Condoms Dos and Don’ts
“If you use condoms perfectly every single time you have sex, they’re 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. But people aren’t perfect, so in real life condoms are about 85% effective.”
— Planned Parenthood, How effective are condoms against pregnancy?
This contraceptive method is meant to help both penis and vulva owners not only avoid unwanted pregnancies but also prevent health issues like Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). However, their effectiveness in achieving any of these purposes has a lot to do with whether we are using them correctly or not.
According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), some of the most important best practices are:
DON’TS
DOS
❎ NEVER use more than one condom at a time.
❎ NEVER reuse condoms.
❎ NEVER use “oil-based products like baby oil, lotion, petroleum jelly, or cooking oil” as lube.
✅ ALWAYS check condoms before opening them to make sure they aren’t broken.
✅ ALWAYS check the expiration date before opening them.
✅ “DO use water-based or silicone-based lubricant to prevent breakage.”
✅ Make sure you follow all the steps to put on your
condom correctly.
Remember: Condoms are the only contraceptive that will protect you against STIs. Use them wisely! Along with vaccines, they are the most effective STI prevention method. However, keep in mind that STIs can happen to anyone and they are part of our human experience. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “More than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day worldwide, the majority of which are asymptomatic.” There is no shame in getting an STI, and your sex life isn’t over after a positive diagnosis.
(To learn more about STIs, the stigma surrounding them and how to navigate a positive diagnosis, take a look at our Carnal Theory episodes with STI expert, and founder of The STI Project, Jenelle Marie Pierce and Emily Depasse, a sex educator and founder of sex ELDucation.)
STIs can also be passed down through oral sex. If you are looking to protect yourself while giving oral sex, you can create dental dams by cutting off the tip and bottom of a latex or polyurethane condom, then laying the piece flat, covering the area that will be stimulated.
It’s important to note that there are different types of condoms, and they both have different rates of effectiveness as well as different required care. Next, you will find a general overview—based on the fact sheets provided by the CDC—of how to put on each of these and what to do after your encounter is over or after you need to change your condom for a new one (cause condoms need to be changed every time ejaculation occurs or every time you are changing from one type of sex to another (i.e. vaginal to anal)).
For external condoms, AKA male condoms, follow these steps:
🔸 Always place the condom on the head of the erect penis, pulling back the foreskin when applicable.
🔸 With the condom on the head, pinch air out of the tip of the condom.
🔸 Unroll the condom all the way down the penis, while still holding the tip of the condom.
🔸 After ejaculation, before pulling out, hold the condom at the base to keep it in place.
For internal condoms, AKA female condoms, follow these steps:
🔸 Squeeze the sides of the inner ring with your thumb and forefinger, as if you were inserting a tampon.
🔸 With your finger, push the inner ring up to your cervix. Make sure it isn’t twisted.
🔸 The outer ring remains outside the vagina.
🔸 Stop intercourse if the outer ring is pushed inside or if you feel the penis slip outside the condom.
