Using a condom
Choosing a condom
The range of available condoms is bewildering. With so many sizes, shapes and thicknesses on offer, how do you know which to choose? Obviously, you are safest with a well-known brand bought from a pharmacist or brand vending machine. Always check the sell-by date and the Kitemark. Otherwise, the best plan is to try several until you find one that is comfortable for you. The preferred shape – be it straight, flared or contoured – seems to be a matter of personal choice. Researchers at the University of Exeter gave a variety of condoms to over 400 young men and women, and asked them to complete a questionnaire rating each condom for comfort and sensitivity. The results showed that roughly equal number of people preferred each shape – there was no outright winner. So just because a friend recommends a certain type, don't assume it will be right for you.
Some people prefer a thicker condom because it may make intercourse last slightly longer. Thicker condoms usually have words such as 'ultra-strong' or 'super strong' on the packet. Anyone intending to have anal sex must use an ‘ultra-strong’ or ‘super-strong’ condom.
Most condoms are made from latex rubber. If you think your condom reduces sensitivity or you dislike the rubbery, latex smell, try a polyurethane condom such as Durex Avanti or eZ.on. Polyurethane condoms feel thinner than they actually are, because they conduct body heat better. Avanti is as effective for contraception as the latex type and eZ.on slightly less so (Cochrane Database Systematic Review, 2004, issue 3. www.thecochranelibrary.com). However, non-latex condoms are slightly more likely to break.
Some condoms contain casein, a substance derived from animals; however, vegetarian/vegan-friendly condoms are available (see Useful contacts).
Using a condom – dos and don’ts
- Do buy your condoms from a pharmacist or reputable brand vending machine or other reliable source, not from a street trader.
- Do check the sell-by date when you buy - the further ahead it is, the better.
- Do choose a reputable brand that has the British Standard Kitemark on the pack and an expiry date of over 2 years from now. The Kitemark means the sheaths are properly tested. Expiry dates are usually 5 years after manufacture. Alternatively, choose a pack marked 'BS EN 600' - this is the European standard, which is similar to the British Standard.
- Do make sure you have several with you, in case you damage one or it goes on wrongly.
- Do be careful as you unwrap the condom – they can be damaged by teeth, fingernails and jewellery.
- Do be careful not to unroll the condom inside out (except eZ.on, which can be put on either way).
- Do use a water-based lubricant if needed, such as KY Gel, Senselle, Replens, or Sylk, Durex Play lubricant or Boots lubricating Jelly.
- Do put the condom on before your penis touches your partner's genitals. It is possible for a woman to become pregnant if any sperm are spilt near the entrance of the vagina even if you do not have full intercourse. Sperm can ooze out of the penis before ejaculation happens (‘pre-cum’).
- Do pull the foreskin back before rolling on the condom (obviously, this does not apply if you have been circumcised).
- Do hold the condom on after you have ejaculated, otherwise it may slip off as you go soft and spill sperm.
- Do remember that the more you use condoms, and the more familiar you are with them, the more comfortable and efficient you will become.
- Don't feel embarrassed at the thought of buying condoms. As the Planned Parenthood Federation of America says, 'Be proud. Buying condoms says you are responsible and that you accept your sexuality as a normal part of living'. If you really are embarrassed, get them from a slot machine in a pub/bar toilet.
- Don't take any notice of a large CE mark on the pack. This is a European mark, compulsory on all condom packs after June 1998. It is to do with free trade in Europe, and is not a guarantee of quality.
- Don't ever buy a pack that has no Kitemark but says it 'conforms to' or 'surpasses' British Standard 3704. This is a con. They may not have been tested at all.
- Don't use a condom that is past its sell-by date or which feels sticky or very dry.
- Don't rely on a gimmick condom (glow-in the-dark, musical etc.) for contraception.
- Don't use Vaseline, hand cream, butter, baby oil or any other oils for lubrication with latex rubber condoms (see Lubrication for more advice)
- Don't use a condom more than once; use a new one each time you have intercourse.
- Don't flush it down the toilet after use, because it could cause a blockage. Wrap it in tissue or toilet paper and chuck it in the bin.
Talking about using condoms
It can be very awkward talking to a new partner about condoms. For some really practical advice, look at the website of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Click here to see some of their ideas for responses to partners reluctant to use a condom.
Lubrication
Some people find that sex is more enjoyable for themselves and their partner if they use a lubricant. Condom manufacturers admit that the lubrication they put on the condoms may not be enough, but adding more would make packaging difficult. Lubricants are especially useful if your partner has vaginal dryness, and will also help prevent wear and tear on the condom. Smear the lubricant on the outside of the condom after you have put the condom on.
Don’t just use any old thing as a lubricant. Most condoms are made of latex rubber, and oils can cause latex to break down, reducing the strength of the condom by up to 95% in 15 minutes.
Lubricants that should NOT be used with latex rubber condoms
- Baby oil
- Cooking oil
- Massage oil
- Body lotion
- Bath oil
- Hand cream
- Suntan oil
- Petroleum jelly (Vaseline)
- Hair conditioner
So choose a water-based lubricant, such as KY Gel, Sylk (see Useful contacts), Boots Lubricating Jelly, Durex Play lubricant, Senselle or Replens. The packet should tell you whether a lubricant is water-based or not. If you are unsure, ask the pharmacist or family planning clinic. Spit is not a good idea, because it dries fast and could theoretically transmit HIV or hepatitis (see oral sex).
Some condoms are made from polyurethane, not latex rubber. These are not damaged by oily substances.
Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated:
Saturday, February 13th 2010
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Posted by Anonymous on 07/05/2009 at 09:17:00 pm
ok . on the condom the expiry date says: 2012-08 does that mean that its still safe to use ?
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Fascinating facts
Early condoms were made of linen or pig or sheep's gut, tied at the end with ribbon. After sex, they were rinsed out and reused!
An 18th-century illustrated condom, featuring three naughty nuns, was sold at a Christie's auction for £3,300
There is no truth in the story that condoms were invented by a Dr Condom, physician to Charles II
Although it has been suggested that condoms were used by the Ancient Egyptians, the earliest actual report of a condom was by the Italian anatomist, Fallapio in 1564. He claimed to have invented a linen sheath, made to fit the penis, as protection against syphilis
In England, condoms are known as 'French Letters'. In Italy, they used to be called 'English Overcoats'
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