodgy cells to kick that cancer totally in the ass.
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