Is the condom a reliable means of contraception?
It is very effective if used correctly and regularly. Incorrect use of this contraceptive significantly reduces the efficiency of protection against pregnancy — from 98 to 82% How effective are condoms? — and nullifies protection against STIs.
It's all simple here, can you really use it incorrectly?
Oh yes. Ideally, the condom should be properly sized, put on before each sexual act, used only with suitable lubricants, and removed immediately after ejaculation. But in practice, it turns out differently. "Some decide to put on a condom in the middle of the intercourse, only during the 'dangerous days' of their partner or do not change the condom for the second sexual act," notes urologist Daria Chernysheva.
Many believe that the main thing is to prevent sperm from entering the vagina directly at the time of ejaculation. However, Dr. Vanessa Cullins from the American Family Planning Federation clarifies Things You Really Need To Know About Condoms , that the condom should be put on before the penis touches the vulva (that is, even the labia). According to her, fluid is released from the penis before and after ejaculation. These secretions can contribute to the transmission of infection and even lead to pregnancy.
Here are a few more mistakes we make most often.
Incorrectly selected size
If the condom is too loose on the penis, it can easily shift or semen can spill out of it and into the woman’s reproductive tract. To avoid this, choose the right size for you.
The length of the condom varies: you can unroll it as much as you need. Therefore, the standard length condom fits most men. However, if desired, you can find out the ideal parameters for yourself. To do this, take a ruler, place it against the pubic bone at the base of the penis, and measure the distance to the tip of the glans.
But with the girth of the penis, it's not so simple. Here’s what the doctor recommends:
You can take a string and use it to measure the circumference at the base of the erect penis. Then straighten this string and measure it with a ruler. The resulting number will be your guide in condom size.
The internet also helps in finding the right size. There are many websites (for example this one), where you can find size calculators and tables with parameters of popular condoms in Russia.
Dr. Chernysheva notes that for about 30% of men, the standard size of condoms is large. But this is not the men's problem, but the manufacturers', who are guided by inflated numbers.
There is nothing shameful about searching for a suitable and well-fitting condom instead of settling for what is sold at the nearest supermarket. We are all different, and that’s okay. Only through searching can you find the model that suits you.
No space left at the tip of the condom
This reservoir collects the released sperm. If you didn't pinch the tip with your fingers while putting it on, then you didn't leave any space there and didn't release the air. In such a case, there is nowhere for the semen to collect — it will spread along the penis.
Removed the condom too late
Erection in most men weakens quite quickly after ejaculation. So the condom, which was snug on the erect penis, becomes too loose — sperm can leak into that space.
Did not read the instructions on the packaging
Yes, condoms come with instructions, and it's important, because trendy items in green color with a banana flavor or five types of bubbles may not be intended for contraception or protection at all. And this is stated on the packaging. In small print.
Alright. How then to put on the condom correctly?
1. Know your size (focus on width).
2. Read the condom label before purchasing. It may not be suitable for contraception.
3. Do not use a condom if the packaging is opened, damaged, or if it is past its expiration date.
4. Use the condom before any contact of your penis with another person’s genitals.
5. Open and remove the condom carefully, without pinching it with your nails.
6. Take the condom by the tip and squeeze it to leave space for semen.
7. Drop some water-based lubricant inside the condom if you think it’s necessary.
8. Pull back the foreskin, if there is one.
9. While still holding the tip of the condom, unroll it on the penis to the length you need.
10. Stop all movements if the condom has slipped or torn. Immediately remove it and replace it with a new one.
11. Change the condom with every new approach (re-insertion of the penis after ejaculation).
12. Change the condom if you decide to engage in another type of sex (oral or anal). For each new orifice — a new condom.
13. Remove the penis as soon as possible after ejaculation, holding the condom at the base of the penis to avoid spilling semen.
14. Carefully remove the condom, still trying not to spill semen.
Watch this video. It shows the whole process in detail and explains how and what the condom protects against.
Does the condom always need lubrication?
Many condoms already have lubrication on the outside. But it won’t hurt to add more, including inside. The main thing to remember is that oils and oil-based lubricants are incompatible with latex condoms. They destroy latex. It's best to use water-based lubricants.
What to do if you are allergic to latex?
According to Daria Chernysheva, about 5–10% of people may have an allergy to latex, from which most condoms are made.
Allergic reactions vary: from redness and irritation to attacks of suffocation and loss of consciousness. If you notice discomfort, itching, rash, or redness of the genitals (and of your partner too) during or right after using a latex condom, it’s better to avoid such condoms in the future and switch to polyurethane or polyisoprene ones.
American experts advise Things You Really Need To Know About Condoms to switch to female polyurethane condoms if allergic to latex male condoms. According to their data, most people with latex allergies switch to natural condoms made from animal intestines, which protect poorly against HIV.
Does the condom affect erection?
It does, but indirectly, as sensitivity sometimes decreases. There is no data that the condom causes erectile dysfunction.
Men sometimes experience what is known as condom-associated problems with erection: it decreases or completely disappears before or immediately after putting on the condom.
The reasons are still unknown, but it is likely that it has more to do with the psychological and physiological characteristics of men who have faced such problems.
For all other men, the erection may temporarily disappear because the size is incorrectly selected: too tight, painful, constricting, difficult to put on, and so forth. It is enough to find a comfortable condom to eliminate such inconveniences. Better to spend time on this than to face STIs or unwanted pregnancy.
Read also
- 12 hot sex positions for couples ready to experiment →
- Everything you need to know about the health of the penis and men's intimate hygiene →
- STIs: diseases you were too shy to ask about →
